A Scotsman's Promise

Chapter 6

It was a silent supper, eating the fish straight off the sticks they had been roasted on. Cara turned in directly afterwards. She had cried herself out after her dip in the river, and she was too exhausted to cry  one single tear, even over her shoes. She fell asleep quickly, still clad in the green blouse and plaid skirt.

Calen and Will stayed by the fire, relaxing in its warmth, watching the stars and listening to the symphony of night critter noises.

Will studied Calen silently. Calen held one of Micara's shoes, his thumb rubbing the blackened toe absentmindedly. When Calen's gaze flickered to the tent, Will smiled to himself. "What are you thinking?" he asked Calen.

Calen's thumb stopped moving  and he looked from Will to the shoe before answering. "She's going to have a tough time walking in these crispy things," he said, using the boot as a scapegoat, "'Twas her own foolishness that is to blame. I'll not be feeling sorry for the consequences that she'll face because of it."

That was untrue, his feet hurt just thinking about it, but Will didn't need to know that. He set the boot beside its mate. "It's late William, and we've got a full day of travel tomorrow. I suggest we tuck in for the night."

"Aye," Will agreed.

Calen settled into his bedroll, his back to the fire. He closed his eyes and relaxed.

"Calen?" Will asked.

Calen grunted in acknowledgement.

"What do you think of her?"

"There's not much to think on lad, she's rich and uppity and much to willful for her own good."

"Tis true," Will said, and after a pause, continued, "But she was a bonny sight in that green dress with her hair all shiny and curly hanging about like it did."

Calen could only agree, "Aye," he breathed.

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The next morning, Micara woke up to the smell of coffee brewing and the sounds of wildlife as they scurried and chirped among the trees. She had never woken to the smell of coffee before, Papa had preferred tea, and she had never had any experience with wildlife, unless one counted the occasional bird or chipmunk in the park. All of this was so new, and if she were honest, not all of it was bad.

She sat up and shivered when the blanket fell from around her shoulders. She arched her back and rotated her neck, trying to remove the kinks. There was an ache in her right shoulder caused by a pebble that she had slept on all night because she had been to tired to search for it.

She heard a sizzle from outside and her stomach growled in response to the smell that wafted to her. She knelt at her trunk and lifted the lid to dress before she realized that she was already fully clothed from last night. She contemplated changing, but when her stomach growled again, she closed the trunk. What ever was cooking smelled amazing. Her mouth watered. She exited the tent.

Calen looked up from his position at the fire when the tent flap was pushed aside. Cara emerged head first. Her curls had escaped their flimsy hold and now sprung in every direction off her head. Calen suppressed a chuckle at seeing Her Majesty in such an imperfect state.

She stood to her full height and stretched. Calen had to look away to hide the smile at the sound she made.

He tended the skillet over the fire, trying to avoid looking at Cara, lest he burst out laughing and ofend Her Highness. The bacon in the skillet sizzled noisily, the biscuits were warming on the rocks around the fire, and the coffee began to boil.