A Scotsman's Promise

Chapter 9

"Look over there."

Calen watched Micara as she looked to where he had pointed at the left bank. A white tailed doe and her twin fawns stood on the bank. The mother deer watched over the babies protectively, glancing at the canoes as they passed by.

"Oh, they are lovely!" Micara exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. Calen liked the wonder that he saw in her expression, the look of amazement that was evoked by such a simple sight.

"They are lovely indeed," Will agreed, raising his musket and aiming the barrel at the trio, "And imagine how much better they would look roasting over the campfire."

Calen chuckled. He knew Will wouldn't actually shoot them unless they needed meat badly. Cara did not know this. "No, Will!" she cried, effectively scaring the doe and her young away.

Will lowered the gun and grinned sheepishly while Micara began to berate him for almost killing the deer.

Calen chuckled again, glad that he was not on the receiving end of the scolding, especially because there was nothing really to scold about.

"And you Mr. Donelly!" Cara turned her rant on him, taking him by surprise, "I suppose you think that the killing of those creatures, a mother and her two innocent babies, is funny?"

Her reaction to Will's joking suggestion reminded him of his sister Katrina when Da had first taken them both hunting and had killed a doe and her fawn. She had been appalled that he had taken the baby's life, but Da had calmly explained to her the reason for doing so.

Calen remembered the speech Da had used to pacify Katrina, and now as Micara faced him unhappily waiting for an answer, he hoped it would work as well on her.

"No unnecessary killing makes me happy," he told her, choosing his words carefully, "but aye, had I needed the meat, their deaths would have made me glad that I and those depending on me would not starve. Hunting is necessary for survival, and the deaths of some creatures sustain the lives of others. Animals were meant to sustain men just as when we die and are buried, our bodies are meant to sustain the earth. T'would have been a shame to kill such beautiful creatures, but had I needed to, I would not have hesitated to."

Cara seemed somewhat pacified by his answer, and Calen silently told himself to remember to thank his Da for the words that had calmed the ranting Highness.

"It still seems cruel, I could not bring myself to take the life of something so beautiful," Cara said, a frown on her face.

Calen laughed, "If that be the case, yer Ladyship, remind me never to make meself a guest at yer table, for no amount of fancy dishes and finery can make up for the lack of food on the table."

Cara narrowed her eyes at him. "It would be a good thing for you indeed sir, to remember that, for were you a guest at my table, I can assure you that you would be seated well below the salt."

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Cara watched as Calen's eyes hardened. His body froze and she could see the anger in his face. Her insult had gotten to him, as she had hoped it would, but she could not have predicted that it would provoke him to such a degree. She almost wished she could take the remark back.

He glared at her for a few moments and she did her best to hold his piercing stare before lowering her eyes in defeat.

He went back to paddling, and when she dared glance at him, his posture was stiff and rigid and his eyes were trained straight ahead.

They went on like this in silence for some time, neither Calen nor Will, who had no doubt heard her insult, breaking their steady rhythm. Cara felt remorse for the harshness of her remark, but her pride would not allow her to attempt an apology. And even if she had, he probably wouldn't forgive her. She had called him worthless, not fit to grace the same table as herself. It would not be taken lightly, nor forgiven lightly.