Page 28 of Cherished By A Highlander

“One day you’re strangers, the next day you’re not and you don’t know how it happened,” Shade said and examined her wound before placing her arm in the water up to the elbow to soak. “How do you know Quint?”

“He saved my life.”

Shade waited to hear more but Dru said no more about it.

“Quint is a good man. You need to always remember that,” Dru said.

“It is not something I am likely to forget.”

“What aren’t you likely to forget?” Quint asked, handing Shade a small stack of cloths and placing her healing pouch on the ground beside her.

“What a good man you are,” Shade said, and the bridge of his nose wrinkled as if in distaste and his response surprised her.

“There is a fine line between good and evil.”

“And there is not one among us who hasn’t walked that line,” Dru said.

Shade sensed from the glances exchanged that there was more between Quint and Dru’s friendship, but she wasn’t one to pry. If either of them wanted to tell her they would. One thing was clear, they protected each other. The question was… from what?

“Would you like some food and cider while I tend to your wound?” Shade asked, having heard the young woman’s stomach gurgling in hunger.

Dru’s eyes turned wide. “That would be generous of you.”

“Keep your arm in the bucket of water while I go get you food and drink and I have freshly made oat cakes if you’d like one or two.”

“Two,” Dru said quickly. “I love oak cakes, but I haven’t had them in a long time.”

“Then three might be better,” Shade said and hurried into the cottage.

“She is a generous woman,” Dru said, not taking her eyes off the closed door.

“Shade has a good and caring heart which makes her a good healer.,” Quint said and sat beside Dru on the bench. “You’re here for more than your arm.”

“Aye, I followed that lead I had and discovered that a man fitting the description of the man you search for was seen speaking to Lord Torrance.”

“Do you know why or how they know each other?” Quint asked. “And what of his name?”

Dru continued to tell him what she had learned. “I can’t be sure about either, though tongues wag enough about it to know that the truth lies somewhere in the gossip. The man, Asher, is to take control of Clan MacLeish, after he completes a mission for Lord Torrance, and keep the clan in hand until Lord Torrance arrives and issues orders. From what I heard; he is far from a kind man.”

“It appears that Lord Torrance has confidence that he will win the battle against Clan MacLeish.”

“He’s raised a large enough paid army,” Dru said, “though Chieftain Ryland is supported by most of the surrounding clans and even more clans to the north.”

“With the confidence Lord Torrance is displaying, I would say there is more to his plan than he lets anyone know, which could mean he does not intend to fight honorably.”

Quint stood and took the wooden bowl from Shade when she stepped out of the cottage. He placed it beside Dru on the bench and Shade added a tankard filled with cider there as well. He retrieved one of the other benches around the property and sat it in front of Dru, making it easier for Shade to tend to her.

Dru didn’t waste any time, she went for an oat cake first.

“Do you have a home, Dru?” Shade asked.

She shook her head and finished chewing the sizeable piece of oat cake before responding. “I travel from late spring through about now when I settle for the winter at Clan MacLeish. Chieftain Ryland lets me winter there. I’ll be headed there once I’m done here.”

Shade gently removed her arm from the bucket of water. “I have a good friend at Clan MacLeish, Ula. She wed Caleb, a member of the clan.”

“I was leaving the day Ula arrived and only saw her in passing, but I know Caleb. He is a good man,” Dru said in between stuffing food into her mouth.

“I will give you enough food to last until you reach Clan MacLeish,” Shade said, patting the lass’ arm dry with a cloth.

---