Page 10 of Kilty By Association
Surprised, Craig glanced up to see his leader studying him seriously. “Aye, of course!”
“Are ye?” Drum pressed.
And Craig hesitated.
In the last year, two of his closest friends, men he’d worked beside as Hunters, on missions from the King, had fallen in love and married. Barclay was the new Laird McDonald, andPayton MacIntyre and his new wife had retired to the small tower house he oversaw. It was tradition for a Hunter to retire when he married, assuming he had a place to go.
Craig had once had a forge and a small cottage on Oliphant land, in the heart of the village. He’d given that up, and now another smith lived there. He’d chosen the life of a Hunter and was proud of it.
Besides, it wasn’t as if anyone would ever look tohimto lead, aye? He was meant to support the leaders, he knew; a ready smile, a big heart, and a strong arm. That’s what he was good for.
“Iamhappy,” he stated again, more firmly. “I wanted this.”
Drum was still studying him. “Mayhap. But there are times ye miss what ye left behind?”
With an awkward shrug, Craig shifted carefully on the chair. “Not necessarily. But…” Gah, this would be difficult to explain to Drum, who saw no value in marriage or family. “It might be nice to one day have something more.”
“More?”
Wincing again at his leader’s sharp question, Craig tried not to piss off the man. “A family, Drum. ‘Twould be nice to one day be in charge of protecting those dear to me, no’ just Scotland.”
The other man hummed quietly, then crossed back to the desk and picked up the scroll without meeting Craig’s eyes. “Well then, His Majestydidchoose the right man for this mission.”
That didn’t make sense. “What do ye mean?”
“Yer new role is as a bodyguard to the Earl of Dungotit, Craig. Indefinitely.”
Craig’s brows rose, even as he reached for the scroll. “Bodyguard? I’m no’ a bodyguard. I told her—I mean, I’ve nae experience…”
Drum snorted softly and propped his arse on the desk,refolding his arms. “Ye’ve protected the King more than once, and ye’ve protected me and the other lads. Ye’regoodat protecting. Ye’ll do fine.”
Ye’re good at protecting.
Craig stared, long enough for the other man to shift and scowl.
“What?” he barked.
“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has said to me.”
Drum shook his head. “If I was trying to be nice, I’d say: Craig Oliphant, ye’re more than ye think. Ye’re no’ as dumb as ye suspect, and ye have a good heart. Trust yer heart, trust yer mind, trust yerself, and ye’ll go far in life.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “But I’mno’trying to be nice, so I’ll just say: ye’re good at protecting, and the Earl will be safe with yer sword at his side.”
It was…
Craig swallowed, looking down at the scroll in his hands, desperate to remember Drum’s words, determined not to forget any of them. He didn’t think anyone would ever say anything so nice, so beautiful to him again.
Ye’re more than ye think.
So, he was grinning when he unrolled the scroll to see a bunch of spidery handwriting scrawled across it, and Drum’s seal at the bottom.
Whereas…in regards…verily. Groaning, he dropped the vellum.
“I dinnae suppose ye could just summarize?”
Drum shook his head with an exasperated sigh, but Craig noticed the other man’s lips curled upward as he moved to slide into his chair. “Aye, ‘tis a sad case. The Earl is young, only in the position a few years. He and his family moved to Scone after his father’s death, and he accepted the role—”
“Why?” Craig asked, shifting forward, all business now tolearn about his new mission. “It would make more sense to stay at Dungotit, aye? And learn the new role?”
Drum shrugged. “He’s young. There were two attempts against his life at Dungotit immediately after his father’s death, and there have been three more in the two years he’s been in Scone.”
