Highland Light (21 page)

Edeen took a soft cloth. She wrapped the babe in it.

"Here, Gideon, ye take the bairn. I need a moment more with Ailene."

Gideon reached out to take his squirming son in his hands. An emotion squeezed his insides as if a giant hand had taken possession of him. He counted his son's fingers, then marveled at the tiny little arms. The black hair that covered the tiny head was softer than goose down. He ran one finger down the tiny shoulder and arm. The bairn's skin was so soft; Gideon lifted his finger to stroke the babe's cheek in wonder.

In the background he heard Edeen speaking with Ailene. Gideon turned to see that Edeen had helped Ailene from the chair. Edeen was draping a gown over her head. Ailene was staring at him and the babe he held with a soft smile on her face. Edeen helped her into bed then called Gideon over.

"Bring the wee one. He needs ta suckle."

Edeen plumped the pillows behind Ailene.

Gideon handed the child to Edeen. After placing the child in Ailene's arms, Edeen pushed her gown to one side exposing one breast. Edeen showed Ailene how to encourage the babe to suckle.

Gideon watched as his son hungrily attached himself to her nipple. The child eagerly sucked. He felt as if he had been knocked senseless. He thanked God for his good fortune. The bairn was healthy, Ailene was well, and life was good.

Edeen picked up a bundle of soiled cloth then walked to the door. She was smiling at the sight of a birth that had gone well.

"I will send a tray up. Ailene needs ta eat so she may feed tha bairn. Keep the room warm Gideon. The bairn dosna need a chill, ye ken?"

He nodded acknowledgment of her words without taking his eyes from Ailene and his child.

"How do ye feel being a fayther while ye are ten and eight years?"

Ailene asked as she smiled up at him.

"Nay love, I turned ten and nine at the end of March."

Ailene sighed.

"Then both of us are a year older. I turned a score and one in December." She looked down at the babe then shook her head.

"Mayhap we can spend ye birthday together next year."

Gideon could tell she was crying.

"Aye and mayhap we can also spend your birthday together as well."

Ailene nodded her head in response. There was a tap on the door. Gideon went to open it. Ainsley stood there with a tray of food. He handed it to Gideon with a shy smile.

"Ye are a fayther now?"

"Aye and ye will get to see the bairn later. Thank you Ainsley."

He took the tray then placed it on top of the chest. Gideon checked the fire. He placed another log on the coals. Lifting a chair, he pulled it over to the side of the bed. He watched as Ailene moved the child to her other breast. With the tips of his fingers Gideon lifted her chin. A tear slid slowly down one cheek.

"Why are you crying Ailene?"

She shook her head.

"I dinna ken. Mayhap because I love ye, I love the bairn, and I missed ye so desperately."

"Ailene, I, I love you and the babe. I wondered what love was like and I know now. I love you and my child more than I can tell you."

Gideon leaned forward and kissed her.

The sweetness of it left Ailene smiling. Gideon's face wore a smile that lit him in a way she had not seen before. The shield he had worn between himself and others was gone. Her laddie was growing into a man. Ailene wanted to know more of what had happened to him during those months he was gone. She resolved to somehow get him to tell her about what he had experienced.

"Now then Ailene, what are we to name this son of ours?"

His voice broke into her thoughts.

"Well now, I ha no gotten that far. I was waiting on ye."

The infant had fallen asleep. Ailene carefully removed her nipple from his mouth. She lay the bairn in her lap then tied the neck of her gown closed.

Gideon watched the satisfied child where it lay on her lap. On his back, little arms up, the babe's little chest rose and fell with each breath. 'What to name the the child?' He thought. 'What do I want for this child?'

"Ailene, what would you think of naming him after David in the Bible? He was a good king, a man who loved God. In Hebrew it means 'beloved'."

"Aye, Gideon. In Gaelic it is 'Daibhidh'. Tis a good name for him. David, Davie it is."

Gideon looked at his son.

"Davie. Aye, he looks like a Davie to me with that dark hair."

Ailene laughed at him. She picked Davie up, gently moved him to the center of the bed and pulled up a fur cover around his little body.

"Do you want to eat?"

Gideon rose then walked over to the tray.

"Aye love. I am so hungry."

He picked up the tray then placed it across her lap. Gideon leaned back in the chair as he watched Ailene eat. He was feeling a sense of peace he had never experienced before. He leaned forward to pick his son up from the bed. Davie stretched. Gideon grinned at the baby in his arms.

"Here."

Ailene held out a piece of meat for him.

"We should eat then try to sleep. Davie will wake soon for another feeding, mind."

Gideon ate what she held out for him, reluctant to put his son down. When the food was gone, they put the infant on a pillow between them in the bed. They went to sleep each of them curled around the baby between them.

There were fields to see to, animals to tend. Gideon marshalled his clansmen. They did not have the luxury of having others work the land for them. As small as Clan MacGrough was they had to work their own fields. They were responsible for putting enough by to take them through the winter months.

Gideon did not mind the hard work. But he did find that having a baby around made sleep difficult at times. Not that he really minded. The babe melted his heart and he would do anything for the wee lad. He understood why parents often fostered sons out. It would be difficult to watch his son hurt while training. Gideon thought about it. He decided he was probably not going to do so. Watching his son grow was a privilege he did not wish to give to another.

Gideon helped Tavin cull the sheep. There were a few lambs that went to the spit. Others were hung and smoked. Several ewes, no longer productive were butchered.

Of the twins, Tavin who was their shepherd also took care of the smoker. Some of the fish and the venison that was brought in by the hunters went to the smoker. Tavin was training two lads, Ian and Bram in the use of the smoker. Gideon learned the essence of smoking meat but left the acutal process to Tavin and his lads.

Tavin's twin, Tavis, was already working with the bees making honey from the combs filled by his bees from the gorse flowers. They would use the honey for mead and sweeting.

Tavis also took care of the cattle. He had looked over the herd carefully. It was Tavis who decided two of the cows should be butchered. They saved the suet from the cows and sheep as it had several uses. The suet was used in cooking and for candle making.

Idelle was busy in the kitchen. Ailene had been down in the kitchen with Idelle the day after the birth of Davie. Idelle and Ailene put the honey given to them by Tavis to use making mead and vinegar. Some of the vinegar was used in making pickled meat and fish. There were many uses for the vinegar. Later in the fall berries would be put up in vinegar and honey for the winter.

Along with being their midwife, Edeen was the clan alewife. She brewed the ale that was consumed throughout the year. In concert with Dalziel, they made whiskey from a recipe that belonged exclusively to Clan MacGrough. The two of them were know for a slightly bitter whiskey that was reputed to have a healing power for stomach ailments. Gideon had found it to be an acquired taste.

All the matters Cadell had overseen fell to Gideon. Gideon and Ailene were as busy as they could be. Gideon knew that he would relieve Cadell in August if he did not see his father in law sooner. That would mean that he and Ailene would again spend their birthdays apart as well as Davie's first Christmas.

Gideon tried to keep those thoughts at bay. There was no profit in worring about what might be. It was possible that the winter season would see a lull in the fighting. It was also possible that the King would use the winter months to attend to the matter of Sassenach occupation of his castles. It did not matter at this moment. What mattered now was amassing as much food as could be preserved, stored and put by. The clan had three new babes to care for and various children.

Tavin and Tavis each had sons who were fostered out to relatives in The Gregorach. They both expected their lads back home perhaps with wives in tow before the end of the year. Sim had a son who had been fostered out with his wife's brother, a MacFarlane. Sim did not expect his son to return this year. When the lad did he might be bringing a wife with him. God only knew if there would be any more bairns added to the clan during the year. In any event, the clan could easily swell and those added to the clan would need to be fed.

Never before had Gideon been so intimately involved in the production of food. It had been there or it had not. Since coming to Scotland Gideon had found out more about food and how to get it than he had ever known. Previously hunting had been for sport, the game had been eaten but it had not been necessary to survival.

The only thing different about food in Scotland was how the highlanders felt about pork. It was only eaten if nothing else, absolutely nothing else could be found. Gideon did not really care one way or the other. He was content with beef, mutton, game and fish. It had amused him, as his Jewish mother would have been at home with that attidude toward pork.

Gideon was hunting with Ainsley and Boyd. They were hoping for a roe deer. Gideon wanted a venison roast. A big animal would provide food for a few days. They started very early in the morning. The three of them were waiting near a game trail that usually saw quite a bit of traffic. They were hunting with bow and arrow. The sun was just rising above the mountain when with a slight sound of rocks being scattered a small herd of deer came up the trail. Gideon shot one animal and Boyd another.

They pulled the animals away from the trail to gut them so as not to disturb the rest of the herd. Once the deer had been blooded and the entrails removed, Gideon loaded the larger animal on his shoulders. They tied the legs of Boyd's kill together and with a long pole between the legs, Ainsley and Boyd carried the animal down the mountain. Tonight they would have venison.

The hall was filled with the scent of roasting meat. Off to Gideon's left, Fenella was humming as she spun wool into yarn on her spindle. Gideon was happily holding Davie while waiting for the food to be served. Neill sat playing chess with Ainsley as Christal watched. Boyd was recounting the story of the hunt to Caelan. Birk, Fenella's grandson was hanging on Boyd's every word. As Idelle was their cook, her husband Neill and daughter ate with the family. Others usually preferred to eat in their own cottages unless a feast had been prepared or there were visitors. A tankard of ale sat at Gideon's right hand. Soon Idelle would call the boys into the kitchen and they would bring dinner to the table. All was quiet and contentment filled Gideon's soul.

Chapter 19

In June The Bruce marched on the Sassenach garrison in Aberdeen castle. Edward II was alarmed. He attempted to mount a defense, he send a force from England. Edward II was too late. The citizens of Aberdeen rose against the Sassenach. Rallying to The Bruce, they joined in the assault. The castle was razed, totally demolished, no prisoners taken. As Longshanks had shown no mercy to the Scotsmen taken prisoner by the Sassenach, no mercy was extended to those manning the castle.

Edward II dismissed the Earl of Richmond as governor of Scotland. He appointed three new guardians, William de Ross of Hamlake, Henry de Beaumont and Robert de Umfraville the Earl of Angus. The other Scottish barons still loyal to Edward II were commanded to hold fast the lands they were in charge of. Edward II led them to believe that an expedition would be sent to support them in August.

Cadell went to The Bruce and requested that the MacGrough clansmen be allowed to join his brother, Edward's cavalry. Edward was to return to Galloway and secure that district for the King. Cadell knew that this would also allow him to take a quick detour into the glen. He wished to see his new wife and his new grandchild. Although he trusted Gideon and Ailene, he wished to assure himself that all preparations for the coming winter had been made.

The campaign had suddenly moved forward with amazing speed. Cadell knew he would need to press his men hard in order to have a day or two in the glen before they joined Edward's force in Galloway. Upon receiving the King's blessing, Cadell and the clansmen immediately mounted. They were homeward bound. Taking advantage of the long summer days, Cadell rode as long as possible with short breaks for the horses. Tired but happy to be home Cadell and his men reached home early on the morning of the fourth day of travel.

Entering the keep, Cadell found the women of his family busy in the kitchen. Fenella was the first to greet him. She flew into his arms with a scream that was cut short by the kiss Cadell gave her. After swinging Fenella around once, Cadell turned to Ailene. Ailene had Davie tucked into his carrier across her chest. With a huge smile Cadell stepped forward and glanced down into the carrier.

"Here to see the new lad?"

She folded back the edge of the carrier to give Cadell a better view of the sleeping child.

"Och! 'Lad' ye say! I ha a grandson! Ye two ha done well."

Cadell admired his grandson for a few moments before inquiring as to where he might find Gideon. The MacGrough was directed to the smoking shed where Gideon was helping to shift finished meat into barrels for storage. Tavin was adding fresh meat to the bottom of the smoker with Bram inside the shed, hanging the cuts to be smoked.

Cadell gave his son in law a bear hug.

"That is ah bonny wee bairn Gideon. Ye and the lassie did well."

It amused Cadell to watch the dark red flush creep up Gideon's neck.

"Aye. It was Ailene who did the hard work Cadell. I was there with her and it is not easy birthing a child. It is good to see you. How goes the campaign?"