A Minx for the MacKenzie [Highlanders Love #2]

Chapter 12

Amhuinn didn't remember ever running as fast as she did after she had gotten her limp. While Gillian wasn't far behind, Amhuinn ignored the growing twinge in her ankles as she picked up her skirts and dashed out of the barn, across the fields towards the main MacKenzie Keep. There, she followed directions which had been given up the stairwell. The first thing that greeted her was Evie worrying her lip as Hammond gently lay the sandy-haired four year old in the bed. While she knew Hammond had been trying to help, Amhuinn's first reaction had been rage as her blue eyes fell on the laird who looked equal parts guilty and worried.

"Ye said ye will help him! This is nae help, Hammond MacKenzie!" she raged, using strength she didn't know she had to push him out of the way, crouching down next to the bed. Instinctively, Amhuinn used the back of her hand to feel his forehead, the worry in her heart mounting as she heard his incoherent mumblings, and his clammy hands. "What was he made ter do?"

"Tisnae Hammond's fault, Ammi. He was-" Evie started, only to be interjected by a higher pitched voice.

"Dinna fault the laird, Mistress Amhuinn. Tis oor fault." From the doorway, three rather guilty looking boys shuffled in, with Tristan behind them raising a brow. When Amhuinn and Hammond both shot them questioning looks, the darker haired one stepped forward. "We realized that the more we teased him, the harder and faster Adair would work. So we..."

"What Darach means, is that we pushed him ter work too hard. So when I said he wouldna be able to finish his work yestereve, he worked through the evening showers. He-" the young boy of six was interrupted by the final boy on his right, who now stepped forward to stand in line with his friends.

"Tisnae just Cal's fault, Laird MacKenzie. Tis all of oor faults. We dinna stop him. None of us did." he said with guilt in his voice.

Hammond's heart had raced when Scottie had come with the news that Adair had fainted, and dropped his broadsword in the middle of a sparring session to dash towards the barns where the page boys had been working. There, he had wasted no time in picking the fainted boy in his arms, meeting Evie on his way up to bring the boy to his room. Guilt had suffused his heart, for he was the one who had set him work more suited for page boys a year or two older then he. Had he judged wrongly? Had he been too harsh? When Amhuinn had barged in and started raging at him, the guilt only ate at him even more inside, that even if the boys had stepped forward to take the blame, he did not see why he should blame them instead, when he felt that he should shoulder the fault.

"Boys, -" he started, but was given no chance to continue when Darach spoke up.

"Ewan is right, Laird MacKenzie. Tisnae just one of oor fault, but most of all, tisnae Adair's fault. He's been working really great the last two days! He was an arse the first day sure, but he started pulling his weight yestereve. He was right hardworking today! He- Dinna punish him. He just wanted ter prove himself, and he's so small so... please dinna fault him, Laid MacKenzie."

Throughout Darach's little rant, Hammond found himself widening his eyes, and looking up at Tristan for confirmation. When his warrior gave a small smile and nodded, a little bit of guilt within him was replaced with satisfaction. Maybe he had done right by the boy and his mother afterall? When he looked down at Amhuinn still crouched by her son's bedside however, she still refused to look at him. Hammond was surprised at the amount of disappointment he felt when she failed to bring her eyes to meet his.

"Ammi, ye are being ridiculous if ye blame Hammond fer this." Gillian stepped forward, having followed in not too long after Amhuinn's entrance and heard everything. Always the level headed one, Hammond was not surprised to see his straightforward sister refusing to take nonsense even from her new friend. "Adair just needs some time to learn his limits. But what Hammond did was to instill a sense of responsibility in the boy, instead of the flippant want of being a laird with no responsibilities. Had that not been proven? And it took only a little over a week."