The loathing they have for yer lass is palatable and I would be keeping a close watch on Kenzie for the time that she is staying here. I’d also not be turning my back on that clan. They make me uneasy and I dinna trust them.”
Ben thought over Bruce’s words. He’d never had reason to distrust his clansmen before and he wouldn’t be starting now. He himself had caught the venom in Athol’s eyes when it came to Kenzie, and if the lass thought to have him as her husband, then mayhap the family had taken on her view that Kenzie was an enemy that should be dealt with. Removed even.
“I thank ye for your words and support. I trust ye more than any other here, Bruce, and I’ll not forget yer kindness nor your actions in defending Kenzie’s honor. I thank ye for that. Say nothing to anyone but keep yer eyes open and ears to the ground, should any further whispers reach ye. I wish to know of them.”
“Aye,” Bruce said, standing. “Ye can count on that, Laird Ross. Now, if ye are in agreement, I shall take myself off to the kitchens and have May clean up my face. ’Tis stinging like a bastard.”
Ben watched him leave and narrowed his eyes on the door. Something was afoot, and though Ben didn’t know what that was, he would find out. And so help Clan Grant should they try anything stupid toward his people or himself. ’Twould not end well for them.
The next day, the sun burned off the dew, and the foggy morning lifted, leaving the beautiful green land with the promise of a lovely day. Ben, along with Kenzie, rode north to where his crops would be planted this year. The top paddocks had been left fallow the past year, rotated with the southern paddocks. Over the last month Ben had his field hands working the ground, removing weeds.
Men and women were already walking three oxen up and down the paddock, ploughing the land, turning the soil ready for planting.
Kenzie came to stand beside him; not even her work gown diminished her beauty. “You know, in my time we have great big farm machinery that does this for us. The days of walking an ox up and down for hours on end are long gone. Well, in developed countries, that is. In some third world areas the people still use such resources.”
Ben looked out on his land, nodding to the few tenant farmers who waved in welcome. What was this farm machinery she spoke of? He couldn’t imagine such things.
“A laird helping his tenant farmers to farm his land isn’t normally what would happen, so I’m curious as to why you feel the need to be out here.”
Ben sighed, hating the fact that by his own actions he felt the need to make it up to his people in any way he could. For letting them down the last year, being an absent landlord, a drunkard who had put his own pity before that of his people. His son.
“I need to show them that I’m here, present and willing to help to make Castle Ross a stronghold, a productive, safe place for my people. A home where my clansmen are well looked after, and their laird is willing to get off his ass and help those less fortunate.”
“Well,” she said, going over to the cart and picking up a small bag of grain. “I think today is a start along those lines.” She walked out into the field, careful to follow the ruts the ox and plough had already turned out. “Are you coming?”
“Aye, lass.” They followed the ox, dropping the seeds into the ground. By lunch, Kenzie looked tired and a little suntouched. “Come and have something to eat, lass. As ye suggested, I’ve had a basket of food delivered for ye, and we’ll rest and eat.”
Kenzie followed him toward a large ash tree and sighed when she sat. “For a day that started off quite cool, it’s turned out warm. Did you decide to have Alasdair come out or not?”
Ben watched as she swallowed some ale from a leather pouch, the little drip of drink that ran down her chin made him want to reach over and rub it away. Preferably with his mouth. “He had a little cough, so I thought it best he stays indoors today. But I’ll take ye up on your idea, and we’ll do something together another day.”
She nodded, looking