Chapter 35

"My wife sent some herbs to treat some common ailments," Stuart said, loudly. "Is there a wise woman among you who knows how to dispense the herbs appropriately?"

"Granny MacFarland knows, but she's sick herself, I fear from hunger," one of the crofters said.

"Do you know the way to her hut?" Stuart asked.

"Aye."

"Take what food you need and ride with two of our men to her hut. They'll bring the herbs and food for her. We'll check on her status and if she's unable to help others, I'll send my wife to dispense to those that need it."

"Aye, Lord."

"We don't want to waste any time. Hurry up now. You and you," pointing to the two men, "bring one of those horses over for him. Get going."

They brought up a spare horse and took off. After everyone had some food who'd needed it, Thorburn asked for the name of someone who most of them trusted.

"We'll leave the balance of the food with him. If you need more, come to him first to get it," Thorburn said.

They waited until the two riders returned from Granny MacFarland, leading the spare horse. Stuart asked after her health.

"She was weak and malnourished, Lord. But after eating and getting her strength back, she said she'd be able to help any who were to come to her hut. She said it might be a few days before she could do any traveling herself. We left the herbs with her."

"If she can't travel, she can give instructions to those who come on behalf of someone who can't, and they can pass the instructions to the ailing," Stuart said.

"We'll be leaving this horse with the same person we're leaving the excess food with. He or someone else may use the horse to ride to Cameron Keep and request more. No one need worry about starving. Your Lady is still looking after you. We'll be back with more food when you need it. Look after each other," Thorburn ordered.

"Aye, Laird Cameron. Thank the Lady McTavish for us."

"You may rest assured of that," he replied.

They unloaded the balance of the wagon at the designated crofter, leaving the spare horse and all of it's fodder there as well. Finishing up, they started back to the Keep.

"Have you ever seen such a miserable group of people before?" Stuart asked Thorburn.

"Not unless they were suffering from plague, pestilence or famine. The Lady McTavish was right to worry about them. Many of them might have starved if we'd not brought food. It did my heart good to see the relief on their faces when we brought the food."

"I think McTavish himself was the pestilence," Frang said. "His estate should have produced more than enough food and other goods to keep his people from starving. All it required was a little management."

"And did you see the rags that some of them were wearing?" Stuart said. "If we weren't approaching summer, many of them might freeze to death as well."

"Aye, you're right," Thorburn said. "We might want to bring another wagon of woolens and linens the next time we come. I'm sure they can make their own clothes if they have the material. It makes me appreciate your stewardship during our absence and father's illness all the more, Stuart. You did a fine job for our people."

"Thank you, Thorburn. I had a good teacher. Our father was an excellent steward of the estate. I merely followed his example."

"That's why I leave the running of most things to you. You took the time to learn from him. I was gone before I ever did. I do learn from you though."

"I won't let you down, Thorburn."

"I know you won't, lad."

The party returned from the McTavish estate soon after the riders sent out to look for Màiri had come back. They were still caring for the horses in the stall when they arrived.

"Bjarkë, why were men sent out on horses today in our absence?" Thorburn demanded.

"Lady Cameron requested we look for a maid, Màiri, whom she released from service today. We sent out a large party on the road she took, going as far as her family home. We did not find her."

"Why was she released from service?" Thorburn asked.

"I believe it was theft, my Lord, though Lady Cameron might be able to say more."

"Where is Lady Cameron, Bjarkë?" Stuart asked.

"The kitchen. They have stew prepared for all of you."

"Let's go speak with her, then," Thorburn said.

They went into the kitchen and everyone got a large bowl of the stew. The three brothers took a seat in the corner with Ailene and Isobel and discussed the events which occurred at the McTavish estate.

"You were right to warn us about the state of things there," Thorburn said. "Many people seemed to be going hungry. Even the wise woman was starving. We gave everyone some food and left a supply there for them to draw from. We left a horse so that they could warn us when they began to run low and we could send some more. Now, mayhap, you can tell us why you released Màiri and why you were then compelled to send men after her?"

"Muiríol caught her stealing and I didn't want her in the Keep anymore. I sent her away, but Isobel told me afterwards what would most likely happen to her given she'd been dismissed for stealing. I decided I'd made a mistake and sent several men after her to bring her back. They weren't able to find her. She wasn't at her families croft yet either, so we left word that they should notify us when she returned and tell her to return."

"Did not Muiríol inform you of what was the normal punishment for thievery?" Stuart asked.

"She did."

"What did Isobel tell you what the likely occurrence once she was dismissed?" Frang asked.

"That no one else would be likely to hire her as a maid and that she would be reduced to selling herself in order to survive," Ailene replied.

"She was right. That is the usual outcome for female thieves dismissed from service. Men often become brigands and cutpurses. They have no honest way to make a living anymore. That's why we usually resort to a strapping for the first, and sometimes even the second offense, depending on the reason for the crime," Stuart said. "So why did you ignore the normal punishment for her offense? Did she say why she stole from us?"

"She said that her brother was sick and required medicine; nothing that we could cure with herbs according the doctor. She said that her family was going hungry trying to provide the medicine."

"And you didn't think that was sufficient justification to send her to the Strapping Room rather than dismiss her?" Thorburn asked.

"That's not it. There was another reason. I cannot speak of it now," nodding to Isobel, "it's family business."

"Isobel, could you please excuse us a moment," Stuart asked. "I should like to know what is going on in my wife's head."

"Certainly, Lord. If you need me, I shall be in my room." She got up and left the room.

"I would like to know if there is some reason that you should not take Màiri's place in the Strapping Room," Stuart said. "The rules we set are pretty clear. Muiríol even reminded you of the normal punishment for Màiri's offense. Yet you chose to dismiss her. Why?"

"I remembered my punishment in the Strapping Room. How I was stripped naked and punished in front of all of you. And when you finished, you each had me, using me in ways I was unaccustomed to. I thought it likely that Màiri was a virgin and I imagined all of you using her as I was used. I couldn't see her be used that way. I could not stand the thought of my husband using her as he used me."

"You must think that we're monsters if that is what you believed would happen to the poor girl. Could you not imagine that we only did what followed the strapping because it was time I felt that my brothers should share you? That we would not do that to everyone who was punished in the Strapping Room? Only you, my love, because I could no longer keep you for myself?" Stuart asked.

"I didn't know. It's been my only experience with the room. I've not seen anyone else be punished nor experienced any further punishment myself. I thought it might be a normal occurrence for the females strapped," Ailene answered.

"That's not the normal procedure for others being punished," Thorburn said. "Normally, you or another woman would be carrying out the punishment. No man would even be in the room. Did you think that we would do the same to men who were strapped? That we would engage in buggery as part of their punishment?"

"I did not know," Ailene cried. "I could only see the wee lass tied to the table and each of you using her maiden body after she'd been strapped. It happened so quickly, I didn't even stop to think. I just had to get her out of there before you all returned."

"Given that you thought we were going to rape the poor lass, why'd you send someone to fetch her back?" Stuart asked.

"After I learned what was likely to become of her, I thought that you would be the lesser of two evils," Ailene replied. "Being deflowered by a trio of kind, thoughtful lovers or a lifetime of debasement parting her legs for whichever man came up with the coin."

"Considering that you thought we were going to rape the wee thing," Thorburn said, "I guess I'm not going to strap you for letting her go, but I'm disappointed that you would even consider that we would do such a thing. I mean, many's the lass that would jump into bed with one of us hoping to attract the favor of a Lord, but you don't see us deflowering them left and right. I'll not say I haven't enjoyed the comfort of a woman now and then, but never a maid, nor a married woman. It wouldn't be right."

"Aye. I'm with Thorburn," Frang said. "I'd not think that we had done aught ill of you, that you would think us capable of such low behavior. Granted, our relationship with you is unique, but all else that you've observed of us would tend to argue against low dealings with the fair sex. That you would think it of me, of us, makes us ill named. Haven't we treated you well, despite the things we've asked of you?"

"You have. You've all treated me kindly and with consideration, given the circumstances," Ailene said. "I panicked. I didn't stop to think. I pictured only myself in that position and not how it would be with others. I'm sorry. You have treated me as a lady. If it's consolation, I did think that you would be much kinder to her than others would be. That's why I tried to get her back. Now I'm worried. I think the worst may have happened to her and that I'll be responsible."

"We'll send out men again tomorrow. See if we can't find where she's gone," Thorburn said. "She didn't live that far away that she would have gotten lost. She may not have stuck to the road if she knew of a shortcut, but a shortcut implies she would be home sooner rather than later."

"Isobel suggested she may have gone seeking other employment immediately before word of the reason for her dismissal got around," Ailene said. "Perhaps we could check with other nearby estates to see if she's found employment already?"

"We'll check," Thorburn said.

"I apologize I thought ill of you for no reason," Ailene said.

"Maybe not for no reason," Stuart replied. "We should have handled the situation differently. Instead of merely an altering of our marriage to allow sharing you with my brothers, your first time with us was associated with punishment. It wasn't punishment and should not have been tendered as such. For that, I take responsibility. I thought it time and it seemed like as good a moment as any. I see now that wasn't the case. It should have been handled a different way under other circumstances. I apologize for that."

"Still, I should have known better. Even Isobel recognized that whatever punishment was planned for Màiri here was better than what was waiting for her outside these walls. I couldn't talk about what happened to me, but she recognized that whatever happened, I was still in love with my husband and happy here. In her eyes, it couldn't have been that bad, considering how badly she wanted to escape her own marriage. I listened, but didn't understand fast enough."

"We'll find a way to make it better, Lady Cameron," Thorburn said. "Mistakes were made all around, but all we can do is work to correct them."