Page 48 of To Charm a Highlander

She walked up to Callum.“Did ye learn anything?”

He reached out and placed his hand on her head and smoothed her hair.“Aye.Haydon wants to call a meeting after the nooning and we will speak of it then.”

“A meeting?”

“Aye.”He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and moved her toward the dais where the other family members had gathered.

The room soon filled with warriors and other clan members who ate at the castle.

Large bowls of vegetable stew, warm loaves of bread and sweet butter had Donella’s stomach growling.Callum filled their trencher, and she tore off pieces of bread for each of them.

“Ye are no’ going to tell me anything?”She dipped her bread into her stew.

“Nay.The laird wants to handle it his way.”

The laird?That confused her.Why would Haydon be involved in something that apparently concerned Callum?Her husband hadn’t arrived back with a sword to his back, so whatever it was, ‘twas most likely not bad news.

The warriors were noisy, but the family members on the dais ate quietly.Jenny had risen from her sick bed, so the bairns were now taking their meals again in the nursery.

Maura and Ainslee kept glancing sideways at their husbands, most likely just as curious as she was to find out what had happened.It dinna appear as if there had been a battle.

Patience.That was what she needed, which she would have if they would all just hurry up.

* * *

They assembledin Haydon’s solar.All family members were present.Haydon, Ainslee, Callum, Donella, Conall, Maura, Malcolm, and Christine.

Callum reached over and took Donella’s hand in his, giving it a squeeze.He had no idea what would come of this meeting or what the laird had planned, since Haydon hadn’t spoken about it since they’d left Old Marta’s cottage.All he said was “we will meet with the family and discuss this.”

Once everyone was settled, all attention was focused on Haydon.

“Although this matter involves Callum, as a member of Clan Sutherland, through his pledge to me when he joined us, and now husband to my sister, this complicated matter needs to be presented to us all.

“I ken that most times these kinds of situations are generally handled solely by the men, leaving the women out, but I believe ‘tis in everyone’s best interest to hear what Callum has to say and what we will do about it.”He turned to Ainslee.“Plus my lovely wife taught me years ago that women have a lot to contribute.”

The silence was deafening, the only sounds in the room was everyone breathing.Haydon nodded to Callum.“’Tis yer story to tell, brother.”

He tried his best to repeat what they’d heard.Taking a deep breath, he said, “As ye all ken, we visited with a midwife on the Gunn property this morning after receiving a note saying I should see her.

“Old Marta was the midwife who helped bring my brother, Fraser into the world.In the midst of the pain and suffering my mam endured, she admitted to the midwife that my da had not fathered the bairn she was delivering.She told old Marta that she was already carrying Fraser when she married The Gunn.”

Donella took in a deep breath as every pair of eyes in the room focused on Callum.

“What does that mean?”Donella asked.

“Let yer husband finish, sister.”

Callum ran his fingers through his hair.“Once the bairn was born, my mam made Old Marta swear ne’er to tell anyone.However, not trusting the midwife, she had her sent to the cottage at the edge of the Gunn property.Although she was ne’er allowed to work again as a midwife, my mam made sure she was provided for over the years.”

“That means,” Ainslee said, looking at her husband.

“Callum is the rightful Laird of Gunn.”Haydon answered her unasked question.

“Does Fraser ken this?”Donella asked.

Callum stood and began to pace.“I had time to think on this while we rode back, and I have a feeling he does.When we were lads, we roamed the land and were verra close.One day we stumbled upon the cottage where Old Marta lives.She was much younger then, of course, but she took great notice of the two of us and even called us by name.

“Did she say anything that made ye question what ye discovered today?”Christine asked.