Page 19 of Highland Flame

“Avianca,” gasped Yvaine, running after him.

“Aye, Avianca,” said Cam with a sigh, almost having forgotten about the girl since she’d finally fallen asleep and was quiet. But her crying reminded him he had a daughter now. It was something he’d rather forget for the moment.

“Are ye just goin’ to stand here, or are ye goin’ to calm yer daughter?” asked Nash.

“Me calm her? Hah!” spat Cam. “I dinna think anyone on either side of the border could get the wee lass to stop her cryin’.”

All of a sudden, the crying stopped. Cam looked up to see Yvaine rocking the girl, holding her tightly to her chest.

“It seems like Yvaine has quite a way with the girl,” said North.

“Mayhap ye can learn from her how to do it,” suggested Nash.

“Whatever for?” asked Cam.

“She’s yer daughter.” North shook his head in disgust.

“Dinna remind me, and dinna try to make me feel guilty,” Cam answered. “I dinna plan on raisin’ her. I canna. It’s no’ possible. I am a warrior. I’ll have to talk to Brother Gillies about findin’ a suitable family for the lass soon. That is, right after we eat, I’ll mention it.”

The three of them walked over to join the others.

“Where did this child come from?” asked Brother Gillies in surprise.

“This is Avianca, and she is four years old,” said Yvaine, reaching out to wipe a tear off the little girl’s cheek.

“Yvaine, Keithen didn’t say anything about you bringing along a child,” protested Gillies. “She can’t stay here. This is no place for her.”

“She must stay,” Yvaine said. “She is Cam’s daughter.”

“Yours?” asked the monk, looking him up and down. “Are you a widower then?”

“Nay, I’ve never been married,” Cam told him, getting a nasty scowl from the man in return.

“This is no way to raise a child,” said the monk. “You are taking her around with you, and now bringing her to a priory?”

“I agree, it is no’ a guid way at all to raise a child,” said Cam. “That’s why I wanted to ask ye to find a good home for the lass.”

“What?” The monk’s eyes opened wide. “You want to give away your own child?”

“Her mathair died and, honestly, I’m no’ even convinced she’s really mine,” Cam told the monk as the girl started crying again.

“I want to go home,” wailed Avianca, taking one little balled-up fist and wiping at her teary eyes. “I miss my mama.”

“Cam, ye need to comfort her.” Before Cam knew what happened, Yvaine plopped the girl into his arms. “Avianca, this is yer faither and he will protect ye, dinna worry.”

“Now wait a minute,” protested Cam, not knowing what to do with the little girl he was holding.

“Hurry, or we’ll be late for mass,” said Brother Gillies. “We can all discuss this matter later.” He turned and started toward the church at a brisk pace. Yvaine was right on his heels.

Cam looked over to North and Nash. “Someone take her,” he said, feeling panicked, holding the little girl out to them.

North and Nash both backed away, holding up their palms and shaking their heads.

“I dinna ken a thing about children,” said North, doing nothing to take her.

“Dinna look at me,” said Nash. “We’ve got to hurry, or we’ll be late for mass.” They both turned and ran to the church, leaving Cam standing there holding the girl, feeling very confused and stranded.

“Papa, is it true? Will ye really protect me like Yvaine said?” asked Avianca. She looked up at him with wide, green eyes filled with tears. “I’m so frightened. I miss my mama.”

“Avianca,” he said, meaning to tell the girl that he wasn’t even sure he was her father, and that he was going to find some good parents for her. But when he saw the hope in the innocent child’s eyes, he didn’t have the heart to tell her that. Not to her face, at least.

“Yes?” she asked, blinking several times. She had a frown on her face.

“Can ye run?” he asked her, putting her down on the ground.

“Aye. But why?”

“Because if we dinna run, we’re goin’ to be late for mass, and I dinna want that monk mad at us. If so, he may decide no’ to feed us afterwards.”

She giggled at that, turning and taking off at a run for the church.

“Avianca!” he called out, trying to be heard over the loud, noisy bell ringing in the tower. “Wait for me,” he said, sighing and running toward the church instead of away from it, which baffled him more than anything that he’d even be doing such an absurd thing.