Page 88 of The Refuge

“And this one is mine!” yelled Angus as he swung his powerful sword at the man he fought. “Fer my lord, Cormac!” he shouted, cutting a swath through the man’s chest in one powerful stroke. The Northman’s body crashed to the deck.

Steinar sheathed his short blade and gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands. “Now ’tis only you that remains,” he said to Ivar, disdain dripping from his words. Faster than the Northman could follow with his eyes, Steinar sliced across Ivar’s chest, leaving a long line oozing forth blood.

Ivar looked down at the widening streak of red, stunned.

Mayhap he has never been wounded. A weakness Steinar did not have, for he was not afraid to take a blade. With all his strength, he swung and caught Ivar across the throat just as the Northman looked up.

* * *

Relieved the last of the Northmen had been dispatched to Hades, Catrìona leapt over the side of the ship and ran to Steinar, flinging herself into his arms and kissing him with wild abandon.

“Oh, Steinar!”

From behind her, Angus coughed. She turned to see her guard standing there with a disapproving look and blood coating his tunic.

A movement at the prow drew her eyes to where Niall stood with Giric, smiles on both their faces.

Realizing she had become a spectacle, she stepped back.

“So that’s as it is,” said Colbán.

At his words, she turned to see him sitting against the hull, blood dripping from his shoulder. Guilt gripped her as she remembered the king’s captain had taken a blade. Rushing to him, she kneeled at his side. “Oh, sir, you are wounded.”

“Most grievously, madam,” he said sarcastically. She wondered if he referred to his shoulder or seeing her display of affection for Steinar. “But the wound will keep,” he said. “’Tis time we return to the king.” Colbán struggled to rise. Angus came to help him to his feet. “Malcolm will be sorry to have missed this,” said the king’s captain. “He does love a good fight.”

Colbán sagged in Angus’ arms and Steinar hurried to support the captain’s other side.

“Mind the rocks Giric has left on the deck,” said Niall with a smirk in the boy’s direction. Then, more seriously, he added, “They will make it hard going.”

Her brother offered to go to the tower to bring horses and a cart. Steinar agreed it would be better that Colbán not have to walk the distance.

Catrìona’s suggestion she ride in the cart with Colbán was accepted.

When Niall returned, she climbed into the cart to sit beside the wounded captain, continuing to press a cloth to his shoulder to staunch the bleeding. Deidre joined her. Steinar and Angus rode on either side of the cart and Niall behind as they headed for the tower.

The king’s captain dozed while Deidre told Catrìona of the last year she had endured with the Northman named Ivar. “We did not go at once to Orkney,” she began. “Ivar made other ports as he plundered his way north. At some, he unloaded men and all the women, save me.”

“Why did he keep you?”

“Oh, mistress. You saved me, you did. He thought I was you!” At Catrìona’s puzzled expression, Deidre said, “Remember, I wore your gown. When the attack came, I was alone in your chamber, packing your things. ’Twas from there I was taken. Ivar could speak Gaelic as some of his men, that is how I learned he meant to ransom me, but then he changed his mind. I heard him tell one of his men he was going to take me with him to Norway. If you had not rescued me from his ship, I might never have seen you again!”

Catrìona reached out to grasp Deidre’s hand. “I never gave up hope. I never stopped praying you would be found.” In the dim light, she could not see her maidservant’s blue eyes, but she had heard the quiver in her voice. Silently, she gave thanks that God had brought Deidre back to them.

It was dark when they arrived at the tower. Much confusion and many questions awaited them but all was delayed when the king saw his wounded captain.

“Summon my physic at once!” Malcolm yelled to his steward.

With Margaret’s permission and feeling responsible in some measure for what had happened to the bold captain, Catrìona followed the men carrying Colbán to his chamber high in the tower, leaving Steinar and the others to answer the king’s questions.

Audra, her eyes anxious with fear, hurried up the stairs behind Catrìona, saying she might be of assistance. Remembering the love Catrìona had seen in the eyes of Duff’s daughter for the king’s captain, she wholeheartedly agreed, urging Audra to come.

Colbán was awake when the physic cleaned and stitched his wound, bearing the pain uncomplaining. The king’s captain said little. He lay back against the pillows, his muscled chest bared for the physic’s ministrations. But his eyes followed Catrìona as she handed the physic the things he requested from his pouch of medicines.

When the wound was stitched, Catrìona asked a servant to request the Culdee monk, who served in the chapel, to make a plaster for the wound. She had observed his well-kept herb garden and perceived he was knowledgeable in potions. The woman returned with a plaster that smelled of mint but the servant told her it also contained yarrow.

“He said ’twill help the wound heal, my lady.”

Catrìona thanked her and when the physic was finished, with Audra watching, she applied the plaster to the wound.

Colbán gave her a small smile. “’Tis probably good the scribe was not wounded or I would see little of your care this night.”

“You have one better than I, good captain.” She looked toward Audra who had been attentive to Colbán’s every move. “Audra has taught me much and her heart is ever sympathetic to those in need, which you are, at least tonight. You have my thanks for aiding my guard and my brother.”

When the physic had gone, Colbán finally succumbed to sleep and Catrìona got to her feet, wanting to wash and change her bloodstained clothing before meeting her mistress.

While Colbán was awake, Audra had kept a discreet distance, sitting by his bedside. Now that he slept, she took his hand and held it between hers in a gesture that spoke of more than just concern.

Tears began to fall from Audra’s eyes as she glanced up at Catrìona. “I will stay with him.”

Seeing the love in the woman’s eyes, Catrìona nodded, knowing that when she returned in the morning to check on the captain, Audra would still be here. “I will bring you some willow bark tea to give him for pain and a potion for sleep should he not be able to rest the night.” Then, thinking of her fellow lady, she added, “And some food for you.”

Audra smiled. “Thank you.”

Catrìona touched Audra’s shoulder. “He fought bravely. You can be proud of him.”

Tears flowing unheeded, Audra said in a whisper, “I am always proud of him.”