Highland Chieftain by Hannah Howell Read Free Book Online Page A

waste of time.”
    She could not fully stop herself from jumping when her father lunged across the table and grabbed Colin by the front of his shirt. It was immediately followed by a hard slap to the boy’s face. Bethoc could see Colin clenching his fists repeatedly as their father threw himself back into his seat.
    â€œYe best watch what ye say, boy. Show some respect.”
    â€œTo what? Ye throwing a fit and ripping out weeks of work? For nay reason at all!”
    Bethoc whispered a protest but no one paid her any heed as her father rose from his seat, grabbed Colin, and dragged him across the table. The way the man set on the boy alarmed her. Colin got in a few good blows but one good punch to the head ended his fight. It did not stop her father, though. She raced to the man, grabbed him by the shoulders, and tried to pull him off Colin.
    â€œI told ye to ne’er dig there. Ye wouldnae listen. Ye ne’er listen. Dinnae dig there!”
    The boys ran to help her. Finally her father stood up. He shook himself, grabbed his cloak and hat, and walked out. Bethoc looked down at Colin and had to choke back a sob. He was a mess. Her father had never beaten Colin like this before. Instructing the boys to move him onto Kerr’s bed, she rushed to get what she would need to treat his wounds.
    By the time she had bathed and bandaged his injuries, Colin was awake. “Why? Ye ken how he is. Why goad him? Why let him see how ye feel?”
    â€œWe worked so hard on those bushes but ne’er once neglected our other work. I couldnae see the harm.” He winced as he tried to move. “The mon took one look and went mad. Ripped the whole lot up, screaming at us the whole time.”
    â€œThat makes no sense.”
    â€œNay, it doesnae, does it. He has ne’er cared what we plant, ne’er done more than look and grunt. But, though he never gave us any compliment, he didnae complain, either.” Colin struggled to get up and Bethoc helped him, the other boys staying close by him once he was on his feet.
    â€œYe should go to bed, Colin,” she advised as, with Bean’s help, he started out the door.
    â€œNay, he is hiding something and I mean to find out what.” There was a mutter of agreement from the other boys and Bethoc quickly picked up Margaret and followed them.
    It was a short walk to the field the boys worked but Colin was pale and sweating when they reached the place. It was a small field, not one they used for their crops that went to market, but mostly for a kitchen garden. She looked at the bushes tossed carelessly in a pile as if readied for burning. It was a waste and she could not understand Kerr Matheson’s actions. Then, as she thought back on what she had wondered about her mother and why the woman had never had any other children until Margaret, she felt a chill. Suddenly she was terrified of what they might find.
    Colin was settled against a tree as she sat beside him while the boys dug around. She felt her stomach tighten with every shovelful of dirt tossed to the side. Colin was right. Kerr was hiding something and they did have a right to know. She just feared it was going to be bad.
    â€œBethoc, what do ye think we will find?” Colin asked.
    â€œI dinnae ken,” she replied.
    â€œOch, aye, ye do. Ye are like a cat sitting on a wasp waiting for the sting.”
    â€œBabies,” she whispered. “I was thinking the other day how odd it was that my mother had no bairns for near to twenty years.”
    â€œ Jesu .” He ignored Bethoc’s muttered scold for his language. “’Tis a possibility. Lassies, I would wager. He ne’er had a use for lassies.”
    â€œAye, ’tis what I thought.”
    â€œThe bastard. I ne’er saw it. Ne’er saw your mother with child or birthing one until this little wretch.” He tickled Margaret’s foot.
    â€œHey, Colin, I found something,” called Liam, his