Katie was so shaken by their abrupt appearance that before her heart had a chance to slow down, she shouted, “What the hell are ye doing racing through the mist like that?”
The man glowered at her. “’Tis a road. A place where ye move along, not where ye stop to chat or have yer meal.”
The beats in her heart changed from fear to anger. She fisted her hands at her waist. “How dare ye?” She waved her hand toward her cart and the other travelers. “Does it look to you as if we’re having a meal? Do ye see a blanket spread out with cheese and bottles of wine and warm bread? Are ye too high up there on yer mighty horse to notice we have a broken wheel?”
“Then ye pull off to the side, not just stop right there. We could have killed ye.”
“Evan, calm down,” the other man said. “Let’s see if we can help the lass.”
Evan ran his hand down his face. “Aye, Alasdair, you are right.” He nodded to her. “I apologize, mistress. I’m afraid ye startled me.” He took a deep breath. “Can we help ye?”
She wanted nothing more than to tell them to be on their way, but with neither Colum nor Angus able to fix the wheel, ’twas best to allow these two to help. Drawing on her dignity, she raised her chin. “Aye. As a matter of fact, we could use some help. Our wheel is cracked, and I’m afraid my men dinnae have the proper tools to fix it.”
Evan turned to Alasdair. “The lads can’t fix a broken wheel?” He burst out laughing, and the other one soon joined in.
“They dinnae have the ‘proper’ tools,” Alasdair added. They bent their large bodies over as they continued to roar with laughter.
Colum and Angus looked at each other and shrugged. They apparently didn’t realize they’d just been insulted. She was ready to give these strangers the rough side of her tongue. Whatever was wrong with them? Had she encountered two lackwits? She failed to see what was so amusing about their dilemma. “I dinnae see what is so funny about a broken wheel, sir.”
“Laird, to ye, mistress,” the one he’d called Alasdair said as he wiped the tears from his eyes. He nodded toward his companion. “Ye are speaking to Laird Evan MacNeil of Argyll.” This one was not quite as big as Laird Evan MacNeil of Argyll, but the similarity in their features and coloring marked them as relatives. Perhaps even brothers.
She waved her hand in the air. “I dinnae really care, I only want to ken if you can help us.”
The laird slid from his horse and walked toward her, his size encouraging her to back up as he approached. Goodness, the man was large. As he got closer, his shoulders blocked out the view of the entire area behind him. All she could see was his massive chest.
He was ruggedly handsome. A strong chin, full lips, green eyes the color of the Scottish hills, and a well-trimmed beard of dark red. His hair hung to his shoulders in waves, giving him the look of warriors past. Any moment, she expected him to bellow and brandish his broadsword around.
Although the edict against the wearing of traditional Scottish kilts had been lifted, these men wore buckskin trews, linen shirts, and a tartan fastened across their chests. This laird who stopped directly in front of her also carried two dirks in his leather belt and a sporran in front of him that she was sure held a pistol or two, with ammunition. When he turned back to his companion, she caught a glimpse of the imagined broadsword strapped to his back. ’Twas like something out of a history book.
This, however, was not the time to admire the man or ruminate on times past. She needed help now. He had offered, and she must be on her way. However, she backed up again, giving herself room to breathe. “Thank ye for yer assistance, laird.”
“That’s better, lass.” He grinned, his green eyes full of laughter and teasing. “’Tis not a pleasant thing to have a wee lass shouting at ye on the road.”
It was as if he’d patted her on the head like a bairn. She swallowed the retort she had ready. He would fix her wagon wheel, she would thank them, and they would be on their way. She would make her way to the MacDuff castle and never have to see Laird Evan MacNeil again.
Evan squatted down and examined the wheel. He looked toward the other man. “Toss me the rope.”
“How will a rope help?” Katie had squatted alongside him, wondering what this man saw that her own men hadn’t seen.
“I’ll tie the rope several times around the wheel to keep it from falling apart. If ye travel slowly, it will get ye to the next village. ’Tis only about a mile past the castle. There ye can get a replacement and soon be on yer way.”
Katie sighed with relief. “Oh, that’s wonderful because we’re only going as far as the castle.”
Evan rested one knee on the soft ground, shifted to place his wrist on his bent knee, and looked at her. “The MacDuff castle?”
“Aye.”
He glanced up at his companion, who shrugged. “And what business do ye have there?”
Although ’twas no concern of his, she decided to continue with her amicable mood to get the wagon wheel fixed and this blasted journey over with. “’Tis mine. I am the owner.”
Evan frowned. “What is yours?”
She sighed. “The castle.”
He raised his brows. “The MacDuff castle?”
Bloody hell, the man was as dense as a forest. She hated cursing, even to herself, but this conversation was becoming tiresome. “Aye. The MacDuff castle.”
Evan looked over at the other
