"I was chosen by the others to make sure Papa doesnae say anything stupid."
Sigimor and the other Camerons gathered in the great hall roared with laughter and Diarmot sighed. He thought it very traitorous of Nanty to join in with them. Even Odo giggled. He had tried to convince the boy that he did not need the help, but there had been no dissuading him. Diarmot had not had the heart to simply refuse to take him, either. The children had been very accepting of Ilsa's leaving, but he knew that was because they depended upon him to bring her back. Odo, he supposed, was their little guarantee.
"Have ye had a hard time of it, then?" asked Sigimor.
"Weel, nay," replied Diarmot. "The children have been verra patient. I was pressed to explain things a little better than Fraser did. She told them it was a woman's thing." He was able to join in the laughter this time.
"She has set her arse back in that wee cottage. Liam keeps an eye on her,"
Sigimor added and grinned.
"Does he. How kind of him."
"He thinks so. Now, dinnae misunderstand me, as I am nay blaming ye or her, but Ilsa is troubled. I had to leave it to Liam to talk to her because she started saying things that made my head ache. I am nay verra good at understanding her at times. Liam tried to explain it to me. It seems ye erred by nay wooing her when your wits were still rattled." He frowned. "Something about her being one thing then another then another and she doesnae ken what she is to ye or what she wants to be."
"Weel, that is as clear as mud."
"So thought I. I think ye were supposed to want to woo her when ye didnae ken who she was. Wheesht, that doesnae sound any better, does it."
"Nay. It doesnae matter. I will go and speak to her."
"And it looks as if ye chose a verra good time to do so." Sigimor nodded toward the door of the great hall.
Diarmot looked to see Gay enter carrying Finlay followed by Liam carrying Cearnach. Gay's eyes widened as she saw him, but before she could retreat, Odo was hugging her legs. Diarmot just smiled as Odo dragged her back to the table.
"Greetings, m'laird," said Gay as she let Diarmot take Finlay for a moment.
"I just brought the lads here to visit with their kinsmen."
"As they should." He handed Finlay back to Gay and took Cearnach from Liam.
"In fact, I think it would be verra good for them if they visited for a good long while. Let us say a whole night."
"Oh. If ye think they should."
"Aye, I think they should."
She sighed and nodded, then frowned slightly at Odo. "Why have ye brought him?"
"I came to make sure Papa didnae say anything stupid," said Odo and he grinned when Gay laughed. "I was chosen."
"Weel, that doesnae surprise me." Gay looked at Diarmot. "I dinnae believe she was intending to stay away verra long."
"Mayhap not now, but after a few days? Or a few days more?" He shrugged. "She has had her time to think. Now tis time to talk."
Diatmot did not lead the way Gay grimaced very encouraging, but he stood up and started for the door. He smiled faintly when Odo, Nanty, Tait, Sigimor, and Liam all fell into step behind him. For a long time he had been a very solitary man, morose and lost in his own troubled thoughts. It appeared that was most definitely at an end.
As he made his way to the little cottage where he and Ilsa had spent two blissful weeks after their handfasting, he told himself he must be calm, gentle, and understanding. Ever since she had come back into his life, Ilsa had been confronted with one trouble after another. It should be no surprise that she might be upset or uncertain.
The cottage was coming into view by the time he gave up trying to convince himself that he was not mad, or hurt, or insulted. He was all of those things.
He was also afraid that he had lost the chance to have back what he had so briefly enjoyed a little over a year ago. That soured his mood as well.