nodded. ‘Absolutely, you did well, thank you. But I didn’t mean you had to be in sole charge of him. Where’s your friend?’
‘ He had tae help his father.’ Archie nodded in Starke’s direction. ‘And hisself was hungry. I could tell.’ The horse snorted loudly as if agreeing with the boy.
Brice laughed. ‘Yes, he’s a stomach on legs, that one. Don’t let him fool you into giving him extra rations. He’ll get fat and lazy.’
‘ Beggin’ yer pardon, sir, but there’s nae more food tae give ’im. Did ye bring aught?’
‘ Yes, a bit, but we’ll need to gather hay for the winter, and not just for the horses. I’ll ask the men to cut as much as they can.’ Brice knew natural hay was rare in the Highlands and had to be gathered wherever possible, a tiresome task at the best of times. It wasn’t usually planted, since all the available land was needed for crops. A distant memory surfaced. ‘Actually, when I was here as a boy, we children used to help by collecting grass from the waysides and from under bushes and such. Could you spread the word among your friends that I’ll pay them a groat for every armful? Might fire up their enthusiasm.’
‘ I’d say! Should I dae it the noo?’
Brice laughed. ‘Later is soon enough. Remind me to have a look at the barns though. From what I saw during my previous visit, they may not be in a fit state to keep anything dry.’
‘ Shuir an’ I will.’
Archie nodded and came closer, and Brice took in the tattered state of the boy’s clothing. He saw that Archie was in dire need of a new outfit. His breeches were way too short, showing off thin legs and bare feet. His shirt was darned in quite a few places and looked as though it had been fashioned out of a much larger one and cut down to size. It hung off the boy’s spare frame and stuck out at the back from under a threadbare waistcoat, also too large. Brice made up his mind there and then to do something about this sorry state of affairs.
‘ Are ye goin’ fer a ride?’ Archie dared to ask.
‘ Yes, I’m going to invite everyone to a feast tonight. At the same time, I thought to go and have a look at the cattle. Do you want to come with me?’
Archie’s expression turned from astonishment to pure joy in the blink of an eye. A huge smile spread over his features and he nodded enthusiastically. ‘Aye, I do, please!’ Then his smile dimmed a little. ‘But there’s only Mr Seton’s garrons and I daren’t borrow those. The ones ye brought this mornin’ will be tired oot.’
Brice grabbed Starke’s saddle from where it had been slung over a beam. ‘It’s not a problem. Starke’s name means “strong” in Swedish and he is that. He’ll easily carry us both I should think. You can sit in front of me and be my guide.’
‘ Braw!’ Archie’s eyes shone and Brice reflected that the poor boy obviously never received any attention if it took so little for him to be happy. Perhaps he could rectify this from now on.
It was a lovely, sunny morning, and Starke seemed happy to be out in the open again. So was Liath, who bounded along behind them. The big horse covered the ground with easy strides, the extra weight of the small boy no problem for him. Brice held the reins in one hand and laid the other one loosely round Archie. The boy didn’t seem afraid, even though the horse was so high off the ground. He held on casually to Starke’s mane.
‘ Would you mind if we speak only in Gaelic?’ Brice asked. ‘I need to practise, you see, it’s been a while.’
Archie nodded. ‘Fine with me.’
‘ You’ve ridden before, I can tell. You’re keeping your back straight and your knees tight, very good.’
‘ Aye, I’ve always loved horses and my auntie’s man was head groom here before he died last year. He taught me to ride.’
‘ What happened to him?’
‘ Congestion of the lungs. Weren’t nothing they could do for him.’
‘ What about your own father? What does he do? And
‘ He had tae help his father.’ Archie nodded in Starke’s direction. ‘And hisself was hungry. I could tell.’ The horse snorted loudly as if agreeing with the boy.
Brice laughed. ‘Yes, he’s a stomach on legs, that one. Don’t let him fool you into giving him extra rations. He’ll get fat and lazy.’
‘ Beggin’ yer pardon, sir, but there’s nae more food tae give ’im. Did ye bring aught?’
‘ Yes, a bit, but we’ll need to gather hay for the winter, and not just for the horses. I’ll ask the men to cut as much as they can.’ Brice knew natural hay was rare in the Highlands and had to be gathered wherever possible, a tiresome task at the best of times. It wasn’t usually planted, since all the available land was needed for crops. A distant memory surfaced. ‘Actually, when I was here as a boy, we children used to help by collecting grass from the waysides and from under bushes and such. Could you spread the word among your friends that I’ll pay them a groat for every armful? Might fire up their enthusiasm.’
‘ I’d say! Should I dae it the noo?’
Brice laughed. ‘Later is soon enough. Remind me to have a look at the barns though. From what I saw during my previous visit, they may not be in a fit state to keep anything dry.’
‘ Shuir an’ I will.’
Archie nodded and came closer, and Brice took in the tattered state of the boy’s clothing. He saw that Archie was in dire need of a new outfit. His breeches were way too short, showing off thin legs and bare feet. His shirt was darned in quite a few places and looked as though it had been fashioned out of a much larger one and cut down to size. It hung off the boy’s spare frame and stuck out at the back from under a threadbare waistcoat, also too large. Brice made up his mind there and then to do something about this sorry state of affairs.
‘ Are ye goin’ fer a ride?’ Archie dared to ask.
‘ Yes, I’m going to invite everyone to a feast tonight. At the same time, I thought to go and have a look at the cattle. Do you want to come with me?’
Archie’s expression turned from astonishment to pure joy in the blink of an eye. A huge smile spread over his features and he nodded enthusiastically. ‘Aye, I do, please!’ Then his smile dimmed a little. ‘But there’s only Mr Seton’s garrons and I daren’t borrow those. The ones ye brought this mornin’ will be tired oot.’
Brice grabbed Starke’s saddle from where it had been slung over a beam. ‘It’s not a problem. Starke’s name means “strong” in Swedish and he is that. He’ll easily carry us both I should think. You can sit in front of me and be my guide.’
‘ Braw!’ Archie’s eyes shone and Brice reflected that the poor boy obviously never received any attention if it took so little for him to be happy. Perhaps he could rectify this from now on.
It was a lovely, sunny morning, and Starke seemed happy to be out in the open again. So was Liath, who bounded along behind them. The big horse covered the ground with easy strides, the extra weight of the small boy no problem for him. Brice held the reins in one hand and laid the other one loosely round Archie. The boy didn’t seem afraid, even though the horse was so high off the ground. He held on casually to Starke’s mane.
‘ Would you mind if we speak only in Gaelic?’ Brice asked. ‘I need to practise, you see, it’s been a while.’
Archie nodded. ‘Fine with me.’
‘ You’ve ridden before, I can tell. You’re keeping your back straight and your knees tight, very good.’
‘ Aye, I’ve always loved horses and my auntie’s man was head groom here before he died last year. He taught me to ride.’
‘ What happened to him?’
‘ Congestion of the lungs. Weren’t nothing they could do for him.’
‘ What about your own father? What does he do? And
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