PART ELEVEN

William set Angus at a steady clip, and once he fell into a rhythm with the horse, he actually began to enjoy himself and the sunny day. He let random thoughts pass through his mind, I wonder how things go back at The Yard… he couldn't help but chuckle, Poor Hatfield, he's rather young, but I trust him completely, I hope the men aren't giving him too much of a hard time. Must admit, it's nice not having to deal with Honeychurch for a few days…

He began to whistle tunelessly and then his stomach growled loudly. William slowed Angus down and pulled out his pocket watch. To his surprise, it was lunchtime already. "Time for a break old boy!" He said, jumping off of the horse and leading him over to a tree at the side of the road.

William tied Angus up, who was happily munching away at the grass. He pulled out the lunch that Seasaidh had thoughtfully packed for him and opened it. To his delight it was full of some of his favorite foods, foodstuffs he used to eat with her family. I must thank her properly when I return, he thought as he happily pulled out a Scott pie.

His thoughts quickly began to fade from his red-headed friend to his golden-haired fiancé. Lord Lizzie, I miss you already, William thought, he began to daydream about stroking her long silky hair and kissing her creamy skin. He allowed himself a few moments of imagining what could have happened if they hadn't been interrupted the other morning.

He imagined trailing kissing further down her body, past to where he had opened her nightgown, the swell of her breasts rising and falling with her breath, his hand traveling further up her leg, sliding in between her thighs and…

Angus came over and chomped down on the apple William had been ready to eat, right out of his hand. "Oi! You scoundrel!" The horse nickered, as though it were laughing at him. "Aye, serves me right I suppose!" William said with a chuckle, patting the horse as it leaned over him, looking for more treats. "That's all for now, we'd best be on our way." William stood and stretched, untied Angus, and continued on his journey.

It was an uneventful ride and the sun was setting as he stopped at the inn that Seasaidh had recommended for the evening. The innkeeper's son led Angus to the barn, and William stretched before going in, he was starting to feel stiff, his legs had cramped up from the long ride.

"Fàilte air neach-siubhail!" The man behind the bar called out to him. William smiled and approached. "Tapadh leat. Could I get an ale and…" He looked around to see what the others were eating, "some of that stew?" He asked. "Certainly."

His ale and food came quickly, and William dug in with gusto. He kept to himself and no one spoke to him. He was halfway through his meal, when his ear discerned a familiar voice from a group of men that had just entered.

William stiffened on the barstool. He would recognize that voice for as long as he lived…

"Give it 'ere Seasaidh!" Callum said as he strode over to Seasaidh, holding out his hand as if he had every right to her snack. "No! It dinnae belong to you Callum! Awa' n bile yer head!" She shouted at him. "Ye have some nerve lass…" his nose was inches away from hers.

William ran over as fast as his legs could carry him. He slid his skinny body between the two of them. Callum looked at him in surprise then burst out laughing, "Oi, look who's here, if it isn't Wee Willie! Ye here to protect your girl?"

William saw red and balled up his fists. "Willie, let's just go, he's not worth it." Seasaidh said, trying to pull William away. He was a foot shorter, and half the size of Callum, it would be no hard feat for Callum to badly hurt him.

"I'm not worth it?" Callum said upon hearing Seasaidh's comment. He was no longer laughing, his face was full of anger. Callum drew back his hand and William saw an opening, his body was exposed. William pulled a punch, throwing all of his meager weight behind it, right into Callum's gut. Callum looked down at him and grinned evilly, he had hardly felt it. "Is that the best you got boy?" Then he punched William in the eye and everything had gone black.

Now William sat there, a smile on his face. He calmly finished his meal then walked over to the table that Callum and his buddies were sitting at. "Callum MacGill?" William asked. "Aye, who's asking?" Callum replied turning around in his seat, looking up at William's vaguely familiar face. "Do I know ye then?" He asked, confused as to who the man standing in front of him was.

"Aye, ye do." William said, then he drew back his arm and sucker punched Callum in the face, knocking him to the ground. Trying to process what had just happened, Callum sat on the floor, shocked, his hand over his eye.

William knew it was immature, but it had given him great satisfaction. His inner child was proud of him. He turned and began to head up to his room when Callum shouted out from behind him, "Who are ye then?!" William stopped, turned, and grinned, "Why, don't ye recognize me? It's Wee Willie Wellington."

The look on Callum's face was priceless. William chuckled and went upstairs, leaving a stunned and silent room behind him.