She rested her head upon his shoulder and began to sob, and he did his best to comfort her, mindful of her loyalty, and that at that moment, all they had was one another.
“Perhaps we could return to my father; he is one man who can be trusted above all others,” Elaine said, wiping away her tears.
“But the journey to Carrick will take us past Kilchurn, through MacCallum territory. Tis’ too risky, lass, we would never get through unseen and uncaptured. Nay, we must think of another way, bide our time and wait,” Finlay said, shaking his head.
“But we have nae got enough food for long in the wilderness, and soon the summer will turn to autumn. What hope have we got?” Elaine said, her voice sounding suddenly tired and despairing.
“There is always hope, I promise ye. We know one thing, though,” he said, and Elaine looked at him in surprise.
“And what is that?” she asked.
“That it wasnae the MacDonalds who wished for us to be captured. Ye heard what the chief said; we are close to their lands here, and if that is the case, then perhaps, we can use it to our advantage. The MacDonalds must truly have wished for peace, just as they said. Even now, they might still help us,” he said, and Elaine nodded.
“Aye, what other choice dae we have? But can we trust them?” she asked.
“We can trust nay one, but we can trust some more than others, and right now, I am willin’ to take my chances with the MacDonalds, rather than return to Kilchurn and face my uncle,” Finlay replied.
He felt angry at his uncle’s treachery, angry that he had ever trusted him or allowed him to work his influence upon the clan. His father had always kept him at arm’s length, never allowing his brother more than a token of power. Now, it seemed that his uncle had been biding his time and plotting against them all, a plot which had now succeeded.
“Then we shall seek out the MacDonalds and see what they have to say,” Elaine said, rising from her place by the stream.
“Elaine, this is nae yer fight, lass. I cannae ask ye to come with me. I will think nay less of ye if ye should choose to ride south and back to Carrick. Ye could ride far to the east and avoid Kilchurn, the journey would be long, but at least ye would be safe. Though it pains my heart to say it, I cannae put ye in more danger than I have already done,” Finlay said.
It broke his heart to even suggest such a thing, but he knew that way forward to be fraught with danger and uncertainty. He could not ask Elaine to be part of it, not without offering her the choice. But now, she looked at him and laughed, shaking her head and smiling.
“Dae ye think I have come through all of this only to run now? Nay, Finlay. I may have been scared at times, and I may have wanted to run away, but I shall nae leave yer side, nae now and nae ever,” she said, reaching out and taking hold of his hand.
At her touch, a shiver ran through him, and his heart began to beat faster, their eyes meeting as she smiled at him and blushed a little.
“I will nae force ye to stay,” he said, and Elaine laughed once again.
“Ye wouldnae. I have said before, I am the daughter of a Laird, nay one would force me to dae anythin’ if I could resist it. Nay, Finlay, tis’ with ye that I wish to stay,” she said, and Finlay nodded, smiling at her, their hands still joined.
“And for that, I am glad, lass,” he said.
For a moment, there was silence, and then Elaine leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss upon his cheek. The touch of her lips sent another shiver running through him, and he placed his arms around her and held her close.
“I couldnae leave ye, even if I wanted to,” she whispered, and he looked down at her, his heart filled with love and longing for her.
“So long as we have each other, that is all that matters,” he replied, and now their lips met in a kiss.
Finlay was quite taken aback by the force of feelings that hit him at that moment. He had never imagined himself falling in love, and now that it had happened, he felt quite overwhelmed, a surge of passion filling him as he held Elaine close and kissed her once again.
“Tis’ all that matters,” Elaine said, as their lips parted.
Finlay blushed, embarrassed by the force of his emotions, emotions which had been growing these days past and now seemed to burst forth with passion. He smiled at her, their hands still clasped together, and he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.
“We shouldnae remain here for long. Who knows if we are being watched or if our flight is known to more than just the chief?” Finlay said, now coming to his senses after the passion of their kiss.
“And we shall ride to the castle of the MacDonalds?” Elaine asked.
“We must find our way first. Perhaps there is a croft nearby or some dwelling where we might find shelter for the night. We have Maggie McClean’s purse of coins, she may be our benefactor this evenin’, but we must be cautious as to who knows our true identity. It would be unwise to reveal it so readily again,” Finlay said.
He had been anxious when Elaine had revealed to the chief their true identity, despite the fact it had come to be to their advantage. But now, they could trust no one, and Finlay knew that danger lurked on every side. His uncle had friends in many places, and it was certain that he would soon be looking for them.
“Then we must travel as husband and wife,” Elaine said, smiling at Finlay, who nodded, feeling himself blush as he did so.
“Aye, and what will our story be?” he said, as they made their way from the edge of the pool to where the horse stood happily grazing.
Elaine thought for a moment before smiling.
“We are travelin’ north to visit yer brother; he has acquired land and a castle many miles from here,” she said, and Finlay laughed.
“And what name shall we use?” he said, warming to the idea of such a deception.
“McGinty shall be our name, Hector and Liza McGinty of Edinburgh,” she said, as Finlay helped her onto the horse’s back.
“The McGinty’s, a respectable couple from the city. I shall be a merchant, and ye shall be my good wife,” he said, and Elaine nodded.
“Until we find the MacDonalds. Then we shall be who we truly are again,” she said, and Finlay nodded.
He wanted to ask if the idea of marriage would remain attractive to her but wondered if perhaps such a thing would embarrass her. Instead, he climbed onto the horse, and she put her arms around him, resting her head upon his back as he trotted the horse back onto the path.
“We must head west a little, I think, that is the direction that the chief pointed us in, though where we shall find the MacDonalds I daenae know,” he said, urging the horse into a cantor.
“Let us ride on until we find a place to rest this evenin’ and the possibility of food and hospitality,” she said, and Finlay agreed.
They rode on for much of the afternoon, meeting no one upon the way, a fact for which Finlay was grateful. He wondered whether their deception as man and wife would be believed, especially if it were a hostile force they met as they went. Soon, a price would be upon their heads, and any bandit or outlaw in that part of Scotland would be eagerly searching for them.
“Look, there is a croft off to the left there on the heathers. Tis’ a wild and lonely place to live,” Finlay said, as he spotted a dwelling later on that afternoon as the shadows were beginning to lengthen.
“Dae we stop there and seek shelter for the night? It looks as though rain is comin’ now,” Elaine said, pointing toward a bank of black and menacing clouds upon the horizon.
“There is nay where else for many miles around,” Finlay said, urging the horse from the path and across the heathers, “if these people are nae friendly, then we shall ride swiftly on, but perhaps they will be pleased of visitors, particularly those with a purse of gold coins.”
The croft stood on its own in the middle of the heathers. It was a wild and lonely place, smoke rising from a single chimney in the roof, which was thatched with dried grasses and heathers. Outside, two small children were at
play, and they looked up in terror as Finlay and Elaine rode toward them, running inside and calling for their mother.
“Now we shall see what sort of welcome we receive,” Elaine said, as Finlay reined in the horse.
“We shall stay on horseback until we know, lass,” Finlay said, his hand on his sword hilt lest the children’s father emerges armed and spoiling for a fight.
The door to the croft now opened, and a woman appeared, eyeing Finlay and Elaine with suspicion. Behind her, there stood two youths, no more than fifteen years old. Each brandishing crude weapons, nervous looks upon their faces.
“What is that ye want?” the woman asked.
“Please, good woman, we seek only a place lay down our heads for the night and rest our weary limbs,” Finlay said, relieved to find little opposition.
“And what is yer business on the high moorlands? Ye are travelers? We rarely see anyone here,” she said, still eyeing them suspiciously.
“May I speak with yer husband?” Finlay asked, and the woman shook her head.
“My husband is dead, killed by bandits a year ago. We have lived in fear ever since. What is yer name, sir?” she asked, and Finlay slipped down from the horse’s back and approached the door of the croft.
“Stay back,” one of the youths said, brandishing a short sword, hardly bigger than a dagger.
“Tis’ all right, I mean ye nay harm. My name is Hector … Hector McGinty, and this is my wife, Liza,” he said, as Elaine climbed down from the saddle and came to stand at his side.
“And yer business here?” the woman asked.
“Please, we are journeyin’ to the home of my husband’s brother. He has acquired lands in the north, and we have come from Edinburgh to see him,” Elaine replied, as the two younger children now peered out from behind their mother’s skirts.
“I see,” the woman said.
“We wouldnae trouble ye if we couldnae pay ye for yer trouble,” Finlay said, and he took out the purse of coins which had belonged to Maggie McClean.
The woman stared wide-eyed at the money, as though she had not seen such wealth in all her life. Finlay nodded, holding out the coins in offering to the woman, who glanced at her sons and then nodded.
“Ye may rest here, there is a barn over yonder, and I have a simple soup on the fire, some bread and cheese which ye are welcome to,” she said, and Finlay smiled.
“Then we are grateful to ye, a good woman and to yer family. Our journey has been long and arduous, but the thought of rest and a good meal is enough to cheer the spirits. And perhaps yer two lads might like to learn how to use those daggers they hold in their hands,” Finlay said.
“Are ye a soldier then?” the woman asked, and Finlay shook his head.
“It would give ye peace of mind to know that yer sons were able to defend ye if such a catastrophe came upon ye again. These are dangerous times. Come now, lads, step out from behind yer mother, and I shall show ye how to fight while we still have light in the evening,” Finlay replied.
The two boys now stepped past their mother and stood meekly out in front of the croft, eyeing Finlay suspiciously.
“And let me help ye inside, good woman,” Elaine said, as the two younger children emerged too.
“You are very pretty,” the little girl said, and Elaine laughed.
“That is kind of ye to say when I have spent so long in the saddle these past days,” Elaine replied.
“Tis’ kind of ye to offer yer help,” the woman said, and Elaine smiled.
“I am happy to, and I am sure that Finlay will soon have yer lads well trained,” she said, glancing back at Finlay, who nodded.
“That I will. Come now, lads, let us see what ye are made of,” and he drew his sword, beckoning to one of them to make his attack.
Chapter Fifteen
Elaine spent the rest of the afternoon helping the woman inside the croft. Her name was Shona, and she and her family farmed the land around the croft, making a simple living from their animals and the few crops they could grow thereabouts. She had led a hard life, and the death of her husband had been a tragic blow, one from which she would surely never fully recover.
“And how long have the two of ye been married?” Shona asked as she and Elaine prepared the evening meal.
“Only a short while,” Elaine replied, hoping to give as little away as possible lest their lie becomes too large.
“He seems a good man. I am sorry to have been suspicious of ye both, but we are nae used to strangers, and we have had tragedy at the hands of such people before,” she replied.
“I can only imagine what ye went through. Yer poor children too. Tis’ good that ye have yer sons to take care of ye,” Elaine replied.
“Without my children, I would be nothin’, and yes, I am grateful for them. They must work hard, now that their father is gone, I miss him so very terribly. Ye must pray that ye never suffer such a loss,” Shona said.
Elaine nodded, a sense of guilt running through her at the knowledge of the lies they had told the woman. There was no question that she was trustworthy. Her story alone was enough to prove it, but they could not bring her into their confidence for fear of later reprisals. If Finlay’s uncle should come looking for them, then in all truth, the woman would tell him of the McGinty’s who had passed by from Edinburgh, saved from reprisal by her ignorance.
“I am lucky to have Fi … Hector; he has been so good to me,” Elaine replied, as Shona went to the door to call in the others to eat.
“Then cling to him, lass, never let him go,” she said, smiling at Elaine, who nodded.
“Yer lads are naturals with the sword. We shall make soldiers of them yet,” Finlay said, as he and the woman’s children entered the croft.
“I had never known how to wield a sword in such a way,” one of them said, and the other nodded.
“We must practice more, though, mother. That is what Hector says,” he said.
“Eat first, and then ye might practice a little more before the sun is set,” their mother replied.
There were four children in total, the two youths and the two younger children who were twins, a boy, and a girl. Elaine could not help but admire their mother for all that she had endured for their sakes, and she vowed if ever she were able, she would return to the croft and see to it that the family was provided for.
The food was simple but hearty, a soup with bread and cheese, some oatmeal and honey, and a glass of beer for Finlay, who thanked the woman profusely for her kindness.
“Ye have been generous to us, good woman. We were wary of approachin’ yer croft,” he said, and the woman laughed.
“Lest my sons be trained in the art of the sword?” she replied, “nay, sir, we are simple people who have suffered much. But that is nay reason to send those who come askin’ away without help. Ye are welcome to what we have here, and we shall see ye on yer way tomorrow. Tell me, what way is it that ye are headed? Perhaps we can guide ye,” she said, and the two youths nodded.
“Aye, we know all the paths hereabouts,” one of them said.
“We know little of what lies ahead, only that my brother’s lands lie beyond those of the MacDonalds. Tell me, how far are we from their castle?” Finlay asked, glancing at Elaine as he spoke.
“The MacDonalds? Aye, ye are nae far from the castle at Loch Arden here, but ye would dae well to avoid their hospitality. The MacDonalds are nae known for their welcome,” the woman said, shaking her head.
“Dae ye nae look to them for protection?” Finlay asked, and the woman laughed.
“Protection? Nay, we look only to ourselves. Ye are a long way from Edinburgh here, sir. The king’s laws dae nae apply to us, and we find ourselves without the protection of a powerful Laird. Nay, we keep ourselves to ourselves and pray each night for another safe day. I shall sleep easy in my bed tonight knowin’ that ye are here if indeed ye are as skilled with the sword as ye seem to be,” the woman replied.
“But if we were to ride north from here, then w
e would find Lord Arden and the castle of the MacDonalds?” Finlay asked, and the woman nodded.
“Aye, that ye would. It lies close to the sea; the islands lie out some miles further on. Tis’ all the land of the MacDonalds and their Laird, Cameron MacDonald, a man of fiery temper and short patience, or so they say. My advice to ye is to have little to dae with him and make instead for yer brother’s lands,” the woman said, as she began to clear the empty bowls from the table.
Elaine glanced at Finlay, who nodded to her as if to say that he would speak no more about the matter. She got up to help the woman, and the conversation soon turned to other matters. They sat awhile together as the evening drew on, the rain which had threatened earlier now falling outside.
Highlander’s Forbidden Desire: Wanting her was forbidden, having her was his ruin... Page 17
