The Highlander's Maiden

by Carole Archer

  Colleen blushed as Alroy helped her to her feet. She deliberately avoided her sister’s gaze.

  “Come on, we really need to leave now,” Alroy urged. He breathed a sigh of relief when Colleen took the case from her sister and followed her down the stairs.

  Colleen gasped as she walked shakily down the staircase. Alroy felt some sympathy for her as her jerky movements led him to believe that the simple action of walking down the stairs was sending jolts of pain through her well strapped buttocks. He sighed with frustration, not happy that he had had to be so hard with her.

  “Come on girls,” he whispered, leading them outside. He checked the area was clear before loading the girls onto a horse-drawn wagon driven by another friend of their father’s. As Colleen sat on the hard wooden seat, she winced and squirmed as she gripped Kaitlyn’s hand.

  Alroy smiled at her. “I’m sorry Colleen, I know I’m not your favourite person right now but I hope you realise I’ve only forced you to leave your home because, without your father’s guards there to help us, we haven’t got a hope in hell of winning a battle against the English. No matter how many of the English I am sure you could have killed, ultimately your father would want you to stay alive to be there for your sister. There really would be nothing to be gained from fighting the English today. It would be suicide to try.”

  Colleen looked up at Alroy and nodded tearfully.

  “I understand your desire to honour your father and defend his castle, but I am sure he would rather have his beautiful daughter alive than dead in battle,” Alroy told her.

  Alroy turned his attention away from Colleen and looked at Kaitlyn. “I need you both to do as I say and until you’re safe I will not hesitate to take my belt or my hand to your bare bottoms. Do you understand?”

  Kaitlyn nodded. “Yes Sir,” she replied, looking sympathetically at her sister who squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

  Alroy raised his eyebrows as he regarded Colleen. Catching his gaze, she lowered her eyes. “Yes Sir,” she whispered.

  As the horse and cart finally started to move, Colleen and Kaitlyn glanced back towards the castle that had been their home for their whole lives. Swallowing anxiously, Colleen turned to Alroy. “Do you think we’ll ever see our beautiful home again?”

  “I hope so,” he whispered, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently.

  As the cart bounced her uncomfortably on her well punished bottom, Colleen fell to her knees in front of him, wrapping her arms around him as she sought comfort in his warm embrace. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered, grateful to take the weight off her sore bottom.

  Kaitlyn smiled and knelt beside her sister, gently stroking her back. “I’ve never known anyone to be so grumpy after a spanking. Why can’t you just accept it, especially when you know you deserve it,” she said kindly.

  Alroy shook his head as he held Colleen against him. “Not now,” he smiled at Kaitlyn. She’s right though, he thought, smiling. Colleen is so full of vengeance and rage after a spanking, unlike Kaitlyn who is always so full of remorse and accepts her punishment without argument. Alroy smiled as he recalled their father telling him that on many occasions after he had spanked the pair of them.

  Kaitlyn watched Alroy consoling her deeply distraught sister. “I can’t believe Daddy’s gone,” Kaitlyn said mournfully. “He’ll never be able to hold us in his arms ever again and comfort us when we’re sad.”

  Alroy wrapped an arm around Kaitlyn and pulled the two girls close to him, as the small castle in Ramelton disappeared from view.

  Alroy looked heavenwards. I will keep them safe, he promised his recently departed friend. I swear to you I’ll keep them safe if it’s the last thing I do.

  Chapter Two

  Colleen and Kaitlyn were startled to be shaken awake by Alroy and for a moment they were confused. It was still dark and they were very cold. They had momentarily forgotten the events of the evening and had no idea where Alroy had taken them.

  “Where are we?” asked Colleen, whimpering as she shifted in her seat and felt a jolt of pain through her buttocks. Her cheeks coloured at the recollection and she was grateful that it was dark enough to hide her blushes from Alroy.

  “We’ve travelled approximately six miles north-east to Rathmullan,” Alroy explained. “Your father and I have friends here. They’ve agreed to put us up for as long as we need in a small farmhouse they no longer use. Hopefully Ireland will one day defeat the English and they will leave us to live our lives in peace. When that day comes you can both return to your home, but for now it isn’t safe,” he told them, taking their hands and helping them down from the cart.

  “We’ll be staying at this farmhouse for the immediate future. We’re going to pretend you’re my daughters. You must tell no-one who you really are. Obviously my friends who live in the main house know you’re here and why, but if any strangers call at the house I’ll have to tell them you’re my daughters and I expect you both to go along with that explanation,” he warned.

  Colleen and Kaitlyn nodded dumbly as it finally dawned on the pair how much danger they were potentially in. Colleen sighed. I can’t believe I was so foolish, she chastised herself. What on earth could I have done if the English had come to the castle intent on taking us? Yes, I could have fought them to the death – which would surely have been my death, not theirs - as I promised Kaitlyn I would, but how on earth would that help my little sister? What then would have become of her?

  Colleen shook her head as she realised how much danger she had put them all in. She gripped her sister’s hand tightly and whispered “I’m sorry”, as Alroy continued to talk calmly and reassuringly to them as they stood shivering in front of him.

  “I don’t want to scare you, but it isn’t safe for you out there. The English soldiers will be looking for you and I need you to keep out of sight. You’ll be safe in here, but you must never leave here without me, I need to have your word on that,” Alroy stressed solemnly.

  Kaitlyn nodded immediately. Colleen scowled, but also nodded in agreement. What on earth are we going to do around here? Colleen thought, looking around at the small farmyard, but sighed as she acknowledged that Alroy was their father’s oldest friend and he would do everything he could to help keep them safe. If he said they shouldn’t go out, they had to trust that he was right.

  Alroy led the two girls into the small farmhouse and Colleen sighed. “This place is a dump,” she huffed, looking around. It was very basic and quite dirty.

  Alroy sighed deeply. “I know this isn’t what you young ladies are used to, but I’m afraid it will have to do for now. The most important thing is that you’ll be safe here. Hopefully one day we can return to your castle, but it really is not safe for you to be there right now.”

  Kaitlyn put her arm around her sister. “As long as we’ve got each other, we’ll be fine. We must do as Alroy says, Colleen. Promise me you will. I don’t want to lose you too. You’re the only family I have left in the world,” she whimpered.

  Colleen looked at her sister and saw the fear in her eyes. She nodded slowly. “It’s OK, Kaitlyn. I’ll do as Alroy says. I won’t let you down and leave you on your own. I promise. We’ll look after each other. We’ll keep each other safe. I swear.”

  Colleen wrapped her arms around her sister and they sat in silence as they clung to each other. Alroy left them alone and returned to the cart to collect their cases, bringing them into the kitchen of the farmhouse where the sisters sat side by side on a small bench.

  Alroy decided to leave them for a little while so they could take in their new surroundings. He took their cases up to the room that the girls would share, while Colleen and Kaitlyn started to explore downstairs. As Kaitlyn excitedly made plans for their new home, and how they would tidy it up and make it look nice, Colleen scowled. It sounds too much like hard work to me, she thought bad-temperedly, blinking back tears as she tried not to think of the beautiful home they had been forced to leave behind. It’s the only link we have
to Daddy, she thought sadly, and I wasn’t able to protect it.

  Colleen forced a smile before joining her sister to look out of the window into the yard behind the house, where chickens wandered freely and cows grazed in the field beyond. “I hope we’ll be allowed to go outside and tend to the animals,” Kaitlyn said enthusiastically. “I’ve always wanted to live on a farm. This will be so exciting.”

  Colleen scowled once more. “It smells,” she said, screwing up her nose.

  Kaitlyn grinned. “That’s just the cows. They probably think you stink too,” she giggled, rushing towards the stairs.

  Colleen smiled and followed her sister. I wish I could be so enthusiastic about this, Colleen sighed, but I can’t help wondering what the future holds for us. Our parents are both dead. No-one in the world cares whether we live or die, apart from Alroy, of course, but he’s an old man. No matter how good his intentions are, what on earth can he do if the English track us down?

  “Colleen,” squealed Kaitlyn excitedly down the stairs. “Are you coming up to see your bedroom?”

  Colleen smiled as she made her way up the stairs. I wish I could be as optimistic as Kaitlyn, but I’m being realistic, she thought. I guess it’s wrong for me to burst her bubble though. I am going to try, for her sake, to be happy here. Hopefully it won’t be for too much longer, she hoped, as she wearily climbed the stairs.

  Colleen followed the sound of her sister’s excited squeals and her mouth dropped open in horror when she walked into the bedroom and saw two single beds. “This is so exciting, Colleen. We’re going to share a room,” Kaitlyn announced to her less enthusiastic sister.

  Colleen tutted and stared at Alroy, who had been helping Kaitlyn to move her bed closer to the window – “so I can watch the chickens and cows from here each morning,” she had moments earlier excitedly told their new guardian.

  “I like having my own space,” Colleen complained. “We never had to share a room at the castle.”

  “I know, and doesn’t that make it more exciting,” squealed Kaitlyn, grinning brightly at her sister.

  “No,” complained Colleen, stamping across the room and glaring at her own bed. “I have a larger bed than this at home. This is too small. I’ll fall out.” Colleen plonked herself down on the bed, immediately regretting her decision as pain shot through her recently strapped bottom. “Ow,” she yelped. “It’s too hard,” she added quickly, hoping to make Alroy and Kaitlyn believe that her yelps were merely because the bed was too firm.

  “Colleen, I’ve had enough of your complaining. Any more and you’ll be sorry,” Alroy snapped, rapidly losing patience with the spoiled young woman. He quickly turned and watched Kaitlyn smiling brightly as she unpacked her things and eagerly explored her new room, relishing the challenge that life had presented to them. “Why can’t you be more like your sister?” he asked.

  Colleen sighed and dragged her case towards her, scowling as she started to unpack, muttering to herself as she pulled things out of her case and threw them onto the bed. Her face suddenly broke into a smile as she pulled the red ribbons out that Kaitlyn had thoughtfully packed for her the previous evening. “Thank you,” she whispered to her sister, who immediately jumped on the bed beside her and hugged her.

  “I thought you might like them,” Kaitlyn said. “We all know how much you love your hair ribbons, and I know how much you adore red ones especially. Would you like me to braid your hair and tie these into the ends?” she offered, taking the ribbons from Colleen’s hand.

  Alroy breathed a sigh of relief when Colleen eagerly nodded and sat down on the floor in front of her sister, who picked up her hairbrush and started to brush Colleen’s long, dark brown hair.

  Alroy watched intently as Kaitlyn patiently brushed out her sister’s hair, divided it into two sections and then separated each section into three equal pieces which she then quickly and efficiently braided, tying the ribbons into the end of each braid. Colleen smiled brightly as she pulled the braids forward so they lay against the front of her body. The braids reached all the way down to her waist. Her smile widened as she toyed with the ribbons and admired her reflection in the large bedroom mirror.

  “Thank you,” she whispered to Kaitlyn. “I’m sorry for being so unbearable at times. I can’t believe father has gone too, so soon after we lost mother. And now we’ve been taken away from our home as well. It’s just too awful.”

  Kaitlyn put her arms around her sister. “I miss Daddy too, and mother, but we need to be strong. It doesn’t matter where we live, as long as we have each other.”

  Colleen pulled away from her sister and looked into her eyes. “I’m supposed to be the wiser one, me being three years older than you,” she smiled.

  Kaitlyn grinned. “But you go out looking for trouble and then wonder why you always end up with a sore bottom – like you have now,” she teased, causing her older sister to blush.

  “And I’m obviously not as sensible as you think,” added Kaitlyn, “because I too often let you talk me into going along with your foolish plans and I end up with a sore bottom too.”

  Colleen scowled at her sister before the pair broke into giggles.

  Both girls were startled when Alroy spoke. Neither had realised he was still in the room, watching and listening intently.

  “It’s good to see you both so happy. I know you don’t have too much to laugh about at the moment, but I hope we can all make the best of this. I’m really sorry that I’ve had to drag you away from your home in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. I hope you both understand that?” he asked hopefully.

  Alroy smiled as both girls immediately nodded.

  “I’m not happy about moving out of our home,” admitted Colleen, “but I do understand you only took us away from there to keep us safe. I’m sorry I gave you so much trouble,” she added, lowering her eyes. I still can’t believe you punished me, but I guess maybe I deserved it, she thought, failing miserably to stop herself from blushing once more at the humiliation of the whole thing. She closed her eyes as her cheeks burned with embarrassment.

  Alroy knelt down in front of Colleen and Kaitlyn, taking their hands in his. “The last thing I wanted was to take you away from your home. You’ve lost so much already, but there really was no other way. My only thought was keeping you safe. Can you forgive me, Colleen?”

  Colleen’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped open in surprise. My behaviour was abysmal last night, she thought. I’m the one who should be sorry for making what was already a difficult choice even harder.

  Alroy squeezed her hand. “Please Colleen. We’re going to be spending so much time together. I don’t want us to get off on the wrong foot. Can we please start with a clean slate?” he asked hopefully.

  Colleen nodded as she looked him in the eye. “I am sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t realise how much danger we were in. If you hadn’t taken swift action, we might have all been killed. I’m sorry my foolishness put us in peril.”

  Alroy closed his eyes and sighed. “Thank you,” he whispered, as he pulled the two girls into his arms, holding them close. “Thank you.”

  For the next few minutes, the only sounds in the room were the two girls weeping in Alroy’s arms. When they were finally silent, Alroy sat back on his heels and wiped away his own tears. The two girls couldn’t hide their looks of astonishment at seeing a grown man cry. Daddy never ever cried, not even when mother died, thought Colleen, as she stared wide eyed at him.

  “He wasn’t just your father, he was my best friend,” Alroy explained. “I held him in my arms as he died and I couldn’t do a damn thing to save him,” he stated flatly, shaking his head in resignation.

  Kaitlyn gripped his hand tightly. “At least he wasn’t alone. At least you were with him. That’s surely some comfort,” she offered. “I know it certainly is to me, to know he wasn’t alone at the end.”

  Alroy nodded. “Yes, it is.”

  “Alroy,” Colleen w
hispered, swallowing nervously as he looked at her, almost afraid to ask the question she desperately needed an answer to. “Did my father suffer?”

  Alroy shook his head immediately and kissed both girls softly on the cheek as they sat side by side on the bed, gripping each other’s hands tightly as they looked intently at him. “No, the Lord took him quickly. He didn’t suffer at all,” he said shakily.

  “Before he died, your father asked that I take care of you and get you away from the castle. I swore to keep you both safe and I will do everything in my power to honour your father’s dying wish.”

  Alroy looked at Colleen, who blinked back tears and smiled. “Thank you for being with him at the end. Thank you too for bringing us somewhere safe.”

  Alroy nodded and stood quickly. “Why don’t you two girls finish unpacking, put your clothes in the cupboards and I’ll go downstairs and see if I can rustle us up something to eat.”

  Alroy was relieved to see Colleen and Kaitlyn smiling once more. He guessed there would be more tears to come, but at least they both accepted why he had taken them away from the home they loved.

  As he reached the doorway, Alroy looked back towards the two young women. “You look beautiful,” he said, looking at Colleen who was once more admiring her hair in the mirror. Glancing across at Kaitlyn, who had the same long dark hair, he added “both of you, you’re both very beautiful. Your father would be so very proud,” he added.

  He watched for a moment as Kaitlyn sat quietly on the floor in front of her sister and Colleen returned the favour and brushed and braided her sibling’s hair. Leaving them alone, Alroy headed downstairs and spent a few moments in silent prayer before he sliced some cheese and bread that his friends had left for them. Colleen and Kaitlyn joined him a short time later and they chatted happily as they ate, until a knock at the door silenced them all.

  Alroy put his finger to his lips and motioned for them to be quiet. The two girls nodded and sat in silence as Alroy nervously answered the door. Moments later they were joined by their father’s good friend, Harvey Rookwood.