The Highlander's Maiden

by Carole Archer

  Colleen and Kaitlyn jumped to their feet and ran to greet their father’s English friend. He took them in his arms and offered his condolences to them both.

  “I arrived back in Ireland late last night. I’ve spent the last six months in Scotland and England, trading my mead. I decided it was time I visited Ireland once more to catch up with some old friends. As soon as I arrived I heard about your father. I’m so sorry,” he said warmly, kissing them both on the cheek.

  Turning to Alroy, he asked: “I assume you got them out of the castle before the English arrived? The castle was surrounded last night when I stopped by there.”

  Alroy’s eyes widened in shock and the two girls wailed in despair, clutching each other desperately at this most unwelcome news. “No,” cried Colleen, “please God, no.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Harvey. “As soon as I arrived in Ireland, I headed straight out to see my two favourite girls,” he told them, wiping away Kaitlyn’s tears with his thumbs. “I approached the castle and I became concerned when I could smell smoke. I was worried the English had actually set fire to the castle, but then I saw the flames and realised the fire was just in the middle of the courtyard. The soldiers were throwing what appeared to be your belongings onto a bonfire. I was terrified they had taken you girls as well. I apologise for their behaviour. Not all English people are like that.”

  The girls nodded. Harvey was English but there wasn’t a bad bone in his body. He was a good-hearted trader and smuggler who travelled the British Isles by road and by boat and regularly dropped over to Ireland to see his good friends Lord O’Shea and Alroy Hogan.

  Colleen smiled as she recalled how Harvey often visited, bringing toys and small gifts from distant lands. She was always excited when he visited, but she was saddened that this time his visit was far less pleasurable. He had only brought the bad news they feared, that Alroy had been correct and the English had immediately headed to the castle of Lord O’Shea once they learned of his death.

  “I headed into town and spoke to a few people, who had no idea where you were,” Harvey explained, “but Jack Doyle told me you’d come here with the girls and you were safe.”

  Harvey saw the look of concern cross Alroy’s face. “Don’t worry, he didn’t tell anyone else and nor did I. I stayed with Jack overnight and headed straight here this morning. I have a little business in Ireland but I’ll be going back to Scotland next week. I hoped I might spend a little time with Colleen and Kaitlyn before I go away again.”

  Kaitlyn flung her arms around Harvey.

  “It’s good to see you,” said Kaitlyn. “It must be six months since you were last here. How are you?”

  Harvey smiled and nodded. “I’m doing OK. Business is good, but I missed Ireland and I decided it was time to return for a short visit. Maybe I might even settle down here one day and stay for good.”

  Kaitlyn smiled. “I’d like it very much if you did.”

  Colleen embraced Harvey warmly. “I’d like that too, very much.”

  Harvey smiled and they all sat down around the table. For the next couple of hours, they chatted amicably. Colleen and Kaitlyn told Harvey about happier times they’d shared with their parents. They consoled each other as they told him their mother had also passed away earlier in the year after a long illness. “I knew she had been unwell,” Harvey admitted, “but I did not realise she was quite so ill.”

  The conversation became more cheerful as Harvey shared stories with Alroy and the girls about his time in England and Scotland with his two ‘guards’, Richard and Robert. They had travelled with him for many years and despite their tendency to drink a lot and cause trouble, they were loyal to Harvey and were very kind hearted. The girls giggled as he told them he had left Richard and Robert in his cart outside. “They’re protecting my goods,” he told them, “and as usual they’re also sleeping off a heavy night of drinking,” he smiled.

  Colleen squeezed Harvey’s hand affectionately. “They’re supposed to be your protectors, but they’re always too drunk to be any use to you,” she joked. “You always seem to be getting them out of trouble.”

  Harvey smiled and nodded. “True, but they’re good men. They’ve helped me out of a fair few scrapes in their time, though it is fair to say that it’s normally the other way around,” he grinned.

  “We weren’t due to come here for another week. I had planned to take the cart around the Highlands for a few days first, but we rolled into Oban yesterday with the intention of loading the cart and doing a few days’ trading there before heading across to see you. All I can say is thank goodness I still had enough mead on the cart to get us out of trouble. That’s definitely helped me out of more scrapes than I care to recall.”

  Alroy smiled as the girls leaned towards Harvey, eyes wide and hanging on his every word. “What did they do this time?” asked Kaitlyn excitedly.

  Colleen grinned. “I bet they’ve been fighting again?” she asked.

  Harvey shrugged and rolled his eyes, grinning as he sat back to tell the girls his story.

  They listened intently as he told them how he and his guards had met some English soldiers who were passing through Oban. “They were heading back to England and they had an Irish prostitute in tow. I have absolutely no idea where they had found her, I didn’t ask, but she was more than willing to go with them – until of course she met the silver-tongued Richard.” Harvey paused and smiled, looking from one sister to the other.

  “Harvey,” squealed Kaitlyn. “Stop teasing. Tell us more!”

  Harvey laughed loudly. “We’d stopped the cart for the night. Richard and Robert had just opened a bottle of mead when the two soldiers and the woman passed by and she asked if we could spare her a drink. Ten minutes later the six of us were sat around the fire drinking mead. Things were pleasant at first, but I noticed she was paying more attention to Richard and less to the men she was with, and they were noticing it too and were not happy. The soldiers walked a short distance away and I watched them, sensing there was going to be trouble. When they returned they demanded to know where their woman was. I was as shocked as they were. Robert was laid drunk on the grass and Richard and the woman were nowhere to be seen.”

  Colleen laughed. “Oh no, he wasn’t under the cart again was he? Ever the romantic!” she giggled, recalling Harvey’s past stories of how Richard had seduced many a young lady under the cart.

  Harvey nodded. “Yes. I knew exactly where he would be but I managed to calm the men down and plied them with more mead, telling them Richard would have gone for a walk with her and would be back soon. I told them it would be foolish to go wandering around looking for them in the dark, though all the time I knew exactly where he was and what he was doing, and the more I persuaded the soldiers to wait and listened to them plot their revenge on Richard for stealing their woman, the more drunk they got. Eventually they collapsed on the grass and I quickly loaded Robert onto the cart. Fortunately Richard and his lady friend had finished their business and I told him we were leaving. I thought it best to head to Ireland immediately, give the soldiers time to return to England. When we return they’ll be gone and Richard can find someone else to annoy,” he smiled.

  “So what happened to the lady?” asked Kaitlyn.

  Harvey shook his head, grinning. “When I told Richard we were heading to Ireland she asked where we were going. I told her I was headed to County Donegal and she asked for a lift. As my little boat holds four people, I couldn’t see the harm. We brought her over with us and Richard bid her a fond farewell when we arrived. I bet he’s forgotten her already,” he laughed.

  “She told us she left Ireland a few years ago in search of a better life, but unfortunately she ended up selling her body to pay her way,” Harvey said sadly. “But there was a happy ending as I took her to her family home and they welcomed her with open arms. They were so pleased to see her again, they didn’t care what she’d done,” he recalled with a smile.

  “So your mead saved the day once more?�
�� said Kaitlyn, grinning.

  Harvey nodded and laughed. “Yes, it did,” he replied, “but there’ll be two English soldiers travelling home right now feeling a little the worse for wear and wondering what on earth has happened to their woman.”

  A knock at the door once more brought the room to hushed silence as Alroy went to see who it was. He returned moments later, saying it was just his friends making sure they had everything they needed and had settled in well.

  Alroy sat down at the table and sighed, putting his head in his hands. “I hope the English soldiers don’t destroy the castle,” he said, looking up at Harvey. “That’s the only hope these girls have to cling to, that one day soon they’ll return to their home. And how the hell are we supposed to relax if I get so anxious every time there’s a knock at the door?” he asked in frustration.

  Kaitlyn gripped his hand tightly. “We’ll be fine,” she smiled. “Just you wait and see. We’ll get our home back eventually. Our memories are still here,” she said, tapping her fingers against her head. “The English can never take those away from us, no matter what else they do to us. We will get through this,” she told him confidently.

  Alroy smiled warmly at her. “The innocence of youth,” he whispered. “How I wish I still had that.”

  Nodding, he looked at Kaitlyn and Colleen, who watched him expectantly. “Kaitlyn’s right,” he reassured them. “We will be fine. We will get through this.”

  Harvey nodded in agreement. “We will be fine,” he echoed, smiling as the mood in the room changed and everyone visibly relaxed once more. “I’ve missed so much that’s happened, but I’m here for you now. Alroy and I will take care of you. I promise.”

  Alroy smiled. “I’m pleased you’re back in town,” he told him. “Maybe between the two of us we can keep them safe, God willing.”

  Harvey nodded and smiled brightly before he delved his hands into his pockets and pulled out a small package for each young woman. They jumped excitedly to their feet and smiled brightly as they opened the parcels. Their smiles widened as they unwrapped a beautiful string of beads each which they immediately put on. After admiring each other’s gifts, they both kissed Harvey before running upstairs to look at their new jewellery in the mirror.

  Harvey then produced a bottle of his mead and Alroy’s face broke into a grin. “I think I deserve a treat after the events of the past 24 hours,” he sighed, going to the cupboard and fetching a couple of glasses.

  “Yes,” he sighed, toasting his old friend Harvey. “Things are going to be OK. I’m sure of it.”

  Chapter Three

  A week after they’d arrived in Rathmullan, Alroy had gone out for the day, leaving the girls under strict instructions that they were not to leave the house. Although Kaitlyn had been allowed to feed the chickens each day and sometimes milk the cows too, which had absolutely delighted her, Alroy told her that these activities were forbidden when he was not with her.

  Harvey had spent a few days with them, sleeping in the living room while Richard and Robert camped out under the wagon, as they did on their travels around the British Isles. Harvey had left the farmhouse a couple of days ago with his men to do a little trading around Ireland and he was not back yet. He was due to return to Scotland later that evening and had promised to go back to the farmhouse briefly to bid the girls and Alroy farewell before he headed back across the water.

  With just herself and Kaitlyn in the house and having been ordered to stay inside, Colleen was bored. After wandering around impatiently for a while, she went to speak to her sister.

  “Kaitlyn, I’m going out to have a look around Rathmullan, find out a bit about this place that Alroy’s brought us to,” she told her.

  Kaitlyn gasped. “Oh no, Colleen, you mustn’t do that. We promised Alroy we would not leave the farmhouse under any circumstances.”

  Colleen sneered at her younger sister and shook her head. “You stay here if you want. I’m going for a walk.”

  “Colleen, don’t you remember the spanking Alroy gave you only a week ago when you made him angry,” Kaitlyn stated.

  Colleen cringed at the memory, unconsciously rubbing her bottom which remained slightly bruised from his harsh chastisement of her. “But this time he won’t know what we’ve done,” she told her younger sister. “We’ll be home long before he is and he will have no idea that we’ve even been out.”

  Kaitlyn shook her head. “No Colleen, it’s too dangerous. The English will still be looking for us. We’re not going.”

  Colleen sighed loudly. “Fine, I’ll go on my own, you always were a big baby. You’ll never do anything in life if you constantly obey orders,” she told Kaitlyn, hoping to persuade her sister to change her mind, as she often had in the past.

  “I’m sorry Colleen,” Kaitlyn said firmly. “You will not wear me down this time by making me feel guilty. I’m not going and that’s it. Don’t blame me if the English catch you and whisk you off to England to marry some barbarian.”

  Colleen sighed. “You’re so dramatic, Kaitlyn. Well fine, stay here and be boring, I’m off out to have some fun.” Colleen turned her back on her sister, grabbed her cloak and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

  Kaitlyn sighed as she went to the window and watched her sister walk briskly away from the house. “Please don’t let Alroy get home before Colleen does,” Kaitlyn prayed loudly. “And please keep Colleen safe, Lord. I’d hate to see any harm come to my foolish and headstrong sister.”

  Colleen walked the short distance into town and was soon wandering around the marketplace, enjoying finally being able to stretch her legs and get some fresh air whilst taking in her new surroundings. Meanwhile Kaitlyn sat in the farmhouse and fretted, praying for Colleen to hurry up and come home.

  A couple of hours later Kaitlyn heard the door open and she ran downstairs to berate Colleen for being so foolish. Her face fell when she was confronted by Alroy.

  “Kaitlyn, what’s wrong?” asked Alroy, walking towards her and holding her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “What have you girls been up to while I was gone? I hope you haven’t got yourselves into any mischief?” he asked.

  “No, we’ve done nothing, no,” Kaitlyn stammered, glancing furtively towards the doorway.

  “Kaitlyn,” he snapped, gripping her arms firmly and shaking her. “What is wrong?” He glanced around the kitchen before adding “And where is Colleen?”

  Kaitlyn swallowed nervously and glanced away.

  “Kaitlyn, if you don’t tell me where your sister is right now,” he snapped, “I’ll turn you across my knee.”

  Kaitlyn started to cry and Alroy shook her roughly. “For God’s sake, Kaitlyn, tell me where Colleen is right now or God help me I’ll tan your bare backside with your hairbrush to help loosen your tongue.”

  Kaitlyn needed no further motivation to tell Alroy what he wanted to know. “I’m sorry, I tried to talk her out of it,” Kaitlyn whimpered. “I told her you’d be furious but she wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “For crying out loud Kaitlyn, where is she?” Alroy demanded to know, his eyes wide with temper.

  Kaitlyn shrugged nervously. “I’m sorry. I swear I don’t know exactly where she is. She said she wanted a bit of fresh air. She was bored. She wanted to look around the town. I begged her not to go. I told her it wasn’t safe. I’m so sorry. I tried to stop her going but she’s so stubborn,” she tearfully told him.

  Kaitlyn was trembling as she sobbed her apologies and Alroy’s temper abated as he took her into his arms. “Kaitlyn, I’m not angry with you. I know how headstrong your sister is and how she would have refused to listen to reason. I believe you did all you could to stop her leaving the house but I must go out now and bring Colleen home. There are English soldiers in the town and I fear for Colleen’s safety if they find her before I do.”

  Kaitlyn trembled as Alroy reluctantly pushed her down into one of the seats in the kitchen. “I’ll be back soon, I promise everything will be
OK,” Alroy reassured her as he quickly headed for the door.

  Kaitlyn sat quietly, with her head in her hands. “Oh Colleen, how could you be so stupid? Why didn’t you listen to me?” she shouted out, as she waited anxiously for Alroy and Kaitlyn to return.

  Kaitlyn was relieved when half an hour later the door opened and an ashen faced Colleen entered the kitchen followed by a very angry, but at the same time relieved looking Alroy.

  “I’m sorry,” Colleen said quietly. “If I’d known the English were here I would never have left the house, I swear.”

  “Colleen, I told you it wasn’t safe out there. You promised me you would stay here while I was out. Your father would be so disappointed in you, young lady, as I am,” Alroy angrily told her.

  Colleen’s cries became more pitiful. Kaitlyn watched in astonishment as her sister was never so contrite or apologetic.

  Kaitlyn quickly intervened, trying to calm the tense atmosphere. “Alroy, Colleen knows she did wrong. I’m sure she won’t do it again.”

  Alroy shook his head. “I wish it were so simple, Kaitlyn. Unfortunately one of the English soldiers did see her and he most certainly did recognise her. He was approaching her as I joined her and quickly dragged her away. Had I not been there, or had he been with other soldiers, I fear your sister would not be with us now.”

  Colleen’s sobbing increased in volume as she apologised once more to Alroy, clinging to him as she cried in genuine distress.

  “But you’ve got her back home safe now. She’ll be OK,” said Kaitlyn reassuringly.

  Alroy shook his head. “They know she’s in town. They’ll come looking for her. We need to get her somewhere safe. You’re OK, they don’t know you’re here, but we need to find somewhere that Colleen will be safe.”

  As Alroy paced the room, a knock at the door startled them. He sent the girls up to their room and told them to keep quiet. They both meekly obeyed. As the two girls hugged each other in their room and listened anxiously, they could hear Alroy talking to the visitor.