“I’m so very sorry.” He started to walk away.
“Where’re you going?” Dolidh demanded.
“I’m on my way to Iasg to find work on a fishing boat. I need to get back on the road.”
“Not tonight you’re not. You’re staying here. Have some food and take a rest. Iasg will still be there in the morning. Besides, we have something for you.” She nodded to Barra and he stood and walked behind the bar. He pulled out an envelope and handed it to Blane. His name was written on the front of it. “Brian gave it to us before you left. He said if anything happened to him to make sure you got this.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. He gave one to us too,” Dolidh said. “It was an explanation of why he had to go and what he thought might happen. Thank you for being with him.”
Dolidh reached out and squeezed Blane’s hand. He nodded, not sure what to say.
“Go and take the room at the top of the stairs. I’ll bring you up some grub.” She walked into the kitchen and Barra followed.
Blane climbed the stairs and was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
* * *
It was close to midnight when the last well-wisher finally left Isobail’s house. She was exhausted and couldn’t wait to crawl into bed. She was about to do so when there was a loud knock on the front door. She pulled it open and there stood a stranger with his hat in his hands. Fear welled up inside Isobail, but when he smiled warmly, she saw only kindness in his red-rimmed eyes. Her fear disappeared. This man seemed to know her.
“Sorry to bother you, miss.” He met her eyes and let out an involuntary gasp. “Sorry. You just have her eyes, just like Brian said.”
Isobail stepped outside and shut the door behind her. She had told her parents the truth about Lady Nuala being her mother and how Niall had murdered someone. She just didn’t find it necessary for them to know Brian’s role in the nightmare.
“Did you know Brian?” Isobail asked.
“Yes. I’m Barra. We were friends. The reason I’m here is ’cause he asked me to give this to you if anything happened to him.” He handed her an envelope with her name on the front. “Well, good-bye, miss,” he said, and then mounted his horse and left.
She sat down on the cool grass and opened the letter:
Dear Isobail,
I’m sorry that we never got to meet. Please know you are the only thing that I am proud of. You are smart, beautiful, and kind. I could not have asked for better parents than Gerry and Mary. They have raised you better than I could have ever dreamed. It’s important that you know that Moira or Lady Nuala wasn’t always the deceitful person she is now. There was a time when she was kind and loving and that is when I fell in love with her and you happened. I will always love you.
I know you aren’t able to own land or I would leave my farm to you, but because I can’t leave it directly to you, I am leaving it to Blane. This way you can at least live there too. He loves you, Isobail, more than you will ever know. He is willing to risk his life to save yours. Please don’t let him get away. Fight for your love, because I know you love him too. He will always take care of you. Don’t let him go to Iasg.
Love,
Brian MacDonald
Isobail closed the letter, pressed it to her lips, and let the tears slip freely from her eyes as she went in the house to bed.
* * *
Blane heard a rooster crow in the distance and sat up in the unfamiliar room, slightly disoriented. When he saw the untouched plate of haggis sitting on the table beside the bed, he remembered he was at Dolidh’s inn. Rolling over, Blane heard the crinkling of parchment. He pulled the envelope out from under his chest. Sleep had overcome him so quickly the night before he had forgotten all about Brian’s letter. He opened the envelope and read:
Dear Blane,
You are truly an amazing young man. You remind me of a younger me. Please take care of my daughter. She loves you. She may not have admitted it to herself yet, but she does love you as much as you love her. I know you are a hard worker and would hate to be out at sea. I have no son and so I am leaving my farm to you. Barra has already taken care of the paperwork and will have the deed for you when you are ready for it.
Please, make Isobail happy and fill my house with babies. You’ll both be great parents. Do not let love die. You love each other, and after all you have been through, you deserve to be happy.
Love,
Brian MacDonald
Blane flew down the stairs and collided with Barra. “Whoa, there!” Barra said, catching Blane’s arm before he hit the floor.
“Sorry, Barra! I just—” Blane’s head was racing.
“Here you go.” Barra pushed a piece of parchment into Blane’s hands. “This is the deed to Brian’s farm. I have something else fer you. Come with me.”
Blane followed the older man in to the kitchen where Dolidh was talking animatedly to someone. Blane walked around the corner and saw Isobail sitting on a stool. When Isobail saw him, she jumped up, knocking her stool to the floor. She ran into his arms, and he held her for a long time. When she pulled back there were tears on her face.
“What’s the matter?” Blane asked. “Why are you crying?”
“Happy tears.” She pulled the letter out of her pocket and showed it to him.
“You got one too!” he said. He pulled his letter out and showed her. Smiling, Isobail pulled his face to hers and kissed him.
They both knew that they were finally home.
Epilogue
There was a knock on Blane’s front door. He pulled it open. Standing on the step was the same squire that had come every month since their return from Dòmhail. “Squire Drustan, how are you today?”
“Doing well. Thank you, Mr. Andersone. Here you are.” He placed a coin purse in Blane’s hand.
“Once again thank you.” Blane shook the older man’s hand. “Isobail still isn’t ready to visit Lady Nuala, but she may be one day.”
“We understand and will wait until she is ready. Have a good day.” Squire Drustan tipped his hat and left the farm. Blane closed the door and put the coin purse down, shaking his head. A loud high-pitched wailing came from the bedroom.
* * *
Isobail looked out her bedroom window at the new flowers beginning to bloom in the spring sunshine. New beginnings. Springtime is all about new beginnings, Isobail thought. The world had been washed clean and appeared new after the winter snow. This spring was no different. She pushed her sweaty hair from her forehead. Another cry came from the squirming bundle of blankets Mary Blyth was rocking in her arms. The door flew open and Isobail smiled at Blane. Isobail’s mother placed a bundle of blankets in Isobail’s arms. Blane sat on the bed beside Isobail and looked down into their son’s bright green eyes.
“What are you going to name him?” Mary asked.
Isobail looked at Blane and they smiled. “Brian,” they said in unison.
Discussion Questions
What changes Moira’s outlook on life?
How does Isobail react to finding out the truth of her past?
Are Niall Conell’s feelings toward Lady Nuala justified?
What did this book teach you about miscommunication?
Is Barra a simpleton or does he have a quiet wisdom about him?
Would you have done things differently if you had been in Moira’s place?
What would have been different if Blane had stayed to help Brian on the balcony?
What do you feel is the overall theme of the book and why?
Acknowledgments
Iwould like to thank all those that have helped me along the way. Thank you to my beta readers Aubrie, Amber, Kiley, Katie, and Duane. I would like to give a shout out to my awesome agent Candace. A very special thank you to the countless number of people at Cedar Fort who have helped polish my manuscript into a diamond. And last but certainly not least, I would like to thank my family for their patience and love through this amazing process. If I have forgotten
any of you, please know I love you too.
About the Author
Marilee Jackson is an avid reader and has dabbled in writing since the third grade. She stays home and chases her four rug rats around. She lives in a tiny Arizona town (don’t blink, you’ll miss it) with her amazing husband and their four children. Midnight Runner is her first novel. Follow her on her blog at jacksonjacket .blogspot.com.
© 2015 Marilee Jackson
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, film, microfilm, tape recording, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief passages embodied in critical reviews and articles.
This is a work of fiction. The characters, names, incidents, places, and dialogue are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. The opinions and views expressed herein belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions or views of Cedar Fort, Inc. Permission for the use of sources, graphics, and photos is also solely the responsibility of the author.
ISBN 13: 978-1-4621-2398-8
Published by Sweetwater Books, an imprint of Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 W. 700 S., Springville, UT 84663
Distributed by Cedar Fort, Inc. www.cedarfort.com
Cover design by Michelle May
Cover design © 2015 by Lyle Mortimer
Edited and typeset by Melissa J. Caldwell
Midnight Runner: A Novel Page 21
