Several days passed, and they fell into a routine. They traveled during the day, and camped and trained in the evening. During their time together, she was content and felt as if they were part of a family.
As they approached Freemond, Elspeth’s excitement began to mount. Her thoughts often turned to the Earl. She was optimistic that when the nobleman heard about her plight, he would give her a loan. After all, his generosity was well-known. She looked forward to having enough funds to pay the farm rent and maybe take care of the other debts as well.
And with Angus returning with her to the farm, his presence would be a boon to them all. Soon their troubles would be solved, and she could get to know him on a different level. The idea brought gladness to her heart. She had once dismissed marriage, but somehow the prospect of forging a life with Angus seemed highly appealing.
On their fifth day of travel, the town of Freemond finally came into view. She was relieved yet a little sad that they had arrived at their destination. But that disappointment disappeared when she noticed that the settlement differed from any place she had visited. First, the town was much larger than it appeared, and second, it was situated beside a substantial loch. Wealth was everywhere. The buildings were well-kept, and the merchant shops along the market square were bustling with activity.
As they rode through the main street, Alec pointed. “Is that where the Earl lives?”
A sizable mountain loomed in the distance, but when Elspeth looked closer, she saw the castle. It was near the base of the mound and sat on a gentle slope. Much of the fortress was surrounded by the loch, while a forested area grew directly behind it.
The cool morning mist hovered at the foot of the mountain and blanketed the rounded tops of the fortress towers. And the castle’s image reflected peacefully on the still water.
Elspeth looked past the stronghold and noticed the golden patches of thatch and purple heather covering the moorland. Half a dozen black cattle dotted the nearby pasture, while the occasional bleating of sheep echoed faintly on the other side of the meadow. And just above them, a skylark circled, singing a merry, unbroken song.
“’Tis magnificent here,” she said, sighing in appreciation.
They continued along the gravel path, and the details of the castle came into sharper focus. The weathered and aged stone walls gave clues that this stronghold was built in the last century. However, four circular turrets hugged each corner of the fortress, giving it a modern, attractive appeal. She judged that the inner buildings would be as impressive.
After a few minutes, they reached the gates. Elspeth explained her business to the guard before he allowed them to enter the courtyard. Once inside the protective walls, she observed many servants occupied with their various chores. Sounds of pigs, chickens, and other domesticated animals rang throughout the yard.
As she stood to take in the busy and chaotic scene, she stopped a passerby. “Can ye tell us where we can find the Earl of Freemond?”
The man appeared harassed and bit out, “Go up that set of stairs and make your way tae the Great Hall. Ye will find him there.”
Elspeth barely had a chance to thank the servant before he vanished.
“Let’s go,” she told her friends.
She followed the man’s directions and soon found herself in the foyer of the Great Hall. She stared up at the arched ceiling, awed by the elaborate construction.
A new servant appeared a minute later. “What are ye doing here?” he asked.
“I’m here tae see the Earl,” she said and explained herself again.
He twisted his lips as he looked her up and down. He then turned to assess her party. “Ye will wait here,” he said, gesturing to a bench that was pushed against the wall.
She gave Angus a nervous smile and took a seat. Likely the nobleman was occupied, and she had to wait her turn.
An hour passed, and the air in the hallway became stifling. The lads couldn’t sit still, and after a while, they begged to wait in the courtyard. There was no reason to hold them, so Angus allowed them to leave.
“Do ye think the Earl will give us a loan?” she asked Angus when they were alone. The long wait made her anxious, and doubt started to creep into her mind.
“Why exactly do ye need a loan?” he asked, his expression mildly puzzled.
The question made her more agitated.
“Nae only do we owe rent for the farm, we also have other debt,” she admitted. “After Mother died, Da fell in deep despair and got behind in the work. Then when Gibby, our neighbor, sold our livestock, he dinnae give us our money, and our finances worsened. The bailie allowed us some concessions, but I’m afraid his patience is wearing thin. The pressure is too much for Da.” She shuddered at how her father might harm himself while under this strain. “However, if I can secure a loan, some of our burdens can be relieved.”
“’Tis curious your father permitted another man tae sell his livestock,” he observed. “Why did he do that?”
“’Twas a mistake.” She frowned as she recalled the incident. “Da was ill, and since Gibby was going tae the tryst, Da entrusted him with our cattle. We’ve known our neighbor for years, and Da regularly meets him at the tavern. We didnae anticipate that he would betray us like this.”
“Do thefts in your community occur often?”
“Aye,” she said, remembering all the reports she had heard in town. “Most farms are raided once, but we had the misfortune of being wronged twice.”
“I wonder whether the two incidents are somehow related,” he said.
“Related? How?”
“Perhaps the thieves are working together,” he suggested.
“That’s impossible,” she said. “Gibby is responsible for selling our livestock, and for cheating us. The theft at the farm is a separate matter.”
“A network of thieves can be large,” he pointed out. “One group’s activities might be unknown tae the other arm.”
Elspeth twisted her lips as she considered his words. “I’m unsure that there’s a connection, but I can ask the Earl tae look into this matter. If there’s a network of thieves committing crimes, I’m certain he’ll want tae punish them.”
He nodded, but he was suddenly distracted when two warriors came into view. One man stopped in his tracks at the sight of him, his face turning white. The guard spoke to his companion before they quickly retreated.
Angus started to go after them, but the door to the Great Hall opened, and a servant walked out.
“The Earl will see ye now.”
Chapter 14
Elspeth’s heart jumped at the servant’s announcement. They were finally going to see the Earl. Countless times she had imagined presenting her request to the nobleman, and now the meeting was becoming a reality.
“Ye go speak with the Earl,” Angus said. “I’m going after those men and will return for ye.”
“Wait, are ye nae coming with me?” she said, alarmed.
Elspeth was rarely afraid of anything, but at the moment, she was acutely aware of her worn dress and her tangled hair. She was nothing more than a country lass, and she was entirely out of her element.
Angus looked past her, and seeing that the guards had disappeared, his face fell. He turned back to her and saw her gazing at him, her fingers laced tightly in front of her.
“The Earl is waiting,” the servant said, his tone impatient.
“Please, Angus,” Elspeth said as desperation seized her. “I need ye tae come with me.”
At the note of anxiety in her voice, he let out a sigh. “Fine, let’s go.”
He placed a guiding hand at the small of her back and marched to the door. She matched his confident strides, and with each step, his bold presence made her feel stronger.
The servant led them through the entrance and into the large, rectangular room. There was an open hearth in the middle of the floor, and a few sconces hung along the walls. A couple of tapestries adorned one side of the chamber, but it was too dark to make out
the intricate artwork.
As her eyes adjusted to the room’s interior, she became impressed by the arching rafters, where a handful of birds rested on the beams. Several trestle tables were pushed to the side, and at the north end of the chamber, the Earl sat at the high table. Several feet above him was an elaborate stone carving of his family’s coat of arms.
Angus frowned when he observed that the nobleman wasn’t alone. “That cannae be,” he said. “I saw those guards earlier.”
Sure enough, they were the two men that were in the hallway only moments ago.
“Perhaps they slipped in to the Great Hall when the servant opened the door, and neither of us noticed,” she suggested.
It was the only explanation as to why the guards were present in the Great Hall. At the moment, the men seemed engaged in serious discussions with the Earl. She was too far away to hear what they spoke about, but a few minutes later, she saw that the nobleman waved his men away. But even as the guards stood to the side, they watched their arrival with varying degrees of wariness.
Angus’s stride quickened. When he was within earshot of the guards, he pointed to the shorter one. “Do ye ken who I am?” he demanded.
A startled look appeared on the man’s face, and he immediately turned to the Earl, clearly at a loss for words.
“Why are ye asking if he kens your identity?” the Earl said, his tone curious.
“I saw this man in the hallway, and he appeared tae be acquainted with me somehow.”
The Earl gazed at his guard, and the warrior seemed as if he wanted to disappear into the ground. The nobleman then turned back to study Angus for a long while. Suddenly, his lips stretched into a triumphant smile.
“I understand now,” he said. “I believe ‘tis a case of mistaken identity. I dare say ye bear a stark resemblance tae my cousin, although ye certainly arenae him. Who are ye, and where did ye come from?”
“My name is Angus,” the Highlander said, folding his arms across his broad chest.
Elspeth knew he couldn’t answer questions about his origins, and she worried that he might become annoyed by the interrogation.
She threw an anxious glance at her companion and spoke hastily on his behalf, “We come from a small town called Dornton.”
“From Dornton,” the Earl repeated thoughtfully. He beckoned for the servant to fill his cup with ale. “I’m nae familiar with this town.”
When the servant moved away, the stocky guard stepped forward and whispered something in the nobleman’s ear. The Earl nodded and took a sip from his cup.
As Elspeth waited awkwardly for the Earl to finish his drink, she noticed something different about him. He appeared a lot younger than she remembered. She had only seen the Earl a handful of times in her youth, but such sightings were always at a distance. She looked discreetly around to see whether the older nobleman was somewhere in the Great Hall. However, he was nowhere in sight. Did the old Earl die recently? she wondered. And was this man sitting before her the heir to the title? Without a doubt, the younger man had an imposing air about him. And he seemed confident in his position at the head table.
“Sae, why are ye here?” the new Earl asked, interrupting her thoughts.
The man’s gaze was pinned squarely on her, and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. And, once more, her humble background made her feel self-conscious. As he waited for her answer, she noted the lack of sympathy or kindness on his thin face. He would only be interested in business dealings, she thought wildly. Perhaps she needed to provide him with something of value. After that, he might be more sympathetic to her plight. As she searched her mind for something to offer, an idea sparked, and she remembered her earlier conversation with Angus. She would appeal to the nobleman’s sense of justice. What leader wouldn’t want to eradicate the criminals that wreaked havoc in his domain?
Elspeth took in a deep breath and slowly released it. “We have reason tae believe a network of thieves is stealing livestock from hardworking farmers,” she said. “And we think we should inform ye too, seeing that this criminal activity might affect your estate.”
“This is interesting,” the Earl said, placing his fingertips together, forming a steeple. “How did ye come tae this conclusion?”
“Angus made this observation,” she admitted. “He’s quite knowledgeable about these things.”
“Is he?” The Earl’s eyes fell on Angus, assessing the Highlander. “Well, I appreciate ye bringing this matter tae my attention,” he said. “I’ll look into it.”
The nobleman bent his head to the paperwork spread across the table, dismissing them.
Angus had stayed out of the discussion, but he spoke now, and there was concern reflected in his eyes. “Are ye going tae ask him?” he said, his voice low.
Her mouth had gone dry, and she nodded.
The Earl raised his head and noticed that she and Angus still stood in front of the raised platform.
“Is there something else?” he asked, his brows furrowing with slight annoyance.
“Aye, there’s one more thing,” she said, licking her lips. “We’ve also come here tae request a loan.”
“A loan?” the Earl said, tapping his fingers on the trestle table.
“Aye,” she nodded and squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. But she quickly explained the situation with their neighbor and the recent theft at the farm. “We just need enough money tae pay our landlord. This will gain us more time until my da can recover the money from the neighbor. The extra funds will also help us reestablish our farm.”
The nobleman leaned back on his chair. “I’d like tae help ye, but it disnae sound like ‘tis a wise investment for me.”
“Your father was known tae be a generous man,” she said, her voice wavering. “He used tae help people in need.”
“My father had his ways of doing things. And I have mine.”
“I promise ye,” Elspeth said, her tone becoming more desperate. She moved closer to the dais. “We’ll pay back the money once we have everything sorted.”
The Earl stared at them for a long while as he contemplated her plea. “It appears that the two of ye are motivated,” he said finally.
“Aye, we are verra motivated,” she agreed.
“All right then,” he said, folding his hands in front of him. “I’m searching for a man, an enemy tae be exact. If ye can find him and bring him back tae me, I’ll give ye the amount ye need. And ye willnae need tae pay me back.”
Elspeth gasped at his unexpected offer. Perhaps he was similar to his father after all. She started to open her mouth to accept the offer when Angus placed a hand on her arm, stopping her.
“Will ye give us a moment?” he said to the Earl.
“By all means,” he said, flicking his wrist.
Angus guided her until she was a short distance away from the dais.
“What’s the meaning of this, Angus?” Elspeth hissed. She twisted out of his grip. “Ye heard the Earl. He’s willing tae give us the money. We should accept it immediately.”
“Dinnae be hasty. Nay one gives away money without some cost attached tae it,” he said. “We dinnae ken who ‘tis he wants us tae capture. Also, I dinnae understand why he would hire us for the job. As an Earl, does he nae have enough people tae search for the man? There are far too many questions tae ponder before ye can even think of accepting his offer.”
“Well, if ye arenae willing tae find the man, then I’ll go myself.”
“Are ye mad?” he said incredulously. “Ye are a woman, and if ye go alone, ye will surely be injured or killed. Ye dinnae ken what ye are up against. If he’s an outlaw, we can assume that he’s dangerous as well.”
“’Tis a risk that I’m willing tae take,” she said.
Elspeth knew that the Earl’s proposal wasn’t a typical one. She wanted so desperately to be free of the debts and hardships her family faced. And if the nobleman gave them the money and didn’t require it back, then this would be one less burden for her father to
carry. The landlord would get his payment, and with the amount left over, they could use that money to buy more animals to stock the farm. In the end, she and her family would be better off.
Angus listened to her as she rattled off all the arguments for hunting down the Earl’s enemy. Really, they had no choice, she told him. Clearly, the Earl wasn’t going to give them the loan since their word of promise wasn’t enough. But if they found the outlaw and brought him back to the Earl, they would gain from the exchange.
“And we can look toward a brighter future,” she added.
He appeared as if he was going to argue with her, but then he shook his head and sighed. “All right,” he said. “I’ll help ye search for the outlaw.”
“Thank ye, Angus.” Warmth filled her heart, and she wanted to kiss him. Instead, she gripped his hand and squeezed it.
They turned back to the raised platform.
“Sae, have ye come tae a decision?” The Earl asked with one brow quirked.
“Before we agree tae any terms, I want tae ken what happens if we dinnae find the outlaw?” Angus said.
“If ye dinnae find the bastard, I dinnae care,” the Earl said dismissively. “I already have my people searching for him. But I have tae admit, I’m impressed with how ye potentially uncovered a criminal network. Of course, I’m aware of the cattle thefts in the area, but it never occurred tae me that a larger group could be involved. I believe with your skill and motivation, ye might be more successful in ferreting out the outlaw than any of my people. ‘Tis nae hardship if ye refuse me. Sae take or leave my offer. The decision is yours.”
“We’ll take it,” Elspeth said.
Chapter 15
“Excellent,” the Earl said. “Ye can begin your search right away.”
The Earl glanced at him, and Angus noted the barely concealed intensity in his eyes. Even though the change was subtle, the laird no longer appeared as indifferent as when they first entered the Great Hall. In fact, he seemed almost as excited as Elspeth.
Angus sighed inwardly as he considered the circumstances. When he agreed to take Elspeth to see the nobleman, he anticipated that she would get her loan, and they would be on their way. He was actually looking forward to returning to the farm and start building his future.
The Highlander's Quest Page 10
