‘My mother did not want my presence known to anyone here, so I stayed up above the falls, out of sight. I’ve come to believe that she feared exactly what happened—that I would meet a lad, fall in love and want to be with him.’ Her eyes burned with tears then. ‘I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. ’Twas the foolish first love of two people too young to ken better. Or to realise all the problems they would face.’
Davidh shifted on the chair, drawing her attention for a moment. He was uncomfortable, it seemed, with her explanation about loving his friend. Anna looked back at the flames in the hearth.
‘We hid from everyone. My mother had no idea until ’twas too late.’ She looked at him. ‘I saw you then. Those times he led you away from the falls so you would not use your cleverness and find the way up. So that you would not ken that he had found the witch’s daughter. That he had caught me.’
‘You were carrying?’
‘Aye. I was pregnant within weeks and my mother knew it by the time I was three months.’ Anna let out a sigh. Smiling then at the memory of the moment she’d realised she was carrying Mal’s bairn. ‘’Twas wondrous and frightening and a miracle. But Mam was a practical woman who explained the hard truth of the situation to me.’ She faced him then.
‘You see, Mal told me that he would convince his father to let us marry in church.’ Davidh’s snort at those words gave her pause. ‘All I needed to do was wait until he could.’
‘No one ever convinced Euan Cameron of anything the man did not want to do,’ Davidh said softly.
‘Aye. That’s what my mam explained. We left and returned to her clan up north. Iain was born six months later, hearty and hale and wonderful. I’d always planned to tell him of his son. Then word came of his death.’
She stood then, for this would be the harder part to tell him. It would expose her pettiness and need and...greed. Anna took her cup over to the hearth and filled it from the pot simmering there. He shook his head when she looked at him to offer him some. Returning to the table, she took the stopper out of the small jar of honey and let a dollop drop into the cup.
‘His death changed me, Davidh. I’d always harboured a hope of being reunited with Mal. That I would send word to him of his son and he would force his father to accept him, to accept us.’ She shook her head sadly, seeing the truth of it so clearly now. ‘Knowing he was dead, I grew resentful. There was a time then when I hated Mal for never searching for us, for me. And then for abandoning us.’
‘His father sent him away.’
Anna glanced at Davidh. His expression was empty. ‘What do you mean?’
‘At the end of that summer. His father sent him away, to the south, to another of his holdings. To Robert, if memory serves me.’
‘Without word, I grew bitter. I decided that, at some point, when Iain was of a certain age, when my mother no longer fought me on it, I would return here and claim Iain’s birthright. I made a vow on Malcolm’s soul that I would not fail his son.’
‘So, you came not as a healer, but on your son’s behalf?’
‘Even then, ’twas both. Things had become difficult in the village after my mother’s passing. A woman, alone, with a son.’ She shrugged, remembering the few choices facing her over the last year. ‘I had heard stories about Gilbert, so I did not think about moving here then. But when word spread about the upheaval and that a new chieftain sat in the high seat, I thought ’twas time. I had something to offer in exchange for a place here.’
‘You came and bided your time. I guess I was a convenient addition to your plan? Offering to bring you to Robert. Offering my help. Protecting you.’ His words ended with the same bitterness that she’d felt all those years before. She would not lie to him now, no matter how hard it was to admit the truth.
‘At first, aye.’ He slammed his hands on the table and pushed back, pacing around the chamber, but never close to her.
‘When I asked you to marry me—was it for your purposes then, too?’
She closed her eyes, unable to see the pain the truth would cause him. ‘Aye. But...’
‘Nay! Make no excuses. I would hear the truth and ken the extent of your deception.’
‘’Tis no excuse, Davidh. I was still on my path when you asked me to marry you. But, but I was losing the heart and commitment to my original plan even then. For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to have what I’d always wanted. Not for my son. Not for Mal’s memory. Not to prove my mother wrong. For me. Just for me.’ The tears spilled now, down over her cheeks. She dashed them away with the back of her hand.
‘And still you did not trust me enough to tell me.’
The silence between them grew as he stared at her from the corner of the room. As he waited, he already knew the answer. She had refused to tell him, even when he’d asked her directly.
‘What did you think I would do? Tell Robert? Harm the boy somehow, Anna?’ Her eyes widened and he knew he’d struck the truth. ‘He is the son of my best friend. I’d promised you I would protect him.’ He let out a breath, remembering earlier words than the ones he had given Anna. ‘I’d promised Mal to be at his side and be godfather to his son. A blood oath, made by two lads who thought they would ever be friends.’
The small scar on his hand itched then, reminding Davidh of the words spoken as their blood mingled, sealing their boyhood promise. He rubbed at it with his thumb now.
‘Aye, I thought you would tell Robert. I ken where and to whom your loyalties are, Davidh. But I never suspected that you would harm my son. Though what others may want or may do, I ken not.’
He let out the breath he didn’t know he held in at those words. If she’d thought he could harm her son...
‘So, now that I ken about the boy, tell me the rest of it. You ken the dangers of trying to claim his birthright now. How will you do it?’ He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to harden his heart against her. She’d claimed to love him. She’d given herself to him. All of it a lie.
‘I did not know about the outlaws until I arrived here.’
‘Wait!’ He strode across the chamber until he stood before her. ‘Truly? Or are you in league with them?’
‘Davidh!’ she cried out. ‘Nay! I have no part in their mischief. They attacked me.’
He had struck out at her with that accusation. It was not good of him to say such a thing. But he was angry. Angry at her for deceiving him. For deceiving all of them. For using him. All of it. He glanced away from her, the pain in her gaze too much for him to look at.
‘I came here for all the wrong reasons, Davidh. I admit it. I give you my word that I never acted on them. Once I met you, met Colm and the others, and they let me in, I weakened in my resolve to see my plan through. I could not carry it out, for I fell in love with you and them. You had given me everything I’d ever truly wanted in my life.’
He wanted to believe her. He wanted to believe that her words of love were true. But if she could not trust him, how could she proclaim to love him?
Davidh glanced at her for a moment and knew that they’d said what they had to say to each other. Could they go on? Together? If they did not trust each other, could they truly love one another?
‘I must go,’ he said. He walked to the door and lifted the latch. ‘I have duties.’
His duties had kept him sane through the years of loss and pain. They had been the one thing he could count upon to remain the same.
He left without another word to her, trying to sort through his choices now. His first loyalty was to his clan and chief and he should report this to Robert and let him decide. He climbed up on his horse and touched his heels to the horse’s sides.
Instead of the keep, Davidh took the horse to the stables and left it there. He found himself wandering over the next hours, watching the men training, observing Lachlan and his lads building, and even just standing there and
watching as life moved on around him.
His place among all of this had always been settled. He was a man serving the Cameron Clan, serving its chieftain, protecting the chief and clan from dangers and attacks, from within or without. He selected the most able to guard and protect his clan and to fight for their causes. He protected those unable to fight.
Now, though, one of the most dangerous attacks had slid past his guard. She’d distracted him by caring first for his son and then for him. She’d brought in her own son, a young man who threatened not only the peace that Davidh fought to maintain, but also the very hierarchy he’d promised to defend.
More than that, she’d raised the spirit of his dead friend from his grave, reminding Davidh of the first promises he’d ever sworn.
* * *
When the training was done and the evening meal called, Davidh was no closer to sorting it all out. What should have been a clear choice—to honour his vows to his chieftain—somehow paled when he considered the effects that would have on the woman he loved.
He walked through the gates this time, returning to his house, his son, his best friend’s son and his wife. As he lifted the latch to find them all there, he was no closer to a decision than he had been on learning the truth.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Anna stood there, in his house, before the hearth, trembling. Great shivers shook her body. All the colour had disappeared from her face and the ghostly pallor made him think she was getting sick. Who treated the healer when she needed help?
Davidh closed the door behind him and looked and listened for the boys. No sign or sound of them. He had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her. When she still did not speak, but only stared with a horrified expression in her green gaze, he went to her.
‘What is it, Anna? Are you ill?’ He lifted his hand to touch her brow much as she did when inspecting someone who was fevered. ‘Is it Colm?’ His worst fear was for his son. Had it happened? Had his lungs finally given up their struggle? Was he...? ‘Dead?’
‘I did not know what to do, Davidh,’ she whispered. She held out her hand and in it he saw a folded piece of parchment. ‘You are the only one I can ask for help.’
Davidh opened the note and read it. His blood froze in his veins and he understood why Anna was so shaken by it.
Unless she brought whatever proof she had to make her claim for Iain’s rightful place, those who had taken him would kill his son. Then, if she still did not, they would send her pieces of her son until she relented.
‘Dear God, who has them?’ he asked. ‘Where did you find this? When? Was anyone around? When did you see the boys last?’ At her rapid blinking, he realised he was rattling off questions and giving her no chance to answer them. ‘When were the boys last seen?’
‘I asked Iain to remain here with Colm. He was not feeling well and I wanted him to rest. Suisan went to visit her sister, so I could not send him to her. That was just before noontime.’
‘Iain stayed here?’
‘First he went to speak to Lachlan and then he returned. I fed them and went to see those who were ill.’ Anna glanced around. ‘I came back to begin cooking and the house was empty. Before I could go search for them, something hit the door and I found this tied around a rock.’
He examined the note once more, looking for anything he might have missed the first time. The instructions told him that these people had knowledge of not only how things were done here in Achnacarry, but also what was going to happen. So, they had spies here. Her hand on his arm surprised him. It was the first contact between them since he’d learned the truth about Iain.
‘You must save the boys, Davidh. If you do, I will destroy the proof and take Iain away from here. He will never be used to threaten the Camerons again and you will be free of us. Just save them, I pray you.’
‘Why did you not come and find me when you got this?’
‘They are watching. They know you are to escort The Mackintosh and his wife to their lands on the morrow. It says not to tell you about this and if I did something wrong...’
‘You did well.’
His thoughts spun rapidly then about what he could do, what these outlaws must know and what they wanted. They would keep his son alive as long as he was needed—if the very actions of kidnapping him had not harmed him already. Iain had been their true target. Somehow they had learned of his identity and were pinning their hopes of uniting the Camerons behind themselves, ridding themselves of Robert and his sons and placing Iain as the rightful heir.
‘What will you do?’ she asked. She wrung her hands, clenching and unclenching them ceaselessly. Her eyes were wide with worry and fear.
‘On the morrow, we will follow their instructions. I do not ken what proof you have, but take it and leave it as they demanded you do.’
She turned then and walked to her sewing box. Opening it, she searched for something and lifted it out. Anna walked back and gave it to Davidh. He held it up and examined it.
Malcolm’s ring.
The clan crest carved into its dark jewelled surface, this ring had been made for him by his father and given to him on his twelfth birthday. A chieftain’s gift to his heir to mark his position as tanist. Anyone who’d been alive at the time would remember the ceremony, the festivities and the pride that Euan Cameron expressed in his son as Mal took his place as the heir to the clan. As Davidh recognised it.
He also remembered when Mal claimed to have lost it. The punishment was swift and terrible for The Cameron did not forgive the loss of something so valued easily. Not even for his only son and heir.
Not lost at all, it would seem. Given to the woman Mal loved as a pledge and sign of his promise. Davidh glanced over at that woman now and knew he loved her. What a strange irony this was—to love the woman whom his best friend had also loved. He smiled at her and handed the ring back.
‘In the morn, I will leave for the keep and escort The Mackintosh and his wife back to their lands. You will wait and take this to the place they say and leave it.’ Anna began to speak, to question him, but he stopped her with his finger on her lips. ‘I ask that you trust me, Anna. Can you?’
She searched his face and nodded.
‘Good. Then seek your rest, for the morrow will be a long and tiring day.’
‘Will they harm them?’ she asked.
‘The lads are valuable to them. Nay, I do not think they will come to harm.’
At first, Anna took a step closer and he almost opened his arms to her. She looked away then and went off to their chamber as he’d instructed.
He got no sleep that night and was certain she did not either. Davidh sat on Colm’s pallet and wondered if his son was frightened. He thought on Iain, who most likely had no idea of why they’d targeted him or of his value to them. What a terrible way to discover the secret of your parentage.
* * *
When the sun rose the next morning, Davidh had thought out his plan and was ready. It all depended on trust, his trust in others and Anna’s trust in him. He prayed as he walked out the door that he would not be shown a fool for having misplaced his.
* * *
Anna could not speak to him. The terror almost overwhelmed her as the morning came and it was time to play her part. Only his quiet, confident words, urging her to follow his instructions and trust him kept her from screaming like a ban-sidhe through the village.
She fought the urge to beg his forgiveness and to throw herself at his feet. She’d offered what she could in return for his help and Anna prayed that their sons would not pay the price for her lies and betrayal.
After putting the ring around her neck and tucking it inside her shift, Anna followed the instructions and walked to the edge of the village and turned on to the east road, the one that would lead to the loch and then south along it. She counted the large boulders at the side of the road a
nd stopped at the tenth one. Lifting the ring over her head, she asked Mal if he was listening to ask the Almighty to protect the boys. Then, she wrapped the ribbon around the ring and left it there on top of the rock.
Anna closed her eyes and listened for a moment before turning back and walking away. It was one of the hardest things she’d ever done, but Davidh had promised he would rescue the boys. She just had to trust him.
When the boys were safely returned, as he’d promised, she would take Iain and leave. They would find another village, far away, where they were not known and make their life there.
* * *
Anna spent the rest of the morning helping Suisan with laundry and trying to behave as if it was just a customary morning for her. Suisan had so much gossip to share from her visit with her sister that the woman hardly paused long enough to take a breath. Which was fine with Anna.
Minutes passed like hours and, by the time it was midday, Anna felt as though she had lived and waited a week. She begged off of staying longer and walked back to Davidh’s house to wait...and to pray...and to hope. Once she latched the door, she realised that she would have to pack once more. She had moved more times in just the last three months than she had in almost the whole of her life until now.
Standing in the middle of the chamber, she turned round and round, taking in all the baskets and bowls and jars and pots. With summer’s approach, the gardens near the top of the falls would begin to yield up their growth and there would be herbs and leaves and plants and stems to cut and dry and store. The stillroom would be stocked and the supplies would last through the coldest part of the next winter.
But she would not be here. Her gaze fell on her mother’s basket. It was the one that Anna used to carry supplies as she made her way through the village each day. She would take that and some of the basics that she’d brought with her. Cuttings from various plants that she could plant at her new home.
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