Page 2 of Stolen Highland Dreams (The Highlanders #9)

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F ive years had passed since the carnage had taken place at her castle, and Lady Margery, now known as Ella, was in the nearby village trading a pheasant for flour and oats, fearful that MacAfee or one of his people might see and recognize her and kill her. It was a constant worry for her, her brother, and her cousin.

After that day at the stream, when she and Mina helped her family and the blacksmith across it, she couldn’t speak a word, no matter how hard she tried.

The dark-haired maid, Bhictoria, took the pheasant from her and gave her bags of flour and oats in trade. Like Ella, she was about twenty, but she was married. Ella would have liked to have been her friend, anyone’s friend, but she couldn’t risk the word getting out about who she was and where she was living.

“Have you heard the news?” Bhictoria asked.

Ella tried to concentrate on what she was saying and not glance around for danger like she was so used to doing, which could make Bhictoria suspicious. Ella shook her head.

“Laird Dashiell MacTavish has taken over Cairn Castle. He is hiring people from the village. I know you are no’ from here, but mayhap he will hire you too if you have some skills he might need.”

Ella’s mouth dropped open. She’d seen a lot of movement in and out of the castle for the last month or so, always hiding while it was happening. She didn’t realize someone else had taken her castle over.

“Aye. It was all so sudden. It has been a month, but you know how it is. When a laird and his people move in, they stay; generations later, the family still lives there.”

Unless they were murdered as Ella’s family had been.

“There’s going to be a grand celebration between Laird MacAfee and MacTavish this eve, I hear. Some of us from the village will sneak in…or try to so we can enjoy the food and drink. You should come with us.”

Ella attempted to smile, but the feeling wasn’t there. She motioned to her with her hands over her eyes and mouthed the words— see you.

“We’re willing to chance it. The worst they will do is send us away. So are you coming?”

Ella shook her head.

“All right. I’ll see you when you have something else to trade and tell you how it goes.”

Ella nodded, then headed off with her supplies. She walked two miles out of her way through meadows filled with heather and rocks, past crofts and pastures, sheep and cows looking her way. She always ensured no one followed her to see where she lived.

Once she arrived at the modest hut hidden in the forest, tucked away from prying eyes, she opened the door to find Mina and five-year-old Amelda patching up their worn garments.

The hut wasn’t anything like their former life in the imposing Cairn Castle. When she dared to entertain the notion of trusting a new laird, doubt gnawed at her resolve.

Ella wrote in the dirt on the floor of their hut: Where is Finnegan?

“Gathering water,” Mina said.

I have news, she wrote. She wrote about what Bhictoria had told her.

“‘Tis good news,” Mina said, her white hair bound up on her head as she took another stitch.

Ella shook her head. She wrote: Nay, no’ if MacTavish is friends with Laird MacAfee.

“Dinna believe everything you hear or see, Ella,” Mina said.

Finnegan hurried into the hut with a pail of fresh water. Then he saw the writing on the dirt floor. He set the pail down. “Who is Laird MacTavish?”

As they headed back inside the keep, Dashiell MacTavish told his cousin, Fallon, “I still dinna understand why MacAfee wants to return here to celebrate with us after moving up north.”

“I dinna either. Just like I dinna know why he bartered Cairn Castle for some of your lands up north. By the way, the food will be cooked and ready for his arrival.”

“He wanted to hunt for game when he arrived. It would have been too late.” MacAfee would know that so why had he sent a messenger to tell Dashiell that’s what he wanted to do? “Is there something he is looking for in the forest other than game to eat?” Dashiell had heard rumors that something mysterious was in the Caledonian Forest.

Though no one would confirm that the rumors were true. But why give up his castle and lands here if MacAfee wanted to search for something like that? He could have just stayed here and done so at his leisure.

“Maybe he regrets having given up his hunting rights and wants to hunt once more in the forest,” Fallon said, but he didn’t look Dashiell in the eye.

“Is there some mystery in the forest?” If there was, Dashiell couldn’t understand why he didn’t see it. Though he wasn’t superstitious, so that could be the reason.

“You know our grandmother would see things that were no’ there.”

Dashiell shook his head. He believed she had visions and knew they came to pass, but what did that have to do with the forest here?

“Riders!” Ruadh shouted from the wall walk.

“They are here,” Fallon said. “Let’s hope MacAfee doesna decide he wants Castle Cairn back.”

“He isna getting it back.”

Fallon smiled. “Aye, no’ without a fight, and he wouldna win.”

MacAfee rode into the inner bailey with his entourage of fifteen men.

“Disarm everyone but MacAfee,” Dashiell told his cousin.

“Aye, right away.” Fallon had several guards stop MacAfee’s men and made them give up their weapons.

Even though Dashiell didn’t believe MacAfee was a threat, he still had to take precautions for the safety of his own people. He didn’t know MacAfee well at all.

“We are going on a hunt, aye?” MacAfee dismounted from his horse, his hair and eyes so dark a brown that they were nearly black.

“Nay, the meal is ready. Come, join us for a feast now.” Dashiell had never been more eager to finish something than he was with this task. He glanced back at the forest and swore he saw a lass in a green gown, her hair a pretty red, but she quickly ducked behind a tree. He frowned. Had she come with MacAfee and was left behind?

“It is so good of you to celebrate with us,” MacAfee said, stealing Dashiell’s attention from the woman in the forest.

“We hope you enjoy the meal and drinks.” Dashiell glanced back at the forest but saw nothing but the trees now.

Ella had sneaked closer to Cairn Castle, as dangerous as she knew her actions were. But she had to see if Laird MacAfee had truly returned. He had. And she’d seen Laird MacTavish for a moment. He welcomed MacAfee into his castle. Her castle. But not with open arms, a handshake, or a slap on the back. Maybe, he wasn’t a true friend.

But then MacTavish saw her, and she melted back into the forest. She couldn’t have him alert MacAfee he had seen a woman in the forest. She raced back through the forest, stopping to listen, not hearing anyone, and continuing until she reached the hut.

“He isna MacAfee’s friend,” Mina told her as she slipped into the hut.

Amelda ran and hugged her. “I worried about you.”

Finnegan frowned. “We will need to learn when MacAfee leaves again. Hopefully, for good this time.”

Ella nodded.

If MacAfee had moved out, why had he returned to celebrate with MacTavish? If Mina was wrong, Ella’s seeking Laird MacTavish’s help may be in vain. Whose word would he listen to? A friend of his, or someone hiding in his woods who was unknown to him, who had a wild tale about her family’s death at the hands of Auld Clootie himself?

Mina scoffed. “You shouldna have gone to see MacAfee return to the castle.”

Ella wrote on the dirt floor: He didna see me.

“Nay, or he would have come looking for you.”

But she’d been driven to do it, to know for herself that MacAfee was welcomed into the castle. She wondered if the maid in the village had slipped in unnoticed to enjoy the revelry. She hoped Bhictoria and her friends had and hadn’t been caught.

After Ella, her brother, cousin, and Mina ate pheasant and barley, they readied themselves for bed. She usually practiced sword-fighting with her brother at night but didn’t want to chance it with MacAfee in the area again.

She lay down on her makeshift bed of straw between Amelda and Finnegan. She couldn’t stop thinking of MacTavish and worrying that he was friends with MacAfee. What if MacAfee told Dashiell that if he found Ella in the woods to notify him, and he would take her off his hands? That she was dangerous to his people, or something like that.

She finally drifted off. But then screams filled the night as Margery’s family and friends were slaughtered. But then she heard celebration—between her enemy, the devil himself, Laird MacAfee, who had her kin murdered, and the new laird of the castle, Dashiell MacTavish. Her castle!

A wolf howled and Ella was jolted awake, springing free from the depths of her nightmare. Her skin was slick with sweat and her heart was racing like a frantic drum. An eerie hoot from an owl echoed through the shadowy expanse of the Caledonian Forest, grounding her in the present moment.

Five years had passed since the horrific killings had taken place, yet she still couldn’t stop having nightmares.

She blinked, taking in her surroundings. Her brother, cousin, and Mina were sound asleep on their fur-covered straw beds. A shiver traveled down her spine as she recalled MacTavish’s association with MacAfee—a man who wished her dead.

Ella took a deep breath and tried to will herself to sleep. Unfortunately, her efforts to fall asleep were in vain. She had too much work and little time to complete it all. The sun would rise soon, and she needed to start her chores before dawn to avoid running into anyone in the forest.

Mina woke, sat up on her straw mattress, and studied Ella before getting out of bed. “They are no’ friends. Trust me.”

Finnegan stirred. “It is no’ time to get up already, is it?”

Amelda was buried in furs, still sleeping soundly.

Ella frowned. What did Mina mean? She wrote in the dirt with her stick: What?

“You ken what I mean. You saw MacAfee arrive for the celebration at the castle. You know it was MacAfee celebrating with Dashiell’s clan. You believe Dashiell now is also the enemy.”

Mina had a way of… knowing things she shouldn’t. The new chief of Cairn Castle had celebrated with her enemy there. All her instincts told her Laird Dashiell was friends with the devil, even if Mina didn’t believe so.

Ella scratched in the dirt floor of their hut: Aye, they were celebrating.

“Aye, because MacAfee bartered the castle to Dashiell for some of his properties up north. MacAfee would never have given up searching for you otherwise. He and his people had to be… persuaded to leave.”

Ella puzzled over Mina’s words. She wrote: How?

“When people do evil deeds, sometimes the demons visit them.” Mina smiled, but her expression was a bit devilish. “Dashiell didna know MacAfee before he approached him about exchanging the castle and lands for Dashiell’s lands.”

Ella paced, unconvinced.

Finnegan dressed. “I’m going to get the firewood.”

He headed out of the hut.

“I know something about these things.” Mina dressed.

Mina always knew something about things that no one else would know.

Mina released her breath in exasperation that she wasn’t getting her point across to Ella. “There is more to all this than meets the eye.”

Ella hastily wrote: What?

Mina sat down on her straw bed as if the weight of the news was too much to bear while standing. “Dashiell was to marry a bonnie lass, but the woman was interested in another.”

Ella’s eyes widened. She was shocked and felt sorry for the laird unless he was a tyrant, and that’s why the woman had married someone else. Often, things weren’t as they seemed at face value.

She scribbled in the dirt: Against her da’s will?

“Aye.”

Ella wrote: Who did she throw the laird over for?

“Your cousin Michael Gunn.”

Ella's jaw dropped as she looked at Mina, unable to believe what she was hearing. Why had Mina failed to mention that her cousin was married? And worse yet, that he had taken Dashiell's bride before this? Ella couldn't help but feel ashamed that she was related to someone who would do such a thing.

Her distrust for her cousin grew even stronger, knowing that he had sided with his da in attempting to overthrow her own da from his position of power.

She chewed on her lower lip, then knelt and wrote: Does Michael love her?

Mina shrugged. “Women and men often marry without the thought of romantic love. Alliances are what are important.”

Ella wrote: Then this could have been my uncle’s doing. Mayhap Michael isna happy with the arrangement. Maybe Dashiell wouldna have loved the woman, either.

“‘Tis all well and good, Ella. Dashiell wasna destined to marry the lass. She has no right to the castle. No’ like you do.”

Ella had told Mina enough times that she no longer did either.

Mina smiled brightly. “Help me prepare our porridge, and then you must practice sword fighting with your brother before sunup. You must always be prepared if the devil returns to the forest.”

Ella frowned. She hadn’t planned to practice fighting until MacAfee and his men left the area again.

“Oh, I should have mentioned. He and his men left way before dawn.”

Ella wrote: How do you know this?

She thought Mina had been sleeping the whole night through. And why would MacAfee and his men visit and then leave in such a hurry? Unless he and Dashiell had a disagreement about something.

“I heard their horses traveling through the woods and investigated earlier while you slept.”

Ella wrote: You should have woken me.

Ella didn’t want Mina to get herself into harm’s way.

“I was careful.”

Ella began making porridge for breakfast. Amelda finally fully woke, and Mina helped her dress.

“Where’s Finnegan?” Amelda asked as Mina plaited her hair.

“Gathering firewood.”

“Oh, me too.” Amelda ran off before Mina could finish her hair.

When they returned, Finnegan hurried to drop the kindling inside the hut. Amelda also brought in an armload of kindling.

After eating, Mina and Amelda cleaned up while Ella grabbed her and her brother’s swords.

Amelda’s eyes widened. “I want to go too.”

Ella shook her head.

Finnegan took his sword from Ella and patted Amelda’s head on the way out of the hut. “When you are older.”

“I willna ever be older,” Amelda grumbled and finished helping Mina clean the wooden bowls they had used for their porridge.

Ella and her brother moved silently through the dense forest, looking for a secluded spot to train and seek refuge if anyone encountered them. But then Warrior, the wolf pup they had been feeding when they found him alone in the forest, came to greet them. They both forgot their mission and petted him. He wagged his tail like crazy.

He was like them, an orphan, and they’d taken him in. Though growing big enough to catch rats, he needed to learn to hunt for himself. They still fed him fish when they caught enough. He licked their hands and faces, caught sight of a rabbit, and raced off.

“Come, we fight,” she whispered to Finnegan.

They wouldn't have been able to do this if MacAfee and his clansmen had been in the area. Still, Ella couldn't shake off her uneasy feeling after seeing Dashiell celebrating with him.

Then, the thought of Mina crossed her mind, and she remembered what she had said about the demons MacAfee had to face. Mina had encountered wicked men like him before, and said their conscience never bothered them because they didn't have one.

Finnegan knocked Mina’s sword from her hand, shocking her, her mouth gaping. He’d never been able to before.

He smiled, quickly covering his mouth before he laughed, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

She couldn’t help that her mind was still on MacAfee and his horrible deeds. She didn’t believe any passage of time would erase what she’d seen and experienced.

Being a good brother, he hurried to get her sword for her. She’d planned to fight with him longer to show him the next time he couldn’t so easily disarm her when they heard movement some distance away.

He grabbed her sword, and she rushed to join him. The two of them hid in the tall bracken, waiting, listening, wishing they didn’t have to hide while trying to practice their sword fighting to protect themselves.

“Over there!” a man called out. “The boar is there.”

Hunters! They most likely were Dashiell’s men. Maybe even Dashiell was with them. She squeezed Finnegan’s arm and motioned in the direction of their hut. “Go,” she mouthed.

“Aye,” he whispered, and they kept low and hurried home.

“I heard something else!” a man shouted. “Someone fighting in the woods. Take care.”

“Search for them,” someone else said.

Ella’s heart was beating triple time, and she rushed her brother back through the woods, keeping low to avoid being seen.

Dashiell had often gone to the woods to hunt and travel, but something seemed different this time. He couldn't explain what. Maybe he was more observant than usual, as his men seemed to be looking for something other than prey. When they hunted, they were ready for the hunt. But now, they seemed just as tense for some other reason.

Some of the men had separated from them, and boars could be dangerous for men and horses. Maybe that was the concern. Then Quinn, his advisor, joined them.

"We have had no trouble from brigands of late, have we?" Dashiell asked his cousin, Fallon.

"Nay," Fallon said.

"Yet, I sense an uneasiness from the men on the hunt."

Fallon shook his head. "Nay, just interested in hunting, as usual, Dashiell.”

But he knew better than that. "Aye."

“I still dinna understand why MacAfee and his men suddenly wanted to leave the castle in the middle of the morning. I figured he would have stayed for a week at least,” Quinn said.

“He looked terrified, sweating profusely, his eyes darting around the castle as if he was afraid of his own shadow,” Dashiell agreed. “I was glad they left.”

“Mayhap he sees ghosts,” Fallon said.

“If so, his men have the same affliction.” Whatever had happened, Dashiell was glad for it.

“We thought we heard something in the forest after MacAfee left, right before dawn. Something that sounded suspiciously like men sword fighting. We searched for anyone but couldn’t see whoever might have been fighting. Now that it’s getting lighter out, maybe we can find them,” Quinn said.

“MacAfee’s men?”

“Nay. They had left hours before that,” Quinn said.

Suddenly, a small wolf pup emerged from the thick underbrush and caught their attention. The pup’s soft gray fur covered his body, but his chest and face were white. His amber eyes were wide with curiosity, and his ears twitched as he watched them from the shadows.

Dashiell's brows furrowed in concern as he observed the curious creature.“ Madadh-allaidh . A wolf.”

“Dinna kill it. It’s just a pup,” Quinn said.

Dashiell glanced at his advisor.

“I believe someone is raising it.” Quinn looked back at the wolf.

“A wolf pup? You ken wolf pups grow into wolves.”

“Aye.”

His people knew that. “Who is raising it?”

“It willna come near us, but he’s thriving, and we believe someone is taking care of it.”

“And he will thrive on the farmer’s sheep if we’re no’ careful. Though they regulate our deer population, or they would eat all our new tree growth.”

“Aye.”

Dashiell had not planned on harming the wolf pup. In fact, he had thought about welcoming it into their group and ensuring it thrived under their protection. He was just surprised to see him alone without a pack to take care of him.

“Who would be taking care of it? No one in the village would, and no one would be living out here. The crofters certainly wouldna be caring for a wolf pup that could later come back to eat their sheep.” Something wasn’t being said.

His men sheepishly looked away from Dashiell when he turned to see if they knew about the wolf pup and who might be caring for him.

“All right, then we hunt.” Dashiell had every intention of getting to the bottom of the mystery of the wolf pup when he could.

For now, they needed food for their clan after they’d had to feed MacAfee and his men.

The pup's glossy coat glimmered in the sunlight as it darted through the dense underbrush. It disappeared into the thick foliage of ferns and bushes, leaving behind rustling leaves and branches in its wake.

The houndsman freed the hunting dogs. The dogs, trained from birth to track and hunt, took off in a frenzy of barks and howls, their noses close to the ground as they followed a scent only they could detect.

They eagerly pursued their prey, baying loudly to signal their discovery. “It's a boar,” Dashiell said. “Let’s go.”

Despite the direction indicated by the howling hounds, Dashiell was drawn to follow the young wolf pup and see where it would lead him and his men. Why did he feel the pull so strongly toward something that seemed to oppose his original plan?