Page 60 of Sins of a Scot
“Well, I can tell ye one thing,” he continued. “Once we get back tae the mainland, I swear I’ll never set foot in a boat again.”
Iseabail rewarded him with a broad grin, and then the smile faded, and she sighed heavily. He could only imagine that her being tossed overboard and nearly dying was playing heavily on her mind, and he wondered how he might now distract her as she had earlier distracted him.
“Did I ever tell ye why I started fighting? Why I needed the money?”
Iseabail looked up at him again and shook her head.
“I’m nae a gambler, and I dinnae usually mak’ deals I cannae honor. But I did find meself in a bit o’ a predicament while on a scouting mission fer me faither. In a tavern one night, I came upon a group o’ rather unsavory men. I spent an evening playing cards with them, trying tae get information, but the more whisky they drank, the looser their tongues became.”
All the while he was speaking, Owen continued soaking the cloth and trickling the warm water across Iseabail’s back.
“One let slip that they needed tae get back and check on the lass, and an argument ensued among them. One was happy tae leave her tae rot, the other mentioned that they wouldnae get coin if they did. Wary that I was going tae embroil meself into something I shouldnae, I just couldnae help meself. When I asked them who the lass was, it quickly became apparent that they were up tae nay good.”
“Who was she?” Iseabail asked, her brow furrowed.
“They had stolen her from her parents, and they were keeping her captive until they could find a buyer,” Owen said, feeling the same heavy feeling now that had infected him when he had originally heard their intent.
“Och, me God,” Iseabail gasped.
Owen nodded. “So, I had nay choice. I couldnae leave without helping her. I told them I’d be interested, and as much as they were suspicious, they were far too greedy tae follow their gut. That very night, we agreed a price, and then we arranged taemeet the following day. When they arrived, it took all the will I had tae hide me shock, fer she was young, nay more than four and ten. Her clothes hung on her body, she was filthy, and she shook with terror.”
The water was getting cold, and noting bumps rising on Iseabail’s skin, Owen said, “Tis time ye got out o’ that bath. Come on and sit by the fire.”
He grabbed a linen towel and held it up to hide her nakedness from him, and once she was out and wrapped in it, he grabbed the blanket he had tossed to the side earlier and wrapped that around her shoulders. With a gentle grip, he then guided her to the rug before the fire.
“Sit there and get warm,” he instructed.
“Only if ye sit with me,” Iseabail said.
Glancing at the space beside her, he nodded, and then lowered himself down. He reached over and threw another log on the fire. Sparks flew up into the chimney, and a crackling sound danced about them as the flames licked at the new tinder. Darkness had now fallen, and the room was lit only by the light of the fire. His clothes were not entirely dry yet, and now Owen could feel it, he was grateful for the warmth he felt on his skin.
“So? What happened then?” she asked, eager to hear the rest of the tale.
“I told them I had tae have a good look at her before I parted with any coin, and so, they brought her closer tae me. The poor lass was terrified, her eyes darting from me tae the man still standing beside her. I lifted her arms, and spun her around, pretending tae examine me prize, and then looking like I was satisfied, I nodded. I didnae let go o’ her wrist, and taking her with me, I told them I would fetch me coin from me horse.”
“But ye didnae pay them,” Iseabail said.
He shook his head. “I lifted her ontae the horse and pretended tae search in me saddle bags. Clearly, the one who had brought her tae me was getting suspicious, and began walking over tae us. I whispered tae the lass tae get ready, and in a swift movement, I mounted me steed and high tailed it out o’ there. They gave chase, o’ course, but me horse is fast and powerful, and after a half hour had passed, I could see nay sign o’ them.”
Iseabail continued to gaze at him with wide eyes. “Did ye bring her back tae the castle?”
“Nay,” he replied, shaking his head. “We travelled fer a full day, and I found a tavern. Her name, I discovered, when she realized I was there tae dae her nay harm, was Catherine. I clothed her and fed her, and then a few days later, when I knew for certain we hadnae been followed, I found the village healer. She took Catherine in, dressed some superficial wounds, and promised me she would take care o’ her until she was fit tae go and find the family she had been stolen from. It was a few weeks later when I found out I was a wanted man.”
Iseabail snaked a hand from out of her blanket and rested it on Owen’s arm.
“Ye are a good man, Owen. I cannae imagine what that lass might have suffered had ye nae done what ye did.”
“Aye. It’s taunted me dreams many a night,” he sighed.
“Ye have a good soul. Far better than I even think ye ken. Me maither died giving birth tae what would have been me younger sister. Had it nae been fer ye saving me this day, I might have seen them both far sooner than I imagined. Truly, I am grateful fer ye saving me life.”
Iseabail then reached up to him and tenderly kissed his cheek. “Thank ye.”
Taking her hand in his, Owen gazed down at her. “Ye terrified me today, Iseabail. When ye were lying on those rocks, lifeless, I thought I’d lost ye fer good. It made me realize something.”
“What?” she breathed, gazing back at him with the same intensity.
“I dinnae want tae pretend that kiss never happened. ‘Tis the only thing I’ve been able tae think about.”
