Page 17 of A Forbidden Night with a Scot
The child only cried harder upon seeing them, inconsolable. Between sobs, she managed to say, “I cannae get down!”
“I’ll go an’ get her,” said Samuel, but Alicia was quick to shake her head.
“Ye cannae,” she said. “Look at the branches, they willnae hold ye. Ye’ll fall right down.”
Samuel couldn’t help but think that she had a point, but what other choice did they have? They could wait, of course, until someone brought a ladder, but the child was so panicked and fearful that he didn’t want her to spend another moment up there.
“I’ll go,” said Alicia, and before Samuel could protest, she had already set off, nimbly climbing up the tree.
“Alicia!” Samuel called, now as panicked as the child. “What are ye doin’? What if ye fall?”
“I willnae,” Alicia called down to him. “Dinnae fash, I’ve been climbin’ trees all me life.”
It was true. Many times had she gotten in trouble for climbing trees when her father had forbidden it and nothing had ever happened to her. She was agile in her climb, knowing precisely where to place her feet and which branches to grab to hoist herself up, but worry settled heavy in Samuel’s stomach regardless. A fall from that height probably wouldn’t kill her, but it could still hurt her badly, and the last thing he wanted was to see her hurt.
Within a couple of minutes, though, Alicia was up on the tree along with Mairead, holding onto the trunk to take some of her weight off the branch where she stood as she comforted her.
“Ach, Mairead, how did ye get up here?” Alicia asked, her tone light and teasing, though Samuel knew she must have been worries. “Ye’re like a wee squirrel! I was like ye at yer age too.”
The little girl didn’t speak, but her crying ceased as she looked at Alicia with wide eyes. One of her hands reached for Alicia, holding onto the hem of her dress, and Alicia ran a hand through Mairead’s blonde hair.
“Let us get down now, aye?” said Alicia.
“I cannae,” said Mairead, shaking her head vehemently. “It’s too high.”
“I’ll help ye,” Alicia promised. “That’s why I came all the way here! Dae ye think I would let anythin’ happen tae ye?”
The girl seemed to consider the question for a moment, before she shook her head. Alicia smiled and slid down to a lower branch, holding out her free hand for Mairead to take. “Slowly now,” she told her. “Grab me hand an’ then grab that branch over there too.”
Samuel watched as Alicia guided Mairead down the tree, helping her whenever she got too scared. She really was fearless, Samuel thought, going up and down that tree without hesitation, just asshe had gone to that tavern without a second thought to get what she wanted.
It wasn’t always the greatest quality to have. It meant that she put herself in danger too often for his liking, but it also meant that she was strong and courageous.
It took some coaxing from Alicia’s part, but soon, they were both standing on solid ground once more, Mairead rushing into Alicia’s arms. Laughing, Alicia lifted her up, holding her against her hip as she walked over to Samuel once more, who reached into his pocket and grabbed a small coin.
“What’s that behind ye, lassie?” he asked Mairead, who glanced over her shoulder before looking back at Samuel, puzzled.
“What?” she asked.
Samuel pretended to reach behind her and then revealed the coin in his fingers, holding it out in front of Mairead’s wide eyes. “Well, how did that find its way there, I wonder? Here, take it. It’s yers.”
Alicia chuckled softly as Mairead grabbed the coin, looking at its shiny surface, just as puzzled and amazed as she had looked at Samuel. The three of them walked back to the castle and Mairead, upon seeing her mother in the crowd, jumped out of Alicia’s arms to run to her.
“That was very sweet o’ ye,” Alicia said and Samuel gave her a small shrug.
“It was the least I could dae tae distract the bairn,” he said. “Ye were the one who saved her.”
“Me lady!” Doirin called, her eyes filled with tears as she ran over to Alicia, falling to her knees in front of her. “Thank ye. Thank ye. I dinnae ken how tae repay ye.”
“Ach, Doirin, stand,” Alicia said, taking the woman’s hands to pull her up. “Ye dinnae have tae thank me. I’m only glad Mairead is fine.”
As she stood, Doirin wiped her tears hastily but then she froze, grabbing Alicia’s arm. “Me lady! Yer bleedin’!”
Alarmed, Samuel looked at Alicia’s arm, where something had cut through the sleeve of her dress and then her skin. The fabric around the wound was soaked in blood, and Samuel cursed himself for having missed it.
“It’s naething,” said Alicia. “I cut meself while I was climbin’ down. Dinnae fash, Doirin.”
“But me lady?—”
