Page 95 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
“Marcus,” she replied, her gaze moving across the faces behind him, trying to gauge their reaction.
“I’ve told them all, now that Lucas is gone, that ye are nae witch,” he said firmly. “It was all lies; I kenned that from the start. Ye saved me life, that’s the truth of it, and anyone who says otherwise is a fool.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, glancing back and leveling the other villagers with an angry stare.
From the house behind him, Agnes appeared and came to stand beside Marcus. She stepped forward, smiling faintly at Keira, looking frightened but determined.
Agnes took a deep breath, her gaze flicking to the other villagers, who seemed to be waiting for her to speak.
“I am sorry,” she said, her chin raised in the air, her eyes only on Keira. “I daenae ken what came over me when I went with them all to the castle. I am ashamed of what they did and that I was a part of it. I ken what ye said is true, Keira. Ye have only ever looked after me and me bairn, especially after David died. I couldnae be more grateful that yer safe and back amongst us again.”
She hurriedly stepped back once she had said her peice, and as she did so, Marcus gripped her hand. Keira raised her eyebrows at him, and he gave her a rueful smile.
“I have another reason to be in your village from now on, as well, so I can vouch for ye,” he said happily, and Agnes gave her a soft smile.
Keira was happy for them. Agnes had lost her husband to a fever three weeks before their child was born, and now she had someone to care for them again.
“Have ye found yerself a good woman then, Marcus?” Keira asked, as the tension all around them eased.
“Aye,” Marcus said softly. “That I have.”
“Agnes, are ye well?”
“Quite well, Keira. Thank you,” Agnes said awkwardly. “I am sorry for what happened,” she said as Marcus pulled her closer. “Me faith is important to me, and I believed what he said. I know that was wrong now. You are nay monster.”
Behind her, in the cottage, a baby began to wail loudly, and Agnes went to see to her.
“Come,” Keira said swiftly to Scott and Daisy as the other villagers went back into their homes, too. “Let us be gone from here before they change their minds.”
They led Cuddy back to the cottage, which, to Kiera’s surprise, had been left mainly untouched.
Her garden had been raided for the vegetables she grew, and her front door would need to be repaired, but she was satisfied they could remain there for another fortnight before they left Scotland for good.
She placed her bag on the table as she entered and smiled wanly at Daisy, who went straight to the window, returning all the pieces of sea glass to the windowsill as though they had never left.
Not so long ago Noah stood in this kitchen and told me I dinnae have to face things by meself any longer. How things have changed.
Keira glanced at her brother to find him watching her.
“I am sorry,” he said sincerely. “About the laird.”
Keira shook her head. “There is nothin’ to be sorry about. It is for the best, and we will start a new life away from Scotland and all these bad memories. We can begin again—with nay priests.”
“Are all the memories bad?”
She shrugged sadly. “Nay. But there is nae use dwellin’ on it. Would ye really wish to stay in a clan that has mistreated us so badly? I dinnae think I do.”
Daisy took a little step forward, her expression sad as she looked about their home.
“I dinnae think we would have to leave,” she said, “now that the trouble is over.”
Keira brushed her fingers through her sister's hair.
“We must, flower; the world is callin’,” she said. “Besides, I thought ye wanted to see the lands across the sea. Ye might even see a mermaid.”
Daisy gave her a half smile as Scott put his arm around his sister’s shoulders.
Keira looked out to the garden and was surprised to see a couple of villagers approaching; one of them was hobbling and the other had a nasty rash on her arm.
