Page 102 of Sighs of the Highland Wind
“Where have you been? I have wondered and worried about you all these years.” Her tone was colder than she anticipated.
“I am sorry, Norah, but I learned that a dear friend of mine had been killed by the English.” His voice was a low rumble of anger. “I had to fight an’ avenge him. I joined the forces against the British.”
“I thought as much,” Norah admitted, keeping her gaze straight ahead. She looked at him closely as they walked. The shock of seeing him had abated somewhat, and now what was coming back to her, as well as all her other feelings, was a hungry curiosity. She was impatient to find out what he had been doing and what had happened to him since the last time she had seen him.
But most of all she wanted to know if there was a woman in his life who held him in her heart as she did. He had been seventeen when he left, a very young man, and she was not sure then that he had been capable of feeling what she felt. But it had been six years now, and he was - what - twenty three?
Yes, at that age he was mature enough, Norah was sure. Now that she was twenty one she was sure that she could judge thesethings properly. However, now was not the time to be thinking about such matters.
“How far do we have to go?” Tearlach asked, in the deep voice that had always thrilled her.
“Not too far now,” she answered. “We will have to stay away from the main path. The redcoats will likely be looking for you, and if they find you - well, you know what will happen.”
“I dinnae want to think about it,” he said grimly. “I will kill myself before I let them take me.”
“No!” Norah cried, then slapped her hand over her mouth as she realized that she had spoken too loudly. She turned around and glared at him. “You will do nothing of the kind. I am taking you somewhere safe.”
“Where?” Tearlach asked, his voice deep and angry. “Is anywhere safe fae the redcoats?”
“It is best that you don’t know,” she replied. “You will find out when we get there. Until then, I think it is best that we both keep very quiet.”
Tearlach nodded. She was still as fascinating as ever, he realized, but she had changed in one way: she was no longer as lacking in confidence as she had been when they were children. Granted, as he had come to know her a little better, she had gradually come out of her shell, but the old Norah would never have been brave enough to put herself in danger like this.
Perhaps it was because she had grown up, or perhaps it was for some other reason, but she was no longer the girl he had left, but a lovely, kind, and courageous woman. She was risking her life for him, he realized. If she was caught with a fugitive like him,she would finish her life at the end of a rope too. He shivered at the thought.
They walked on in silence, keeping to the shadows of the trees and picking their way through the rocks and boulders, with Norah leading the way. Suddenly, they heard the sound of English voices talking, laughing and generally making merry. They could see, through the undergrowth, that the redcoats were sitting around a campfire passing a bottle of whisky around, slugging it straight from the bottle.
Tearlach hissed with anger, looking as though he could spring out of the bushes and attack them at any moment, but Norah clamped her hand around his wrist and shook her head. She put a finger over her lips for silence then they crept as noiselessly as they could around the campfire, giving it a wide berth.
Then Norah stepped on a twig, which cracked loudly under her feet. At once, silence fell, and the redcoats jumped to their feet, each man racing for his musket.
Norah could feel her heart racing, her whole body trembling with fear. She was sure that at any moment they would be discovered, then both of them would die together.
Tearlach grasped Norah’s hand tightly and slowly drew out his dagger from its sheath, but at that moment a wild boar came crashing through the undergrowth on the other side of the campfire. It did not go near the redcoats, but as soon as they realized what it was, they flopped down on the ground and began to pass the bottle around again.
“It’s only a pig!” one of them said, laughing drunkenly.
“Not just a pig!” one of the others retorted. “Have you seen the tusks on those things? They can kill a man!”
There was much scornful laughter at this suggestion, and the noise provided enough distraction for Norah and Tearlach to make their swift but quiet escape.
It had been a long time since Tearlach had been so terrified, and when they were safely out of the way of the enemy, he stopped to rest his back against a tree, pulling Norah with him. “I have no’ been so frightened since a musket ball flew an inch fae my head in battle,” he said, drawing in a ragged breath and closing his eyes.
“I have never been in battle.” Norah’s voice was trembling. “But if it feels anything like that I am glad I’m not a soldier.”
They stood, breathing hard for a moment, while they recovered their composure, then they resumed their journey, with Norah taking the lead. This time they were even more careful, and although she could hardly see her feet, Norah tiptoed along soundlessly. She had been badly frightened, but she did not want Tearlach to see that and lose faith in her. She might be quivering inside, but she needed to at least appear strong even though she did not feel that way.
“Are we nearly there?” Tearlach asked in a whisper.
Norah pointed out the twinkling lights of the village between the trees. “Yes, we are,” she replied. “And you are about to meet one of the best people you will ever encounter. She is old, but she is very fierce, and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly, so be prepared.”
Tearlach privately thought of some of his own comrades whom he had fought with over the years. He doubted that any old woman could be more fearsome than any of them. “Are ye sure it is safe? Is she trustworthy?” He was uncertain.
“She is more trustworthy than anyone else you are ever likely to meet,” Norah replied with a short laugh. “If she could, she would be a warrior!”
5
When they walked through the cottage door, Tearlach had to bow his head, since the lintel was so low. Caitrin was sitting by the fire with the cat at her feet, knitting. She looked up to greet Norah, smiling, but her eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of the enormous man standing beneath her roof. Indeed, Tearlach was barely able to stand upright.
