Page 77 of Highlanders for the Holidays
“You’re one of his verra best warriors, and our chieftain has great trust in ye.”
Roderick gave his grandmother a sideways glance. Though he knew she was proud of him, it was not in her nature to hand out compliments.
“And,” she added after a long pause, “I advised him to send ye.”
Roderick swallowed an oath. “Why would ye do that, Seanmhair?”
“A great clan like ours must have a powerful seer, and no one has been born to replace me,” she said. “A few MacDonald lasses do haveThe Sight, but ’tis weak in ’em.”
God only knew what that had to do with his grandmother recommending him for this miserable errand. He hoped her mind was not growing feeble, but she was as old as the mist.
“I’ll be passing through the lands belonging to other clans on my journey,” he said, as he strapped on his claymore sword and hoisted his leather bag over his shoulder. “Am I to look for a seer and steal her?”
He meant the question as a jest. He should have known better.
“I fear stealing this particular lass would be a mistake,” his grandmother said with that strange, faraway look in her eyes. “Ye will have better luck if ye can persuade her to come, but bring her ye must.”
He sighed and kissed her goodbye on the cheek. “God be with ye, Seanmhair. Remember, the chieftain himself is sending a boat to take ye to the Isle of Islay in a few days. I’ll return in time to join ye there for the Yule celebrations.”
His boat was waiting in the cove at the bottom of the cliff below her cottage. He’d already started down the steep steps that were cut into the side of the cliff when he heard her call to him over the wind. Looking up, he saw his grandmother leaning over the sheer rock face clutching a plaid about her shoulders.
“Mind ye don’t fall!” he shouted.
She just leaned farther over the edge. Praise God, he had persuaded the stubborn woman to leave her lonely cliff-side cottage for the winter. On the chieftain’s home isle of Islay, she’d always be well looked after when he was away.
“Ye won’t find the lass ye need,” she called down, “until ye stop looking for her.”
Roderick loved her dearly, but he had no notion if his grandmother was still talking about a seer or wasting her breath harping on him again about taking a wife to replace the one who left him. He waved to let her know he’d heard what she said, for what that was worth, and prayed she would still be among the living when he returned.
* * *
The unrelenting windmade Lily’s eyes water as she stared at the endless hills surrounding her. She had lived in London all her life and had no notion that the countryside went on forever like this. After walking for three days, it all looked the same.
Damn. She should have found how far north that ship was sailing before she sneaked on board. What sin had she committed that led God to punish her by sending her to Scotland?
Blindfold her and toss her out of a cart on any street corner in London, and she would know where she was and how to get her next meal. From the time she was a small child, she had traversed the dangerous streets of London unscathed. She could outwit degenerates of all types, from cutpurses to rapists.
Yet it appeared she would die of simple hunger and cold, defeated by these empty hills.
She had no idea if she was still walking in the direction of the border or going in circles. Continuing seemed pointless, and yet she forced herself to trudge on. She had ceased to feel her frozen hands and feet long ago, and her thoughts had grown sluggish. As a healer, she was aware that these were dangerous signs, but knowing did not help her one whit.
Her foot caught in a hole, sending her sprawling to the ground. Despite how weak she was from lack of food, she dragged herself back up. She swayed on her feet, mesmerized by how the wind moving through the grass looked like sea swells. She had not expected to enjoy sailing on the sea.
What happened after they tossed her off the ship? Though she tried, she could not remember.
She managed a few more steps before stumbling again. This time, she pitched forward and fell hard. She rolled downhill, her head bouncing on the ground again and again. When her body finally came to a halt, she lay facedown, stunned and dizzy.
Get up! Ye must keep moving!
Lily knew she should listen to the nagging voice in the back of her head. But she was so very tired… She had to rest…for just a little while…
