Page 45 of Saved By the Cruel Highlander
“Ye’re welcome,” he replied. “Will ye come and find me in the tavern when ye are done?”
“Aye,” Holly said warmly.
She watched him go and then took Cole by the hand. “Come on, ye wee scamp. Let’s find ye some sweets.”
Cole jumped up and down, and he held onto her hand. She had caught him a few times over the past week looking sad, and she knew the reason why. Still, he had not once asked about his parents since they had found him, as if it would become real once he did. She knew that he knew that he would never see them again, even if none of them said anything.
The gentle breeze carried the smells of the market. There were definitely animals somewhere, hidden away from the main stalls, but the stench of them was unmistakable. The smell of fresh bread did a good job of overpowering it, and something sweet tickled Holly’s senses. Rich peat smoke was in there somewhere, and damp wool.
They walked between the stalls. Stout women with large arms expertly gutted and filleted fish. Large men with forearms as thick as tree trunks brought hammers down on anvils to sheet metal. A small, sly man hollered about fabrics brought from overseas. Merchants called out to customers, and they bartered in return. A young boy running through the market with a basket of apples almost collided with them.
“A small bag of those,” Holly said, pointing to small balls that looked sugary.
The man smiled and exchanged the sweets for some coins. Holly took one of the sweets from the bag and popped it in her mouth before handing the bag to Cole, whose eyes were as wide as saucers. She rolled the hard sweet around in her mouth, the sweetness complemented by hints of aniseed.
She found some merchants selling clothes and bought some that fit her well, but more would be sewn after taking her measurements. She bought new clothes for the boy and almost cried when she saw the look in his eyes. He touched the clothes he wore as if they were precious treasures.
When they were done, they went to the tavern to find the Laird.
The interior was dimly lit but alive with the sound of laughter and song. The great stone fireplace was aglow with a crackling fire, sparks of orange jumping up the chimney and disappearing.
Holly didn’t want to stay in there too long with the young lad. She scanned the area for the Laird, but he was nowhere to be seen. She began to worry, but then she saw a familiar face.
She took Cole’s hand and strode to the bar.
“Good day again,” she said.
“Och,” Alice replied. “Aye.” She looked down at the child. “I didnae ken ye had a bairn, Holly.”
“Nay, I dinnae, nae really. He’s in me care for now after we found him in the forest.” Holly grimaced and leaned in to whisper, “Can ye believe his parents abandoned him there?”
“What?” Alice gasped. “Some of us are unlucky enough nae to have parents, and others do this. What is the world comin’ to?”
Holly nodded and stepped back from the barmaid. She couldn’t work out what she felt about Alice. A part of her wanted to care for the woman, but another part of her wanted to be away from the woman and the reminder of the past.
“Och, ye are a sweet, wee thing, are ye nae?” Alice cooed at Cole.
He smiled up at her and nodded, saying nothing.
“I dinnae have a posset, but here’s a wee bit of weak ale for ye.” Alice poured a small amount into a cup and handed it to the boy.
“Thank ye,” Holly said on the child’s behalf. “I cannae thank ye enough for bein’ so kind, but I must ask ye for one more favor. I came in here lookin’ for Laird McAllister.”
“The Bea—the Laird? Aye, ye are goin’ to marry him, are ye nae? We can barely believe it around here. Did he… What I mean to say is, how did ye…?”
She knew what Alice wanted to ask. Did the Laird force her into marriage, or did she do it for wealth and power? She could see the questions in the woman’s eyes. It was for neither of those reasons. It was to avoid being murdered, but she dared not say that out loud.
“It was a fair match,” was all she offered. “Have ye seen him in here? We were supposed to meet him here.”
“A husband and a bairn,” Alice said with a smile. “Ye really are makin’ yer way in the world. I havenae seen him in here, Holly—or mayhap I should call ye Lady McAllister now.” She flashed her a cheeky smile. “Ye likely came to the wrong tavern.” She pointed toward the wall. “Do ye ken how to get to the other tavern?”
“Aye, I do. Thank ye,” Holly said. “It was nice runnin’ into ye again.”
“Aye,” Alice agreed.
Holly turned to leave but stopped when she thought of something. She opened the package with the ribbons inside and took out one of the better ones. She went back to Alice with it.
“I hope ye dinnae mind, but me faither always bought me ribbons whenever we were in town. Laird McAllister bought me some today, and I would like ye to have one.”
