Page 48 of Captured By the Highland Devil
“Do ye think she will try, at least?” Paige asked.
“I cannae tell,” he pressed her closer. “But I do hope so. I want her to have a fulfillin’ life and nae let the fears of those six months where she was taken linger in her heart forever.”
“I wish she would have come with us today.” Paige said. “It might have given her somethin’ to distract her.”
“That’s another thing,” a heavy breath left Ruben. He snapped the reins, spurring the horse into a faster gait. “Norah gets nervous and frantic when she is surrounded by many people.”
Her heart pained her. “The poor girl. It must be horrible to nae be able to trust anyone, or be around anyone with the faith that they can help ye.”
The orphanage was in sight as Ruben replied. “T’is a curse. I daenae ken how to get her away from the past. I ken ye’ve never been in irons, lass but believe me, those chains hold ye. She’s still lettin’ those chains bind her and I am at me wits end on how to make them go away.”
“I wish I kenned how to help as well,” Paige said. “Maybe take her to a priest or mayhap a druid?”
“I’d do anythin’ to ger her out of the castle,” Ruben said. “I can ask the village priest to come to her, but I doubt she would want to see him.”
They arrived at the orphanage while the housemothers had the children filing out of the front doors. The little ones were in starched dressed and the boys were dressed in tunics over dark trews.
“Me laird and lady,” Tessa curtsied. “We are so glad ye’re comin’ with us.”
“We’re happy to be here,” Paige said as she brushed her arisaid down.
A cart came around the corner, driven by one of the oldest boys and seated in the back was Etna. The older woman smiled as the youngest children were sat beside her as it was a walk to the village.
Spying the young lass Nera, Paige remembered her promise about the yellow dress. As she mounted the horse again, she quietly asked Ruben, “How do I go about getting’ the cloth for the housemothers to make their clothes?”
“Ye’ll need to speak with the treasurer,” Ruben said, “I shall introduce ye to him when we return.” He slowed his horse down a walk as to keep up with the children.
“I have sent some of me men ahead of us to secure the fairgrounds. I cannae allow any marauders to turn this joyful day into something to regret.”
“Thank ye,” she said. “And… I must ask, what punishment did ye put upon Elijah?”
“He is going to be a second pair of hands for the farmers when they reap the wheat this season,” he said. “It’s nothin’ painful,but it is long, tirin’, work and I wager he will think twice before he tries to evade being honest again.”
Before they arrived at the fairgrounds, she heard flute and pipe music and the happy laughter of the townspeople.
“Have ye ever been to one?” Ruben asked. “When Norah was a child, we’d go to them every harvest.”
“Well, ye are luckier than I because I have never been,” Paige smiled. “I was never allowed as a child. And the church frowns on such things.”
She paused as a strange sensation ran over the back of her neck. She shook it off— it was probably the wind. “The church frowns on everythin’ that is a bit of enjoyable.”
They broke around the corner and saw colorful tents and carts littering the expansive green. Children ran around adults, holding sweet treats, fruit and clutching simple wooden toys, probably ones they had won, as if they were treasures.
Over to the left, older boys sparred with rough wooden swords while juggler moved through the crowd tossing balls high in the air. Musicians bearing bone whistles, timbrels and fiddles walked in groups to take the cheerful sounds to other parts of the crowd.
Stopping the horse, Ruben alighted first then helped her down. The two younger housemothers began to make rules, ordering the older ones to form groups of four with the younger children.
“That is to make sure ye always have someone bigger to help ye,” Tessa instructed. “Ye must nae stray! As delightful as it is, a fair is full of tinkers and tricksters waitin’ to take advantage if ye are alone! Be mindful.”
“And if ye find yerself in trouble, look for one of me men. They wear me clan colors with a red band on their arm, so ye can find them easily,” Ruben told them as he gestured to a guard a step behind him. “Like Williams here.”
As the housemothers took the children one way, Ruben turned her another way. The fair was teeming with people, most of who stopped to speak with Ruben and were happy to meet her too.
An old woman invited her to the church to celebrate her grandchild’s christening, another woman asked if she could get her daughter a position in the castle.
As she considered her answer, a third lady asked her to come and sew with her and her friends on Sunday afternoons.
“I will attend yer granddaughter's christenin'. And as for yer daughter, I must ask the housekeeper first, but I shall let ye ken her decision,” Paige said calmly. “And I would love to sew with ye. Please tell me the directions to yer home.”
