Page 91 of A Rogue in Twilight
“Lady Struan,” he said. “We will be safe inside the cave and anywhere we go.”
“Safe always. Lady Struan?”
“That is who you are now. Though we should make it completely legal.”
“Oh, we will. Come, let us get on with it.” She tugged at his hand.
“Get on with what, madam?” He chuckled.
“Not that,” she said, laughing. “Later for that. The cave and the search.”
“We will find gold if it is here.”
“We have no choice,” she said, wrapping her hand in the crook of his arm. “We have to save Donal MacArthur.”
Elspeth shivered inthe cool darkness of the cave. She took James’s hand, gripping it tightly. Husband, she thought, feeling as if this were a dream and she would wake any moment to find life ordinary again.
The cave itself looked ordinary enough, irregularly shaped, not large, with rough arched walls and deep shadows. At the back she saw a second narrow opening.
No fairy halls glimmering with gold, no tall, ethereal fey creatures awaiting them. She breathed out in relief, not certain what she might find.
James reached out to brush his hand over part of the rock wall. “Metamorphic dolomitic limestone,” he said. “Very large limestone deposits,” he explained, “often contain caves and caverns, as if bubbles or pockets of air formed as the stone cooled.”
“I see,” she said, a little bemused by his focus. They walked deeper into it.
Elspeth waited, chilled and wary, while he moved around to examine the textures in the rock. He glanced back. “What is it?”
She wrapped her arms around herself with a recurring worry. “I hope there are no others here.”
“We are safe. Did we not ensure that just minutes ago?” He came back to take her in his arms and kiss her. “Do you want to wait here while I look around?”
She shook her head. “I want to stay with you.” She took his hand as they walked on. At the back, he ducked his head, too tall for the ceiling’s downward slope, and then peered ahead.
“There are at least two chambers here,” he said. “I see a small inner cave, and it looks as if this outer cave has been used recently.” He gestured toward a niche in the side wall. “There is an iron ring over there, do you see? And a dip in the stone has been used for a trough. Not fairy riders, my love,” he said. “Smugglers.”
“Ah.” She half-laughed at her nervousness. “A fair amount of smuggling goes on in this region. They must come up here to stash their goods and hide from excise men and sheriffs. Our MacGregor cousin does indulge in the fair trade.”
“Your smuggling kinsmen will be snug in their homes on this dreary day. Even if they come about at night, it is not a concern now.” He went toward the inner chamber to peer into it, and Elspeth followed.
She was surprised, looking past him, to see shadowed objects—wooden boxes, blankets, a flat rock ledge holding bottles, bowls, and half-melted candles.
“Smugglers indeed, making themselves comfortable here,” James said. “It is good to see a trace of human presence. That alone might chase the fairies away. And I would rather meet a smuggler than a vengeful member of the Fey.”
Laughing softly, Elspeth stepped into the smaller cave, curiosity heightened. The narrow space was just tall enough for James to stand upright as he joined her.
“These wooden crates are empty,” he said, examining them. Finding a tinderbox on the rock shelf, he flashed steel to flint to spark a little flame on a sliver of wood. Then he lit one of the candles and held it high, looking around.
Elspeth saw that the little cave was nest-like with blankets and notes of comfort that included a whisky jug and a cloth sack that held oats.
“The rock walls here are different than the outer cave,” James said. “Those are mostly limestone. This one has more granite composition. Interesting.”
“Does that mean the layers are of different ages? This cave is lower than the other. Would the granite layer have formed first?”
“Quicker than my students, I vow. I did not think you listened to my ramblings.”
“I always listen to you. And I am curious about the rocks here. Oh, it is cold and damp!” She rubbed her arms.
“The whisky and blankets will help, if you like. What’s in that wee chest over there? Fairy treasure?”
