Page 53 of The Burden of a Scottish Chieftain
He glanced over his shoulder in time to see the sky turn dark, about to unleash a fury on them. It was nearly dusk, they had dried meat and cheese and two skins of water, so they would be fine in the cave. They just had to get there and find a spot for their mounts before the sky dropped its worst on them.
Lennox approached the waterfall, expecting to find a cave behind it, and to their good fortune, he did, though it was small. Heavy woodland on one side of the cave would suit the animals. “I’ll settle them if you grab the saddlebags and get them inside before they are drenched.”
He helped Meg dismount and untied the two bags as the first drops of rain fell. He hooked the beasts to the bushes, then gave them each something to eat just before the sky let loose, and he raced to the opening of the cave.
The Highland gray clouds poured, unleashing a storm not uncommon to the Hebrides. He made it underneath cover with only getting a bit wet. Meg made her way around the small cave, he guessed to check for anything she didn’t like.
He came up behind her. “Searching for cobwebs?”
“Nay,” she said, turning back to him. “A nice flat surface to sleep on.”
“Smart and practical. I think we are indeed here for the night. We should be at Drimnin by high sun on the morrow.”
“Where will we look for Egan?”
“That I’m not worried about. Drimnin is small. A wee village with several fishermen’s huts. One small chapel that isn’t always occupied. They don’t have horses, just boats because they live off the sea. If they need anything, they head to Tobermory. You’ll see. You’ll be able to see Rankin Castle, where Rowan lives, from the beach there.”
“Why do people live there if it’s so isolated?” she asked, pulling out the fur Isaac had given her and wrapping it around her shoulders.
“Because it’s beautiful. They’re verra happy people. They swim and fish and farm a bit. Raise their bairns. Build boats and go across for entertainment or any supplies they need. It’s a simple life but a pleasant one, I think.”
“And Egan would be there? That doesn’t sound like the place for a man who would steal children.”
“Aye, you are correct in that.” Meg did have a quick mind. She questioned things that others would never consider. “He is probably inland, is my guess. They can put into the water in various places because the coast is level in areas. But his cottage will be isolated, somewhere no one will be able to see what he’s up to. I would guess deep in the woods, a bit behind the village. It’s quite a business when you’re near water. Get the word out about what goods you have, set up a time for delivery or pickup, and you’ve got coin. The shameful part is he’s selling bairns.”
“For what?”
This was something he wasn’t ready to discuss completely with the lass. She was too innocent. “As slaves to work. Wash clothes, dig gardens. They wanted me to carry stones to build acurtain wall. Those kinds of things, among others.” That was as far as he would go. “I put some wrapped food from the inn in my bag. Are you hungry?”
They ate the dried meat and cheese as the rain continued, sitting on a boulder not far from the opening. The constant dripping at the front of the cave rang out even louder than the waterfall a short distance away. When the rain slowed, Lennox crept out into the dark to check on the horses, pleased to find them settled and mostly dry.
When he came back inside the cave, he was surprised to see Meg standing just behind the water, staring into the dark as if transfixed.
“Meg, are you hale?”
She nodded, swallowing hard, something he wondered about, but decided to let her speak when she was ready. Her mind churned with so many new thoughts that she must be struggling to work through them, but he didn’t know what bothered her the most. He would give her whatever time she needed.
“I feel ignorant and foolish, Lennox. Do you think that of me?” She turned to face him, her expression obscured in the dark.
Was she crying?
“Nay, I have never thought of you as ignorant and foolish, Meg. Innocent, perhaps. But not foolish. Why do you feel that way?”
“Because I know nothing about how the world works. I have never been to a royal court. Have no idea what that even means. I’m not sure I know who the king of England is. I don’t even know what a dolphin is. How do I fix this?”
Lennox crossed his arms and said, “You don’t need fixing, Meg. Mayhap you don’t know some things, but I don’t know how to sew a sweater or how to plant beans.” He reached overand brushed a stray hair away from her face. “You are a quick learner, so ask questions, and I’ll teach you whatever I can. I think you are near perfect the way you are. Strong, honest, compassionate, kind. There’s naught wrong with you. Mayhap a bit stubborn, but then again, so am I.” He smiled.
“Stubborn? Am I?”
“Aye, lass. You are, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
She looked out at the rain again, thinking over what he’d said.
“Lennox, I feel that I should be in charge of my own destiny. Is that not true in your eyes? Because I’m a lass, does someone else have to tell me what to do all the time?”
This was a harsh reality for most women, though his mother would tell any woman she controlled her own destiny. But for the masses, the poor, the peasants in the village, the men controlled them completely. “In my eyes, you are on your own. You are a strong, independent woman who should make her own decisions about her life. You don’t need to be controlled. I hope to see you connect with your sister, so she can also give you advice. Everyone needs someone to consult with when they’re confused, especially when they’re young.” He didn’t know where she was going with all this, but he was afraid to guess.
She took a deep breath and asked, “I would like to ask you to show me. I’m guessing it’s not a conventional request, but I think somehow I’m different from most lasses you meet. I need to understand intimacy. Show me what goes on between a man and a woman, what it means to be intimate. Show me how bairns are made.”
