Page 17 of The Anguish of the Scottish Lairds
“The clouds. They remind me of the day when Alex came out of the mountains, the time of the sapphire sword. Those are ominous clouds, the kind I’ve only seen twice in my life. Oh, Drew.”
“What are you saying?”
Avelina stood, tugging her husband with her to the other railing so she could see better. But what she saw was not good, and what she felt was worse. “There’s an aura, a type of warning from the heavens. The gloomy yet menacing forces behind it, the kind I cannot control.”
“But what does it mean, Avelina? Tell me it’s not about Maitland or Maeve or their bairn. Please.”
“I can’t tell what it means. I can only tell you one thing.”
“Do tell. Please.”
“It’s hovering over Duart Castle.”
“And?” Drew asked, holding his breath.
“We better get there soon. Someone at Duart Castle is going to need our help.”
“Your help. I can do nothing when it comes to your special talents, Lina.”
“Nay, but I need you there to support me. Between Dyna and me, we’ll find out what is happening. I’m certain of it.”
“Can you stop it?”
“I don’t know, but I will fight with all of my being.”
A sudden gust sent the ship rocking, the rain suddenly coming down in sheeting waves of a pulsating force she didn’t like.
“Captain!” Drew yelled. “Do something!”
“Get below deck!” the captain yelled to the half-score of passengers. “Take your things with you. This will not let up, and it’s dangerous up here.”
Drew tried to push Lina over to the stairs to head below deck, but she shoved his hands away. “Nay, Drew. This is about our son or our grandson. I’ll not allow this to happen to him again! I’m staying here!”
She shoved away from him and threw her arms up over her head with a scream of fury, her head dropping back so she could stare at the clouds above. “Nay, nay, nay! Not now!”
The boat rocked back and forth, the captain grabbing her arm, but she pushed him away. Avelina chanted and prayed and begged for assistance. “Angels above us, I beg for your help now. I beseech you to bring us to the port safely and to send the ill-omened clouds of doom to another place.”
Drew came over and stood behind her to support her, the rocking of the boat and the winds nearly knocking them both over. “I have you, sweet Lina. Help them,” he whispered while the storm buffeted them back and forth. Her arms swayed and moved rhythmically, and as if lifted by an unknown force, the boat propelled toward the port, docking in less than a few moments, the pelting rain stopping as soon as they tied off.
Avelina fell into her husband’s arms, exhausted from the battle she’d just endured with unknown forces. “I’ve got you, Lina. Come. We have a grandson to meet.”
Avelina kissed her husband’s cheek and said, “I can’t wait to get to know Grant.”
“Is that what they are calling him?”
“I think so. We’ll see.”
They gathered their things and headed up the incline to the small village. He found the local stable and paid for a horse to take them and their belongings to the castle. They were halfway there when they saw six horses approaching from Duart Point.
“Who is it, Drew? Is it Maitland?”
They approached the group of horses, pleased to see familiar faces. Drew said, “Aye, I see Maitland with a wee lad strapped to his chest, a bald head sticking out, just like our wee ones. On one side is Connor Grant and the other side is Dyna. I think Alasdair and Broc are behind them. And the last horse? Saints above, I think it’s your brother Logan, with a wee lass riding in front. Golden-haired. One of Dyna’s daughters, possibly?”
Lina studied the group, pleased to see it was indeed her brother and their youngest son. Maitland looked as happy as she’d ever seen him, his bairn carefully protected from the weather, riding against his chest. The Grants all looked strong and intimidating, but that wasn’t what caught her attention.
“You see Maitland, aye?” Drew asked.
“I do.”
