Page 26 of Sinbound to the Highlander
Evan felt he should be surprised at her acceptance, but was not. He could not see himself having a wedding where no part of their tradition would be used. Mayhap her parents, could come around.
* * *
On the road back home, he was tempted to go and visit Freya, but he felt that she needed time to let all that had happened that day settle in. He arrived home, thankfully, with no guards ready to go searching for him. Even better, his mother was not in the Great Hall, where stragglers were lingering behind after the meal.
He checked on his mother first, relating how the day went, and the things Elspeth want for their wedding and the fears for the war.
“Try to have a good night, Son, and before ye go, believe me when I say, yer father would be extremely proud of ye,” she said.
Her words made warmth bloom in his chest, and he reached over to kiss her cheek again, “Thank ye, Maither, and good night to ye too.”
Now, a little eased from his constant worries, he went to his room and summoned some wine and water for a bath. No much smoke came from the Jacobite camp, and he began to wonder why. The absence of the thick plume only enforced the need to summon his scouts and know what was happening.
Nae reports were sent in. I can only hope ‘tis is good news.
Evan sank into the bathtub with a small groan. Riding for hours at a time took a toll on his muscles, making them stiffer than ever. Thinking back to the day, he held onto the hope that Elspeth would help her sister through the change she was going to go through.
Freya is so fragile. I wish I could be there to help her, guard her, be her friend, as she’ll be alone.
He emerged from the bath to find a tray of bread, butter, cold meats, and wine on his room table and ate a late supper, before slipping to bed and sleep.
Waking before dawn, Evan dressed and found a slip of paper to scribble a note on. He left the room, and slipped through the castle to find the rookery. The cawing of crows and messenger birds was grating to his ears, but Evan found a bird and tied the message to its leg. If the scout got it in time, he would arrive at the castle just after the first meal so they could speak, and he could plan.
If God has any mercy on me and me people, they arenae coming nearer.
When he emerged from the rookery’s tower, dawn was coming in. The faint pink hue began to eat away at the indigo sky, and as the orange-golden rays began to come over the horizon, the mist he had not seen before started to lift off from the ground.
He loved his home, the pure simplicity of the Highlands with the icy air, the vibrant color of the trees, flowers, and the slope of the hills. The cold, deceptive blue waters of the loch beyond, and the warm, loving, caring souls of the people of his kin and Clan.
Nodding to those he passed by, Evan came into the Great Hall, where the thick aroma of food was in the air. People walked in to get their first meals, while hiding their yawns behind their hands. He sat back in his chair and made a broad sweep of the room. If he wasn’t careful, all these people would die.
He had to make sure that he protected them at any cost, and if that meant marrying Elspeth and her high-handed ways, he would. A meal was set before him, and he was halfway through it, when a cloaked man—one of the scouts—entered the door, and Evan immediately abandoned his food.
Hurrying down the dais, he gestured to the man to follow him, and he took them up to his meeting room. With the door closed behind him, Evan went to sit, trying to control his rapid heartbeat.
“Conall Finingal, welcome,” Evan nodded, “What news do ye have for me?”
The scout pulled the cloak’s cowl from his head and said, “The troops are on the march, Me Laird…” and Evan’s heart nearly stopped, “toward Perth and Edinburgh.”
“South, they are marchin’ south? Away from us?” Evan uttered in disbelief.
“Aye, Me Laird,” Conall nodded, “Couldnae believe it meself as well, but from what I gathered, they gained more footmen in Aberdeen, andthe parish of Oldmeldrum by the works of bloody James Crichton, old Catholic scourge. Some men came from Braemar and upper Deeside, but the good news is, Me Laird, they are away from our lands, our people are safe.”
For now.
Evan felt so weak, that he had to circle the table and sit down, the act mercifully hiding his trembling knees from the stalwart scout. He braced his elbows on the table and cupped his face with his hand. “They’re leavin’.”
Looking up, he asked. “Does it look as if they will come back?”
“Nay, Me Laird,” Conall shook his head. “Doesnae look that way to me. The whispers around the camp are that they are goin’ to take the capital because Stuart is wavin’ the one thin’ the troops want the most. Nay that they desire to see the return of the Stuarts to the thrones, but more that they want to dismantle the union between Scotland and England.”
Evan felt compassion for those in the city, but he felt profound relief that his land was safe. He knew it was not safe just to assume all would be well, as the troops could come back at any time. He would not allow his lands to be found unprepared.
“Finingal,” Evan placed his hands on the table. “I cannae tell ye how relieved I am at the news ye’ve brought me, but I willnae let our guard drop. I ken ye’d love to be back home with yer family, but I need ye and yer fellows to stay at yer posts until we are sure that we arenae under threat of attack anymore.”
“Aye, Me Laird,” Conall dipped his head. “I understand. T’would be foolish of us to leave the lands unwatched.”
“Thank for yer sacrifice,” Evan said. “You’re dismissed, Finingal. Please, go to the Great Hall and have a hearty meal. And take some back with ye for yer journey.”
