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ANXIOUS TO GET HOME, the MacGreagors stayed only two more days to make sure all was set for Luag to take over. Early on the morning of the third day, Neil visited the place where his Aunt Rachel and Uncle Connor were buried. Then they all went to see what happened to the old MacGreagor home.
Just as Thomas said, it was haunted. As soon as they rode to the top of the hill where they could look down into the small valley they stopped. It was so quiet, it truly did unnerve Neil. Even the birds seemed to have lost their song. Everything inside the wall still looked burned except for a few plants that managed to break through the rubble to begin new life. What was left of the Keep and the wall appeared to be slowly crumbling. The cottages in the distance were deserted and there was not a man, woman, child or animal in sight.
However, there was one very apparent change. It appeared the MacDonalds finally managed to divert the water, causing the moat to completely dry up and the loch in the distance to become little more than a creek. Neil smiled and wondered just how long the English would hold their ire over the lack of water flowing to them.
At length, he led the others down the hill and once he found the path, he turned toward the graveyard. It might have been a far more somber occasion had Julia and Thomas not been arguing.
“Aye, but where is Dara?” Julia taunted. “You said you would make her your wife and bring her with us.”
Thomas puffed his cheeks. “She is otherwise detained.”
“Detained how?”
“I do not care to say.”
Neil dismounted and was relieved to find the graves of his beloved family had not been disturbed. For just a moment, he stood in front of Anna’s place of rest, bowed his head and said a prayer, during which everyone was quiet. However, the second he finished crossing himself and lifted his head, the argument continued.
Thomas glared at his sister, “If you must know, I did not marry Dara because her husband would not let me.”
Neil laughed and got back on his horse. “I see no reason to linger here, we...”
“I do,” Thomas countered.
“What?”
“I found the most wonderful apple tree when...”
“I forgot about the apple tree.” It took only a few moments to ride across the meadow and the road, and then turn up the path to the loch. Still seated on their horses and thrilled with the find, all the MacGreagors began to fill their sacks with ripe, red apples.
“I just thought of something,” Thomas said once they left the old land of the MacGreagors and headed home. “Do you suppose by now rumor has reached Laird MacDonald and he is cowering under his bed convinced the MacGreagor ghost will come for him next?”
*
FOR VALLAM, THERE WAS no greater torture than being near Catlin and not being able to touch her. At night as they made their way home he often laid on his side facing her just in case she reached out. But she did not. Occasionally, she glanced at him but just as quickly looked away. It was obvious she meant what she said and his heart was breaking.
*
HE THOUGHT IT WOULD be better once they were home, but it was not. Catlin was so close yet so far from him and at times, he thought he would lose his mind. There was nothing to do but keep busy, so he trained with Walrick, helped build the cottages and then collapsed into bed hoping to sleep. But even sleep eluded him and every night he turned on his side to face the direction he knew her to be.
Catlin avoided Vallam and with Luag gone, she rarely went for a walk. But there were still occasions when they met on a path and she could not help but look into his eyes. She saw just a glint of sadness and it hurt her to know she could not ease his pain.
Still, her decision was not yet made. Daily, it seemed there was word of some new atrocity the English king brought down on his own people and Jessup was anxious for her to reveal herself to the world. But the question of how precisely to do that without endangering all of Scotland had no answer. The weight of two nations rested squarely on her shoulders and she hated every bit of it. Even Neil could not guess what to do.
Slipping into England was not the problem, protection once she got there was. She would need an army capable of overthrowing the king’s men and although possible, it would take considerable time to gather one. To build an army, she would need to reveal who she was and that would only encourage the English king to seek her out and try to kill her.
The real question was, as Jessup pointed out,—being half-English, did Catlin care enough about the English children to risk her life? It would have been a far easier decision had Jessup not mentioned children and Catlin’s heart was truly divided.
Perhaps the answer might have come more easily if Catlin could concentrate, but she thought only of Vallam—his touch, his voice, his arms around her and the look she saw in his eyes. His eyes haunted her until she thought she would lose her mind. Only at night when she could turn on her side and face the direction she knew him to be, could she find any comfort at all.
Every waking moment she charged herself to make up her mind, but she could not. One thing she knew for sure, she would never pass this curse down to her children. Going to England was the only way to be done with it, even if it cost Catlin her life. Her mind knew it to be true, but her heart simply would not allow her to leave.
Then a messenger came from the land of the MacPhearson with the news. It was confirmed, the new king of England was dead, murdered in his bed by a woman. As soon as she heard, Catlin turned on her heels and started to run. She went first to Vallam’s cottage, but he was not there. She raced down the path to the end of the cottages, shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight and then scanned the men in training with Walrick. Again, he was not there. She could not think what to do next and was about to head off in another direction when she heard his voice behind her.
“Please say you are looking for me.”
Catlin turned and threw herself into his strong arms. “Have you heard? England has a new king and Jessup says he is a good lad. I am free finally and I do love you. I love you very much.” She felt his arms tighten around her and then he begin to swing her around. Soon she was laughing and crying at the same time. So great was her joy, she kissed his neck repeatedly.
Then he stopped and looked down into the glorious green eyes that were finally his.
Slowly he lowered his lips to hers.
-end-
