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C
aitlin? Are you out here?" Millie walked out to the hut with a snoozing Midge resting on her shoulder — the child could sleep anywhere it seemed.
"Here. Over here, Millie."
"Thought you might be. I find myself wandering out to this spot also, just for a bit of peace and quiet, you see."
"Well, you know, it may take a while before we get used to a lot of folks around, and all of them men." Caitlin laughed as Millie sat on the bench next to her.
"Isn't it just so different? I do love being here, though. And I'd never want to be anywhere else. But you know, just an occasional reprieve from a lot of male voices and discussion about sheep and who's got to go where would be nice."
Caitlin was laughing aloud now.
"I believe we brought this on ourselves. You were running and so was I. Who knew we'd end up in the northern Highlands with a bunch of sheepherders with voracious appetites?"
Millie was also laughing, though both women knew how fortunate they were. They could have easily never seen the light of day again had these men not come to their assistance on that fateful morning.
"Aye. At that moment I don't think I even cared. I was just past living with Edward another day, and anything was better than that."
Millie's life as the wife of Lord Edward Warwick had been a living hell from the first moment. She thanked her lucky stars for the changes that had come about through Caitlin, Jack, Alex, and her most beloved little child, Midge. Her life today couldn't be more satisfying.
"I wasn't running from a husband, but Warwick and that soldier certainly made my life miserable for a bit there. But you know, Uncle Wabi believes life has a way of bringing us experiences that lead us to greater understanding and, if we survive, then we become better persons as a result."
"Hmm, that's probably true. I don't ever wish to go through another experience like that one. Maybe because I had a babe it was different, but I'm certainly more thankful for everything now, and know I belong here in this place with these people.
"So now, what are we going to do about these nightmares you're having? Alex was talking about them with Jack and Da. They all want to 'fix' the situation you know — typical male response to anything we ladies might complain about."
This comment led them into another fit of laugher, which was good for their souls.
"The nightmares really are becoming a problem, Millie. The only person I think can help is Uncle Wabi. And even he may not know what to do."
"Then let's send one of the men to get him—today."
Caitlin smiled at her friend. "It's taken care of already. Owl has left and will take a message to Wabi."
Millie had already accepted that Caitlin and Wabi were unique, out of the ordinary. What they were exactly she didn't know, but she didn't care either. She and Midge were safe because of them. She'd let that be enough.
"Then let's hope he can get to the bottom of this. He's a wise man, no doubt. And I know you trust him."
Caitlin looked around, toward the old hut. "Have you ever looked inside the hut? Alex says Mam kept her special things there, but he doesn't know what they are. Do you think we could maybe look inside? I'm anxious to know more about this woman. All the brothers speak of her still. It's as if she left a large emptiness and they haven't been able to fill it yet. Sleeping in her sewing room, I often feel her presence. There's something about her that calls to me."
"Then maybe she's trying to know you, too. After all, you've stolen the heart of her firstborn, and I know a little about how special that first one can be. But my bet is they're all special, no matter what the birth order. To answer your question, no, I've never looked inside the hut. But I believe we may be called on to clean it out soon."
"Oh? Why would we need to do that?"
"Uncle Andrew has asked for one of the huts to be made available to him. It could be this one, I suppose, as it's the largest. Although there are several others farther away from the lodge."
"Why would he want to move to a hut? He's lived in the lodge for years now, ever since Florence passed away."
"It seems he found more than just family history on his trips to Edinburgh. According to Jack, Uncle Andrew is bringing a 'friend' to the farm to live — with him. She's one of the ladies who helped him go through the ledgers from the old kirks, and she's an expert on clan history. It seems they have an 'understanding,' as Jack put it."
"What does that mean, an understanding?"
"Jack says they've decided to make a home together, but are not going through any sort of official ceremony, as we are planning. It seems they've agreed to have a "hand fasting" as was done in the olden days. They think they're old enough to follow their own inclinations about such."
"What? Uncle Andrew and a woman? Holy Rusephus, what's going to happen next?" Both women dissolved into another of their female giggle fits as Jack called them.
"I've used all the herbs I found in Mam's storeroom and I've only got enough juniper berries and wild garlic to make a couple more batches of my tinctures. I need to gather herbs, but I'm not sure where to even start looking for them. As soon as I'm walking better, I'll go scouting. But until then, I need to find a person in the village who may have herbs they'll sell me. Last week I met a young lass from Spain—Lourdes—that sells her flowers down in the village — she had a few herbs too. Maybe I can buy from her until I can gather my own."
"Jack talks about an old woman who used to come by before Mam passed on. She'd trade her herbs for Mam's jams and jellies. Mam wasn't a healer as such, but she did know how to put together a few remedies for small problems, apparently. I'll ask him where we can find her."
"Good. Once I get enough remedies and ointments prepared, maybe I can talk Alex into letting me practice my healing again. He's overly protective in my opinion, and still thinks he can make my decisions."
"Yes, don't they all. Certainly they all mean well. Hector and I are struggling to work out our differences, and with so many mouths to feed, we do need to work together. Today he's at Cameron Castle working with the resident hands, Clint and Winston. Jack told me that Hector can 'talk a jackass into braying at the moon,' which I suppose means he's good at talking people into helping him. I know I must go myself at some point and get a feel for what is happening now that grandmother and Aunt Moira are gone."
The estate was hers now, what with her grandmother and aunt having been killed by a highwayman just a few days before she and Caitlin had sought refuge at the castle. During their couple of days at the castle, Millie had been surprised and pleased to have a visit from Dorothea, her childhood nursemaid and friend of a lifetime. They had been apart for several years now as shortly after he married Millie, Lord Warwick sent Dorothea back to Scotland and Millie had not heard from her since. When she had seen her recently at the estate, Millie had promised Dorothea she would return. And she would. Just as soon as things settled here at the home place.
Just before he left, she had handed Hector a letter to give to Dorothea. "Don't forget to give this letter to Dorothea, please."
"I'll make sure she gets it. Don't worry about that."
With all the men gone for a few days it was quiet around the lodge. Come nightfall, Caitlin hesitated to go to bed. Finally, she had to make herself retire for the evening.
A few hours later the dream came again, only now she could hear voices coming from a far distance and tinkling sounds — maybe bells — and soft singing far in the background. The scents were so familiar she could almost taste them. But again, the moment she could almost grasp something or someone, the dream floated away and she was left in the fog. When she awakened her heart was racing and there was a deep longing for something she couldn't even define.
Uncle Wabi, I hope you get here soon.