Chapter Fifteen

The days crept by for Heather, the waiting for some word from her uncle was torment, but she didn’t sit idly around twiddling her fingers. She kept a close eye on Burt to make sure he didn’t get into any trouble, and she forced herself to keep some well needed space between her and Erin. It was cruel to them both to let this thing between them grow. She was leaving after she found out what happened to her mother and that was that.

A call from one of the guards brought her head up from the herbs she was picking in Deidra’s garden. They had visitors coming through the gates, flanked by MacLeans men. Two men and a woman rode in on horseback.

The sight formed a funny knot in Heather’s stomach. They could be there with news about her mother, or they could be weary travelers.

Deidra appeared by her side with a shake of her head. “I doona know them.”

Then this could be it. They could be there about her and her mother.

They watched MacLean point to where they could rest and their horses be tended to as the men dismounted. After a few more minutes, with more discussion that she and Deidra strained to hear, the newcomers assisted the woman down from her horse.

That funny knot in Heather’s stomach lurched.

“Winnie,” she breathed. Before she realized it, her feet were carrying her across the courtyard, closer and closer until she dropped the basket of herbs and began running. “Winnie! Winnie!”

The woman jerked, and with wide eyes she watched Heather’s rapid approach.

Erin appeared from nowhere and grabbed her before she could plow the poor old woman down. The men had moved to Winnie’s side, ready to protect her, but paused when the old woman settled her hands on their arms.

With tears choking her words and Erin’s strong arms wrapped around her, Heather said, “Winnie, it’s me. It’s Heather,” she said, her voice broken with new tears.

Slowly, Winnie removed her hands from the guards and moved toward her. “How do ye know me, child?”

“You were my mother’s maid and my nursemaid. You said—you helped me get away. You and Mother—you saved my life. You hid me in the village. But I ran away.”

Memories flooded her mind. Winnie was there, always there to wipe away her tears, to keep the shadows in the night from frightening her, and she was the one who helped her get out of the castle.

The old woman moved closer and looked deep into Heather’s tear-filled eyes.

“Bless me, you have your mother’s eyes,” Winnie said, and grabbed Heather with more strength than expected, ripping her from Erin’s grip, and pressed her to her breast. “Oh, my baby, my sweet lamb.”

Crying with joy and sadness, Heather held on to Winnie with all her might. This was one of the few bright spots in her memory. Someone who loved her all her life. It was almost like having her mother back.

“Deidra, take the ladies inside,” MacLean said. “They’ve much more weeping to do and talking, I’ll wager.”

“Aye, Da.”

With a gentle hand, Deidra escorted them into the castle while they held on to one another sniffling and crying the whole way.

Erin could do no more than watch, his heart filled with gladness for his bonny Heather. To see her so happy, her face drenched with joyful tears.

“Lads, there be ale and meat for you in the guards’ hall,” his father said to the Campbells. “No harm will come to the old maid or you. I swear it on my life.”

Erin looked to them with a small smile. “And I swear it upon mine. I thank you for bringing her. I know ’twas no’ small thing, to come here this way after all that’s gone before between our clans, but thank you.”

With a nod the men went to partake of their meal and await word from the old maid of what was to be done, of what word would be returned to their laird.

****

Curled up in front of a blazing fire, the men had left the solar to the women. Heather waited, aching to hear what had happened that day, for all the gaps to be filled in.

Winnie started to say something then paused and looked at Tuck and Deidra

“What you have to say will stay in the family, Winnifred,” Tuck said. “It’s no one else’s business. No rumors or lies will be told, I promise you. But if you want Deidra and me to leave, we will.”

“Nay, I believe you, milady. And my wee lamb trusts you, so in that, so do I.” With a watery smile she looked at Heather sitting on the floor at her feet, their hands clasped together.

“I have to know what happened, Winnie. I can’t remember it all. When I ran away I fell and hit my head. I don’t know if what I remember is real or just a dream,” Heather said.

Winnie stroked her head and tsked. “You had such a lovely head of hair, so fine and long.”

With a half-hearted chuckle, she said, “It was easier to keep it short. I was always running.”

“Aye, lamb. It was I who cut it.” She sat back in the chair, but kept hold of Heather’s hands. “Your mother made me swear to watch over you, to get you away if need be. When you came to me in tears that day, I knew what had to be done. What your mother wanted done. So I cut your hair, dressed you as a servant, and hid you in the village. Many disliked your sire, so it wasn’t difficult to find a safe place for a few days before I could get you farther away.”

“But I ran away.”

“Aye, lamb. I never knew why.”

“I heard them talking one night. They said Mother was dead, and that Father was looking for me. The family had been good to me, and I didn’t want them to get into trouble, and Mother’s words keep ringing in my ears. Run away, never let him find you. So I ran.”

“Your mother was no’ dead, lamb.”

Heather’s stomach dropped. “But—”

“Nay, love. Gorin had beat her to within an inch of her life and with a final shove, she fell down the long staircase. She survived the beating and the fall, but could no longer walk nor speak.”

Heather couldn’t hold back her tears and buried her face in Winnie’s lap.

“Your uncle finally saw what his brother was, but although he couldna’ be laird in his stead at that time, he and the family placed your mother in my care, and we were removed from the castle. We lived in a small cottage, not far away, but hidden from your father.

“’Twould seem he didna’ care any longer, as long as she and you were out of his sight.

“I searched for you for months, always wondering where you were, what had happened to ye, but there wasna’ a trace of ye anywhere.”

“And Mother?”

“Since she was never seen or heard from again, that is when the rumors began. The family thought it best to leave things as they were.”

“How long—how long did she suffer?”

“Och, lamb, she improved much. She was able to speak somewhat after a spell, but only I could understand her. We spoke of you often and held on to the hope that you were well and safe somewhere. She passed away quietly in her sleep eight years ago.”

A silence fell over the room for several minutes as they all digested the story. Once Heather wiped her eyes and smiled up at her nursemaid, then to the others, they all partook of some ale and bread.

“Now that you know my side of your story, lamb, you must tell me yours,” Winnie said.

“Uh, well, like I said, I fell and hit my head. All I could remember was my name. But I never told the people who found me. I didn’t even speak for a long time,” she said, adjusting her real story just a bit.

There was no way she could explain to Winnie how she traveled to the future. So she relied on her old talent of telling tall tales to get into and out of things.

“I stayed with the people who found me until I was sixteen. They were from far away, and they took me with them as they continued their travels. But I always felt like I had to run, so I left them as soon as I was able. I kept moving around, from place to place, until I happened to run into Erin MacLean. When he told me about my father, I knew then it was time to come back and find out what happened.”

“The way you speak, child, is so verra different,” Winnie said.

“Well, uh, the people that found me spoke this way, so I guess I just picked it up. I was just a little girl, so I suppose too I thought it would help keep me safe.”

Tuck cast Heather a wink to let her know that was pretty good. Trying to explain where they came from was just not going to work.

There was a knock on the door, and it eased open. Erin stuck his head in a grim frown on his face that quickly turned up into a smile. “’Tis safe to enter? Is all the crying over?”

They all laughed, and Tuck invited her son into the room.

“Your guards are anxious for some word, ma’am,” he said to Winnie.

With a sigh and a shake of her head, she got to her feet. “I’ll see to them now and be done with it.”

“How long can you stay, Winnie?” Heather asked.

“Och, lamb. I must return on the morrow.”

“So soon?”

“Aye, the laird will want to know all. Are ye no’ returning with me?”

Heather paused for a moment, then shook her head. “No. There’s nothing for me there anymore.”

“I understand, lamb. Perhaps I can send one of those young lads off with the news and stay a wee bit longer aye?”

“We’d love to have you stay, Winnifred. You’re more than welcome,” Tuck said.

She gave a brisk nod and snagged Erin’s arm. “Well then, take me to those worrisome lads, and we’ll see what we can do.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Erin said.

Heather could tell he was holding in a chuckle just by the look on his handsome face.