Authors: Bess McBride
With a curse, the man let me go, and I swung around, wondering what to do next. I had no weapon to fight him off if he came at me again, and I fully expected him to.
It was no man who had slumped to the ground, clutching his knee and howling, but a tall boy, hardly more than thirteen or so, with long scraggly reddish hair and a muddy freckled face. His clothing was wet and filthy.
“Samuel?” I put out a hand as if to stop him from rising to attack me again, but he hardly looked like he was going anywhere at the moment.
Laddie barked and ran toward me from out of the mist. He pressed himself against me as if to protect me.
“Laddie!” a voice called. Malcolm! Laddie ran away, presumably returning to Malcolm’s side.
I turned back to the boy, who still cursed and nursed his knee. He looked up and eyed me wildly with dark-blue eyes.
“Malcolm!” I called. “Malcolm! Here!”
“Where is Lord Anderson?” I asked Samuel.
He moved to a crouching position on one knee, still holding the other, but said nothing.
Malcolm appeared out of the mist, Laddie at his side, panting. The other dogs followed, encircling the scene as though trying to herd us.
“Here! What’s this?” Malcolm said, eyeing both of us.
“Samuel attacked me!” I pointed accusingly. “I’m looking for Lord Anderson. Is he all right? Have you seen him?”
It had occurred to me I might be too late. Samuel was obviously disturbed, maybe in a perpetual state of fright. What if he had already killed Colin? I saw no blood on his muddy hands.
“And who might ye be?” Malcolm asked, directing his question to me.
I turned to look at him, my eyes now as wild as the boy’s. Malcolm didn’t know who I was.
“I’m Lord Anderson’s fiancée. He came up here a few hours ago. I need to see him.”
Malcolm turned and spoke to Samuel in Gaelic. I don’t know what he said, but his tone seemed aggressive, as if he censured the boy. Samuel pushed himself off from his kneeling position and hobbled off down the path in the direction of the cottage.
“No! Wait! He’s dangerous!” I cried out. “He’s going to kill Colin!” I knew how crazy I sounded, but I couldn’t possibly explain time travel to Malcolm.
“The lad is just troubled, mistress. He isna dangerous. I am sure he meant ye no harm.” Malcolm leaned on his shepherd’s hook. “Ye say his lairdship is up here?”
“Yes, he just came up here. I followed him, but I’m sure he must have arrived a few hours ago. And Samuel
is
dangerous. I know he’s troubled, but he’s also dangerous. I need to find Lord Anderson, and I need to talk to Samuel’s grandfather.”
“If ye were coming up here, why didna ye travel with his lairdship?”
I almost stomped my foot in frustration.
“Because he didn’t want me to follow him, Malcolm. Okay? Now, where do you think he is? Where are the Jacobites?”
At this, Malcolm visibly stiffened.
“I know all about them. I’m sure that’s where Colin is. He’s going to try to take them to Glasgow. I just need to see that he’s safe, that Samuel doesn’t injure him. The English soldiers will be here soon, maybe today, maybe tomorrow or the day after. They’re searching for this little group of rebels.”
Malcolm’s eyes hardened, and he rubbed at his beard, looking down at the dogs as if to consult them.
“I ken where they are,” he said finally, in a gruff voice. “It isna far. Come to my cottage and take shelter from the rain. I will find Laird Anderson.”
“No, I want to go with you,” I said.
Malcolm shook his head.
“Women!” he mumbled. “Come then, if ye must.”
He turned and strode down the path, and I hurried in his wake, the dogs following us. He didn’t talk to me, and I was too exhausted to speak. We passed his cottage, which did indeed look invitingly dry and warm, with smoke emanating from the chimney. Fifteen minutes later, he veered off the path toward the left and headed into a small grove of trees.
He called something out in Gaelic, and an old man who looked as if he was on death’s doorstep stepped out from behind trees. Malcolm and the old man spoke to each other in Gaelic.
Colin appeared out of the mist.
“Beth!” he said, striding toward me. “What are ye doing here? Didna I tell ye that ye couldna come wi me?”
Thankfully, he wrapped me in an embrace. Everything was all right. He was alive, and I was in his arms. I breathed in his woodsy scent.
“I couldn’t stay there. I had to follow you.”
Malcolm turned and spoke to Colin in Gaelic. Colin asked him a few questions, then turned to the old man, who I assumed was Donald, the boy’s grandfather, and the one who would not be able to make the journey out of Scotland due to his poor health. I recognized him as the old man to whom Colin had been speaking in the glen.
“Samuel attacked ye?” Colin asked me.
I nodded. “Yes, on the path. I’m not sure what he was planning to do, but yes, he came at me from behind. I don’t know what you’re going to do about him. In my opinion, he is dangerous. He needs help.”
“Aye,” Colin said with a nod, “but he willna get help here in the Highlands. He’ll do better when he is safely away from Scotland.”
“If you can get him out of here before he kills someone.”
“I am forewarned, Beth. He willna brandish a sword or a dirk while I have aught to say about it.”
He kissed the top of my head.
“But what canna I do wi ye? I must take them to Glasgow. I dinna think they can manage alone.”
I clutched the front of his jacket.
“No, that’s just how it happens. No!”
Colin looked up to see if Malcolm and Donald were within earshot, but they had moved away.
“Didna ye say that Captain Jones was here? That he brought my body back to the castle? Didna ye say that he himself was wounded by the lad? It seems as if things are nae happening as ye remembered. Isna it possible that this time will be different, Beth? That forewarned, I can watch Samuel?”
I clung to him.
“I can’t lose you again, Colin. I can’t.”
“Ye willna lose me, Beth. I dinna want to lose ye either. I dinna want ye traveling in time again to attempt to change the future. It is possible ye canna come back to me.”
I cupped his face in my hands.
“I love you.”
“I love ye too, lass.”
I swallowed hard.
“Show me the boy, then I’ll return to the castle on my own. I’ll be fine. I’ve done it before. I’d better take Donald with me. Remember, I told you that you had to bring him down?”
Colin tilted his head and eyed me curiously before turning and calling out. Samuel limped out from behind a tree, terrified, his eyes on Colin.
Colin spoke to him in Gaelic, and from the sound of it, he gave him a talking to. The boy cowered, and my heart went out to him.
“Stop, Colin. Let me talk to him. Does he speak English?”
“Aye, a bit.”
I turned to the boy. Colin kept his arm around me.
“Samuel, I am so sorry for what has happened to you. I know you’re scared and you’re sad. I know you lost your father at Culloden, but you have to try to control your anger and your fear. Lord Anderson is going to take you away. Your grandfather probably won’t be able to go. He is too sick, but you have to go...to a new life in a new country. Maybe America. You won’t go to an English prison, and you won’t be executed.” I pointed my finger at the boy, staring at me with wide eyes. “But don’t you dare hurt Lord Anderson, or I will haunt you, no matter where you are, and don’t you think I won’t.” That probably wasn’t the best thing to say to a traumatized boy, but it was all I had.
“Och, Beth,” Colin remonstrated with a chuckle. “The lad will think ye are a witch or a ghost.”
And indeed, Samuel looked even more frightened than before. But the damage was done. All I could do was smile gently at him and nod. I turned back to Colin.
“Tell his grandfather that we’re leaving, and give them a chance to say good-bye.”
“Are ye sure ye can manage the auld man? I think I should come wi ye.”
I shook my head. “No, I’ll be fine. I want you to go before Stephen arrives.”
Colin pulled my hands to his mouth and kissed them before turning away to speak to Donald and Malcolm. Laddie came to my side and sat down, as if to comfort me. If Colin and I survived this, we were getting a sheepdog.
I wandered deeper into the woods and studied the encampment. A small fire burned in the middle, giving off no warmth that I could feel. There was no obvious evidence of food. The two other older men and four boys sat about on rocks and on beds of leaves, watching Colin and Donald...and me. A pathetic-looking group, all huddled in plaids draped around their shoulders. I assumed Colin would have them dispose of their tartans before they reached Glasgow, but for now they needed the warmth of the thick cloth.
“Hello,” I said with what I hoped was a kindly smile.
They nodded but said nothing. The two older men raised fingers to their caps.
“I hope you have a safe journey,” I said. More nods, but no words.
“Are ye ready then?” Colin appeared behind me.
“Yes,” I said. Donald hobbled toward us, and I suspected we were going to have a very slow trek down the hillside.
“I will walk ye to the crest of the hill.”
I nodded.
Colin spoke to the men in Gaelic. The two older men nodded and rose to embrace Donald. Samuel grabbed his grandfather by the waist, and Donald hugged him. My throat ached at the sad scene, and I turned away.
Colin took my hand and led me out of the encampment. I turned around to see Donald and Malcolm following us. Malcolm let Donald lean on his arm. Laddie bounded along. I really wanted that dog. The other two sheepdogs stuck tightly to Malcolm.
“Colin, do you think when this is all over, we can get a sheepdog like Laddie?” I asked. I knew it was random, but I was probably trying to distract myself from having to say good-bye to Colin yet one more time.
“Do ye like him?”
As if in response, Laddie ran up to me and touched his nose to my hand before running back to Malcolm.
“Aye,” I said softly, tears forming in my eyes.
“Then he is yers. Take him down to the castle. He can help ye with Donald.”
“I can’t take Malcolm’s dog!” I said. I wasn’t quite sure how the dog could help with Donald either, but I let that go.
“Malcolm has the other dogs. There are more with the flock.”
“No, I couldn’t,” I said.
Colin spoke over his shoulder, and Malcolm responded.
“If ye think ye canna, then I shall not force ye, but Malcolm insists that ye take the dog this time. Ye can send the dog back if ye dinna want to keep him. He kens his way home.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll borrow him then.”
We reached the crest of the hill, and Malcolm spoke to Laddie in Gaelic. I buried myself in Colin’s arms, again struggling to say good-bye. That I could possibly repeat the process of traveling back in time all over again if he were killed, or even imprisoned, was no comfort. Colin was right. I might not be able to come back.
“I love you,” I whispered. “Please be careful and come back to me.”
“And I love ye more then ye will ever ken, Beth. When I return, we shall never be parted again.” He kissed me long and tenderly before setting me from him to speak to Donald.
“Mrs. Renwick will take care of ye when ye reach the castle, Donald. Then ye must move into the stable and act as a stable hand. English soldiers will come, and they will be looking for a band of rebels, but they will not suspect just one man. Ye will be safe.” He patted Donald on the back.
Laddie ran to my side, panting, clearly understanding that he was coming with me. I patted his head.
“Are you ready?” I asked Donald.
“Aye, yer ladyship.” His accent was thicker than Colin’s, if that was possible.
I gave Colin one last look before grabbing my skirts with one hand and putting an arm around Donald’s waist. I ignored the smell of sweat and unwashed clothing.
“Are ye sure ye can manage?” Colin called as Donald and I negotiated the first few steps down the trail.
“I got this!” I called up, not daring to turn around, lest I lose my footing.
“Help her, Laddie!” Colin called. And Laddie did. He positioned himself next to Donald, as if to help brace the old man. Donald braced a hand on Laddie’s back.
“Clever dog!” I said. The three of us inched our way down toward the tree line at a snail’s pace. I did turn once to look over my shoulder, and Colin watched us anxiously.
“We’re okay,” I called out. “Go!”
Colin waved and disappeared, and I turned my attention to the path in front.
Without the dog’s help, I don’t think Donald and I could have made it. We didn’t talk much, saving our breath for the descent. Hours later, many hours later, we finally made it down to the bottom of the hill, and I led Donald toward the kitchen entrance.