Page 37 of The Son of a Highland Witch
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“Yer faither says I must stick close to ye no matter what anyone says, m’lady.” Gertrude would not relent, regardless of what Erica told her. “Ye told Laird O’Donnell yerself that Jamie Buchanan was busy with his hands an’ mouth, so ye cannae blame him for ordering me to watch over ye! An’ besides, I don’ want to keep vigil over the auld laird all night. Mistress Brigette told me she would do it an’ didnae need me help.”
Erica was desperate but had run out of suggestions and excuses to make Gertrude leave the room. She ground her teeth in frustration. Just then, there was a scratch on the door. A page handed her a note when she opened it. He did not wait for a reply. Erica read the letter.
Dearest Erica,
I thank you for offering me the services of your maid, Gertrude, to assist me during my nighttime vigil, but I must refuse. She will do better work inside your bedchamber, dear Erica, protecting you from imprudent actions and misdeeds.
Do not worry your head over the urges you are having, but take care they do not lead you into unwise action. Remember who runs this castle and gives orders to the soldiers. Please know that I understand how you feel completely. Am I not an unmarried woman with a grown son, after all is said and done?
All my loving affection,
Brigette MacComhaill
Erica asked Gertrude, “Was Finn up there in the sick room when ye went to see Mistress Brigette?” She would die of embarrassment if Finn had run and told his mother what they planned on doing that night.
“Nay, m’lady,” Trudy said. “She had sent him down to the stream to fetch more water a while back.”
Erica felt a surge of relief knowing Finn had not told anyone but could not help feeling that if Brigette wanted people to stop thinking she was a witch, she was not doing a very good job of it! Her perception was beyond acute.
She sent Trudy out again to fetch the page back and then sat down at the desk to compose her note.
F -
The jig is up. Your mother is as prescient as a powerful sorcerer. I will see you anon.
- E
There. That was perfect. No one would be able to take umbrage at the words if they stopped the page boy and forced them to show them the letter. Brigette’s message reminded Erica of how much danger they were in. Robert and Jamie were like scavenging wolves, prowling and sniffing around, on the watch for tiny snippets of news. If they got wind of Erica wanting to back out of the agreement, who knew which way their anger would go?
When the page came back with a reply, she gave a sigh of relief when she read:Alas! I await better days. You must know the words I am leaving unwritten…and unsaid, but they are in my heart all the same.
Erica clutched the letter in two hands, crushing the parchment to her chest. Then she kissed the sheet of paper.
Gertrude watched Erica’s raptures with a jaundiced eye. “I don’ think that message comes from Jamie Buchanan, Lady Erica,” was all she said out loud, but kept the rest of her thoughts to herself.
There was no more hiding it. Erica knew she had been falling in love with Finn since her dreams had blended into reality that night in the forest when something stung her. But as much as she wanted Jamie and Robert—not poor Laird Alastair, though—to go to hell and never come back, she knew those she loved and cared for had to play a careful game before they were all out of danger.
* * *
After rising the next morning,Erica had to admit she was curious to know how Laird Alastair was doing. When she entered the southern tower chambers, she nearly sat down in shock. The man was sitting up in bed with a squashed nightcap on his rumpled gray hair and a clean nightshirt covering his body. He was smiling at Brigette as if they were old friends. Finn was sitting with his chair tilted back against the wall, cleaning under his fingernails using the tip of a wickedly sharp dagger, but he snapped the chair legs back onto the floor when he saw her enter.
“Erica! Thank ye for the message.”
She grimaced and jerked her head in his mother’s direction. This made Finn hang his head like a naughty schoolboy caught in the act, and Brigette laughed when he went back to cleaning his fingernails.
“I knew it!” She laughed. “Shame on ye, Finn. Erica is still betrothed to yon wastrel, Jamie.”
This news made the laird perk up even more. “What?! This bonny lass is Jamie’s betrothed? Who would want to marry such a court jester?”
Everyone laughed.
Brigette patted the stool next to the bed and beckoned Erica over, saying, “Come, me dear. Ye are almost part o’ the family now, so ye may as well hear all our news.”
“What news?” Brigette’s words had even caught Finn’s attention. “What could ye possibly ken that we don’t?”
“I’ve known since forever, Finn, but I will allow Laird Alastair to be the one to tell ye.”
