It was a short walk to the field the boys worked but Colin was pale and sweating when they reached the place. It was a small field, not one they used for their crops that went to market, but mostly for a kitchen garden. She looked at the bushes tossed carelessly in a pile as if readied for burning. It was a waste and she could not understand Kerr Matheson’s actions. Then, as she thought back on what she had wondered about her mother and why the woman had never had any other children until Margaret, she felt a chill. Suddenly she was terrified of what they might find.
Colin was settled against a tree as she sat beside him while the boys dug around. She felt her stomach tighten with every shovelful of dirt tossed to the side. Colin was right. Kerr was hiding something and they did have a right to know. She just feared it was going to be bad.
“Bethoc, what do ye think we will find?” Colin asked.
“I dinnae ken,” she replied.
“Och, aye, ye do. Ye are like a cat sitting on a wasp waiting for the sting.”
“Babies,” she whispered. “I was thinking the other day how odd it was that my mother had no bairns for near to twenty years.”
“Jesu.” He ignored Bethoc’s muttered scold for his language. “’Tis a possibility. Lassies, I would wager. He ne’er had a use for lassies.”
“Aye, ’tis what I thought.”
“The bastard. I ne’er saw it. Ne’er saw your mother with child or birthing one until this little wretch.” He tickled Margaret’s foot.
“Hey, Colin, I found something,” called Liam, his freckled face pale with alarm.
“What is it?” asked Colin.
“Something wrapped in a rotting blanket.”
Colin clasped Bethoc’s hand when she made a small sound of distress. “Put it aside and keep digging.” He looked at Bethoc. “We have to ken, Bethoc.”
“And when we ken what do we do about it?”
“That I dinnae ken. I am just certainweneed to ken what he has done. For our own sake. For our own safety. We have to ken what he is capable of.”
By the time the boys were finished they had found four little bodies. Bethoc wept silently as she looked at each one. No wonder her mother had become more and more lost in her dreams. She had lost so much. It was why she had made Bethoc promise to never leave Margaret. She knew at least some of these babies had been killed. Knew it without a doubt yet there was nothing she could do about it. All her father had to do was swear they were born dead. She had no power, neither did the boys, and all they had was bones.
Once the babies were reburied next to her mother’s grave, they all moved silently back into the house. After Colin was helped into his bed, Bethoc had the strong urge to go see Callum. She did not know why, only that she had a need to be with him, mayhap even to speak of the bairns. It was still light enough but it had been three days since she had seen him. It was an urge she really did not understand but she decided to give in to it.
Before she thought on it too much, she packed up Margaret and a basket full of food and set out. It would not be long before the sun began to sink in the sky but she felt she had time enough. She paused to study the berry bushes near the bottom of the hill. They were nearing ripeness so she set down her basket and pulled some netting out of her bag to drape each bush in the hope of saving at least some berries from the birds. It was just as she was about to pick up her basket and head to the path leading to the cave that she knew she was no longer alone.
Afraid, she turned to survey the clearing. Her heart leapt with fear as she saw five men ride into the clearing. They had already seen her and were heading straight for her. She waited, for every instinct told her that running would be a mistake.
The man in the lead stopped and studied her for a moment before speaking. “Mistress, we are searching for someone. A mon. Our friend became separated from us and we are trying to find him, fearing he may be hurt.”
It was well said, but Bethoc did not believe a word of it. “I have seen no one.”
“No one?”
“Nay, no one.” She took a step back when he dismounted for his smell was bad and not from his unwashed state. “I came here to try and protect the berries that are so near to ripening.” She waved toward the bushes.
“What is in the bag?”
His voice, she noticed, was getting colder and harder. “Weel, it held the nets I needed and now all it holds are the things Margaret may need,” she replied, finding it very easy to lie to him and trying hard not to glance to where she had set the basket of food just behind one of the bushes while she had arranged the nets. “’Tis Margaret’s bag.”
He reached for the bag but Margaret’s hand grabbed it first. Once declared hers, the child would never let it go. To her surprise Margaret screeched. The man jerked back, releasing the bag as he stared at Margaret. A peek at her sister revealed Margaret’s sweet face pressed into a fierce scowl, her bottom lip pushed out. Bethoc had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from laughing.
“Make her let go of the bag,” he ordered.
Worried they might do something to Margaret, she reached for the bag handles. Margaret clutched the bag as close as she could and growled. It was hard not to laugh. She struggled with Margaret until the men waiting on their horses started laughing.
“Och, leave it with the brat.” The man glared at Bethoc. “Ye are certain ye havenae seen any mon wandering about?” Bethoc shook her head. “Fine,” he grumbled as he remounted and scowled at Margaret. “Little brat.Jesu,” he yelled when Margaret screeched at him.
Bethoc watched them leave then glanced back at Margaret. “Weel done, my clever lass,” she said, and kissed her on the forehead.
