As Erskine returned to his horse, Tam at his side, he couldn’t help but whisper a small tease.
“I havenae heard it called a ‘conversation’ before,” he smiled, to which Tam swiped him round the arm. A silent sign to shut up. “Aye, that reminds me.” Erskine ran back to the door to see Lennox, lowering his voice so Tam couldn’t hear him. “Lennox, I need ye to do me a favor.”
“Of course, what is it?” she looked up at him. They were friends of old, and Erskine knew he could trust her with this message, but to a degree…she was fond of chatter, and Erskine was unsure how good she was at keeping secrets.
“But I cannae tell ye why to do this, and ye cannae tell anyone I asked this of ye either, please?” Erskine pleaded, to which she nodded again.
“I give ye me word, Laird-to-be,” she gave him a mock curtsy before he waved the action away.
“Go to Magret’s house this afternoon. Ye’ll find a lad there, called Billie. Could ye tell him where I have gone.”
A small smile played upon Lennox’s lips before she spoke.
“Would this be the lad Tam tells me ye found on yer travels?”
“Aye, it would,” Erskine looked over his shoulder, seeing Tam mounted and ready to leave.
What did ye say, Tam!?
“Nay problem, I’ll tell the lad. I give ye me word, and I promise nae to tell anyone else.”
“Thank ye, Lennox,” he nodded to her and turned around, running back to the horse.
“Do me a favor in return?” Lennox called after him. “Bring back Tam in one piece. We havenae yet finished our argument.”
“Argument?” Erskine smiled, looking at Tam. “Is that what the two of ye were doin’?”
“Ye’re never goin’ to shut up now, are ye?” Tam shook his head and pulled on the reins.
* * *
Laura and Magret pressed their noses to the window as they watched the soldiers’ horses gallop through the street. Line after line of men went, signaling that there had to be something very wrong indeed somewhere in the clan.
“Are the clan in any battles? Disputes with other clans?” Laura asked Magret, practically sitting on the windowsill.
“Nay,” Magret shook her head, “nae for many years now. Maybe it’s bandits of a kind? The outer villages often suffer raids.”
After the soldiers disappeared, someone was seen hurrying through the streets, long fair hair wild behind her as she clutched her shawl around her shoulders.
“Well, what is she doin’ here?” Magret remarked, pointing at the window as the woman made a beeline for their house. “Looks like she’s comin’ to see us.”
“Who is she?” Laura asked as she tied up her hair and snapped up the hat to place on her head, hurrying to hide her features.
“Lennox is her name,” Magret said as she stepped away from the sitting room window in anticipation of a knock on the door.
Tam’s Lennox!
Laura smiled, remembering how often they had teased Tam on the journey up to Scotland.
The knock at the door was quickly answered by Magret.
“Afternoon, Magret, how are ye today?” Lennox asked, her voice cheerful.
“Very well, what has ye in such a fuss, lassie?”
“I have a message for yer lodger, Billie.”
“Ye best come this way. I daenae think I have ever been so popular,” Magret’s voice came from the corridor as she showed Lennox into seeing Laura.
