“I understand your reluctance, but-” Jane began.
“Me laird, wet must dae this,” Keith said. “It is the best course of action open tae us right now.”
Alistair seemed to struggle with this for several moments.
“Please,” Jane said. “I want to help.”
“But I ye willnae go alone,” Alistair said, “and it is not honorable to attack a man -or an army- from behind. I dinnae like it.”
Jane bit her lip. “Would it… be honorable if some of your soldiers attack from the front?” she asked. “Also, one of you could go with me.”
“I will dae it,” Alistair said. “I will come with ye.”
“No!” Jane protested. “You are too weak to face Commander Pierce in battle. Your leg!”
Alistair took her hand. “I wouldnae be settled, having another warrior guard ye. I have tae dae it meself.”
Jane said nothing. Alistair seemed to sense her unease, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. He turned to Keith. “Return tae the castle and tell the warriors of the plan. Jane and I will ride fer Loch Lomond taenight. We should get there by the morrow.”
Keith nodded. “We shall see ye tomorrow, me laird,” he said. Jane thought he dipped his head a little in a tiny salute to her, but she could not be sure. The warrior then steered his horse in a brisk trot.
“Well, then,” Jane said with a smile that tried to mask her worry, “I suppose we must think about the essentials of this foray of ours.”
Alistair chuckled. “Such as…?”
“Such as food,” Jane said. “I hate tae say it, but I am rather hungry. I wish I had chosen another time tae go tae the lake fer the maiden’s hope and eaten supper. Catrina said it was a huge deer. The thought of it has me stomach growling.”
“Well, you are certainly nae going tae eat the deer,” Alistair said, and then put on the affectations of a stuffy Englishman as he guided her to his horse and opened the leather bag which was hitched to a side of the beast, “but might I interest ye, Madam, in a supper of dried fruit and perhaps a few roots? ‘Tis modest fare, but I dae believe that it could be much, much worse?” So, saying, he flipped the bag open and brought out a specimen: a dried cherry.
Jane burst into laughter. “Oh, that is very clever,” she said, “Having supplies in your pouch andyourimitation of an Englishman. Alistair Fletcher, you are a man of many talents indeed.”
He pulled her to himself. “And which of these talents dae ye like the most?” he asked.
“Ye ken which,” Jane replied, blushing.
“I thought so,” Alistair said, and kissed her hair. “We must be on the move; the sun has almost set.
Alistair helped Jane mount the horse and swung on after her. “Dae ye wish tae eat now?” he asked.
“A lady doesnae eat on horseback,” Jane responded. Alistair chuckled. “Englishmen.”
Jane swatted him on the thigh and froze. Slowly, she turned to face him. There was a look of utter amusement on his face. “’Tis me other thigh,” he said, and Jane breathed a sigh of relief. They rode into the sunset, their bodies against each other, the rays of the dying sun on their skin. Jane would keep this memory forever, even though the circumstances surrounding it were not good. The moment had sentimental value to her. Alistair had come for her. He had saved her from a beastly brute. She would remember this moment as the freest she had been her entire life.
Right before the sun dipped beyond the horizon, Alistair guided the horse into a part in the grass that looked good for camping. He got off his horse and brought out camping materials from another pouch: a big sheet of leather, wooden beams, quilts. Jane watched in awe as he worked. She offered to help but he shook his head, “I’ll let ye set up a Scottish tent when ye are Scottish enough, Miss.”
He chuckled afterwards, but Jane mulled it over for a long time.When you become Scottish enough. As though they had a future together. Jane imagined herself living at the castle, waking up in Alistair’s bed every morning, sharing his bathtub with him. She imagined walking through the halls and having the servants greet her with nearly as much reverence as they did Alistair. She imagined Catrina teaching her the local dances and the local dishes. She imagined pushing out a baby with the loveliest blue eyes. It was a sweet dream, but Jane did not know how much of it could ever become reality. There was a war ahead, and if there was anything she had learnt, it was that nothing was certain in war. The thought made her heart sink.
“Are ye alright?”
Jane snapped out of her musings. Alistair was looking at her, his eyebrow raised, a wooden beam in his hand. The tent was nearly done.
“Yes, of course,” Jane replied. She cleared her throat and crossed her hands in front of her, primly. Alistair smiled and shook his head. With one move, the tent was ready. He carried her off the horse as though she weighed nothing. “I have gotten ye off the horse,” he said, “so ye can eat.”
A few minutes later there was a fire in front of them. Alistair sat behind Jane, his legs spread to accommodate her. She was reclined on him. She ate dried fruit while she watched the crackling fire. Occasionally, she would feed him. Every time she did, he kissed her fingers before letting them go. Alistair had raised her skirts past her knees despite her protests. He lazily stroked her thigh.
“Are you sore?” he asked suddenly. Jane turned to face him. “From the ride,” Alistair continued. The concern in his eyes almost made her weep. “No, I am fine,” Jane said. “Thank you.”
Alistair brought her face to him with the crook of his index finger. “You dae nae need to lie tae me, Jane,” he said. “Ever. About anything.”
