Leana could say nothing. She held her hands up and took a step back, trembling, and suddenly she looked like what she was: a scared, beaten woman.
“Naw,” she said in a dull, defeated voice.
“How no?” Danny asked menacingly. “Did ye pit onythin’ in there?”
“Mushrooms,” she replied. “Poison anes.”
Danny made a noise like the snarling of a wolf and gave Leana a backhanded blow across the face. She staggered backward though did not fall, but now she gazed at him with naked terror in her eyes, and for the first time since he had met her, Danny felt victorious.
“What kind o’ mushrooms?” he asked curiously.
“Death caps,” Leana replied, holding a hand over her stinging face.
Abi had had enough. Maybe they were going to die or be forced to become whores, but she would not do it meekly. “Leave her alone!” she shouted, stepping up to Leana’s side. “She is worth ten of any of you but you are all too stupid to see it!”
Danny looked at her curiously. “Well, missy,” he said with a smug but threatening smile. “It seems ye are ane o’ thae snooty sorts. I wis wonderin’ why ye never spoke, but noo I knaw. Rich lassie, are ye?” He looked around at all his friends, rubbing his hands together. “Well, boys, we willnae need tae sell this ane. We can make her faimly buy her back!”
There was a chorus of assent and much ribald laughter, then Malky stepped forward. “Can we have a wee bit fun in the meanwhile?” he asked, leering at Abi. “Seein’ as we willnae be sellin’ her.”
Danny shrugged. “Dinnae see why no’,” he said reasonably. “Mind I’m goin’ first. I want tae pop her cherry!”*
The others grumbled, but Danny was their chief and had to be obeyed, so they backed down.
Leana and Abi were hugging each other tightly as if they could protect each other, although they knew it was impossible.
“I love ye, Abi,” Leana whispered.
“I love you too, Leana,” Abi answered, burying her head in Leana’s shoulder.
Danny reached out and grabbed Abi.
*siller - silver, money
*Pop her cherry- take her virginity
10
Fraser had once again reverted to his true nature—he had been born a warrior and he would die a warrior. He had often thought that perhaps this was the reason it was so easy for him to lose his temper and go into towering rages at the slightest excuse. He supposed that he was not much of a man, since a lot of his life seemed to be spent belittling other people. Look at what he had done to Abigail this morning, and now he had to face the consequences. He had done it to Leana too, but she had risen above it, and it occurred to him that she would always rise above anything that fate threw in her path. She was a magnificent woman, and he had not appreciated her worth. That kiss...he shook his mind free of the memory with difficulty.
However, his main concern now was Abigail, and if anything happened to her, he knew he would be unable to stop himself from killing the man who had harmed her.
And then himself.
He had killed enemies in battle, so death was not a stranger to him, and he knew that he would rather be dead himself than have any harm come to Abigail, because he simply could not live without her.
Why did I not tell her how much I love her?he berated himself, calling himself every kind of abominable creature under the sun, but no amount of self-torture would bring back his Abigail. Only he could, for the love of a father was a fierce thing.
Rory came up to him just before he left and pressed something sharp and glassy into his hand. It was a set of crystal rosary beads that must have been one of his most treasured possessions. “M’Laird,” he said, his round face creased into a mask of concern, “I knaw ye will dae onything tae get Abi back, an’ us at the castle is a’ prayin’ for ye. Take these beads. They were my mother’s an’ they aye kept her safe. Aggie sends her love an a’. She is on her knees already.” He folded Fraser’s fingers around the beads, and all of a sudden Fraser realized how much this man and his wife meant to him. He was so fortunate to have these wonderful people around him who asked so little yet gave so much.
“Rory, you cannot give me these,” Fraser said, astonished at the size of the gift he was being given. This might be Rory’s only treasure; he could not accept it. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, but these are a part of your mother’s legacy and I cannot take that away from you.”
“These are mine tae gie away tae whoever I want tae,” Rory said firmly.
Fraser sat for a moment gazing at the beads. “I will make a bargain with you,” he said at last. “I will keep the beads for as long as it takes me to find Abigail, but no longer.”
Rory nodded, and they clasped each other’s hands, and for a moment there was a current of love between them that was so strong they might have been father and son. “God bless ye, Fraser,” Rory said, smiling, then he watched the Laird as he rode away to do battle, his lips moving in silent prayer.
Just as he reached his men, there was a small altercation with Lachie, who was left behind, and Rory shook his head.
