“I’m gaeing tae be a warrior like Da,” Rory said, puffing his chest out proudly and lifting his chin into the air. Anne’s eyes went wide with panic and she almost froze on the spot. Her heart skipped a beat and uneasy tension ran through her body.
“Ye are nae,” she said with a heavy breath, glaring at him. Rory’s pride and excitement were doused just like a flame that had been drenched by rain. He dipped his head. “Being a soldier was what took him away from us, and I am nae haeing anything take ye away from me, ye hear me?” she grabbed hold of his arm and squeezed it tightly, perhaps a little too tightly. Rory frowned and wrested his arm away.
“Aye,” he said mournfully. Anne hated herself for getting so worked up, but the emotions were still raw. She glanced over her shoulder at the road they had walked. It was no use to hope that her father would return. She hadn’t been much older than Rory was now when they had received the news that he had perished in battle. It had left a hole in the world and her heart, and she dreaded to think that Rory might suffer the same fate. Tears began to well in her eyes, but she blinked them away, not wishing to conjure all the sorrow of the past.
“Sae did ye hear anything about future opportunities?” Anne asked.
Rory kicked a pebble along the ground. “There were some men talking about a gathering at the McLeod clan. Apparently, there are people from all kinds of clans gaeing there tae celebrate their alliances. Most of them are wealthy as well. I’m sure there will be someone ye can target there,” he said.
Anne’s eyes flashed with excitement. She knew that it was only a matter of time before people realized who was stealing from them. There were only so many travelers who passed through Tarbert, and the men in her own clan would quickly narrow down the suspects. At best she would be placed in a dungeon, at worst her head would be put on a pike. This way of life was all well and good for the time being, but she needed an opportunity to guarantee Rory’s safety. A gathering such as Rory described would provide ample opportunity to steal from someone who would never recognize her. And if they were wealthy, well, perhaps she could steal enough coin to provide her and Rory with many years of comfort.
She bid farewell to him, promising him that he would feel better in the morning once she went to the market and gathered enough food to fill their bellies. Their house was old andforeboding. The wind blew through holes in the roof, and in winter water dripped down. She had patched it up as best she could, but it only seemed like a matter of time before a harsh storm came and blew the whole thing down. She dreamed of living in a house like the one Ellen had told her in stories, and when she went to bed she pretended that she was sleeping in a wide bed and a soft mattress, rather than the cold, hard, narrow thing that she had to use. She wrapped herself up tightly in a blanket and closed her eyes, wishing that her parents were still around. She had to believe that things would be better if John and Ellen could take care of her. She was twenty-two now, but in many ways, she still felt like a child. She had no trade to be proud of, nothing to boast about to the world, and nothing that would secure a future for her and Rory.
Ellen and John had both died, leaving the responsibility of his safety to her. She needed to make sure that he was safe, and she vowed to do anything to make sure that happened. And she wanted to do it before he came of age to fight, because she did not want him to feel he had no other choice than to go to war. She had lost her parents. She wasn’t going to lose him too. Life was lonely enough already, she could not bear it if she had to lose him.
She fought against the cold and dreamed of a better and brighter future instead, one where she had an endless supply of food and safe surroundings. She hoped she could put this life of cozying up to sleazy men behind her, for she hated laughing at their jokes and pretending they were the most handsome men she had ever had the luxury of meeting. The more she thought about it, the more certain she was that this gathering would prove to be a boon for her. She could slip in and out like a ghost, taking as much gold as she could carry, and perhaps some jewels as well. She could afford to repair this house, no, she could afforda better house! They could move away from Tarbert and honor their parents’ memories properly. Anne knew that Ellen and John would never have wanted her and Rory to live like this. If it wasn’t for sickness and war then life would have been very different indeed, and it was up to Anne to balance the odds. A new day beckoned, and with it came the potential for change.
2
Anne awoke the following morning with a knot in her stomach. She gathered the purse she had stolen the previous night and walked outside, where Rory was sitting on a step, gazing at the dirt road. He still liked to believe that one day their father was going to return, clinging to the hope that the messenger had been mistaken. Anne had given up trying to convince him otherwise as it only made them quarrel, and there was enough tension between them already.
“When ye gae intae market taeday will ye find out some more information about this gathering? I was thinking about it last night, and I believe we hae tae gae,” Anne said, plucking a few coins from the purse and handing them to Rory.
“Ye just want me tae ask about it?”
“Aye, say that ye are hoping for some opportunity for work, or that ye are looking forward tae meeting some of the Lairds and nobles in attendance,” Anne said. After stealing coin, she liked to lay low, afraid that her target might see her spending their coin. It was easier if Rory went to the market. He nodded and walked away towards the village. Even though he was only 14 he wasbeginning to resemble their father. Anne could remember the way John left home. His gait was echoed in Rory’s strides. Her heart was filled with pride, love, as well as sorrow, for she feared that the same fate would meet Rory.
While Rory was away, Anne took the opportunity to prepare for this new endeavor. If they were going to attend an event like this gathering then her usual clothes simply were not going to do. She needed a beautiful gown to make an impression on the noblemen, and she had something in mind. She rummaged deep in a chest and pulled out a gown that had belonged to her mother. It was the most beautiful thing Anne had ever seen, and it was made of a soft material that felt so wonderful to touch. She carried it carefully, sitting down and draping it over her knees to inspect it and make sure that no damage had come to it. She traced her fingers along the sewn seams of the dress, relieved when she realized that it had been protected. The dress was a deep blue hue, like the depths of the oceans. She carefully placed it on a chair and then reached into the chest again, pulling out a small box. She pulled aside the latch and lifted out a necklace. It sparkled as it caught the light. Anne had always been transfixed by this when Ellen had shown it to her as a child.
“It’s a star that fell from the sky,” Ellen told her. Deep down Anne knew that this wasn’t true, yet it was easy to believe as the jewel was so bright and wondrous. In her most desperate time, she had considered selling these things, for they were the only possessions of value that she owned, but she couldn’t bring herself to get rid of them. They were the last things she had of her mother, and to exchange them for mere coin felt hollow. Instead, she had learned the art of seduction, preferring to sacrifice her dignity instead of the things her mother had left behind. She could hardly bring herself to get rid of this dress no matter the circumstance, as this was the dress that Ellen hadworn when she had run away from her family. Anne had heard the story over and over again, but she hoped the dress brought better luck to her than it did to her mother.
Anne clutched the necklace tightly to her breast and then fastened it around her neck. The jewel rested just below the hollow of her throat. She pulled her hair away and arched her neck up, exposing the necklace. Then, she changed into the dress. It fit her perfectly, clinging to the curves of her body. She ran her palms along her waist and hips, enjoying the way the dress flowed with her figure. It was almost as though it was made for her, and she took great delight in knowing that she had inherited things from her mother, just as Rory had inherited things from John. It brought Anne closer to her mother, as they had not been able to have as much time together as Anne had wanted.
To Rory, Ellen was little more than a dream, having died when he was very young. It was no wonder that he wanted to emulate his father. Anne was the one who had to keep the flame of Ellen’s memory alive. She was the one who remembered the stories and the grace. Ellen imbued the world with beauty no matter what she did. Looking around, she even made this house seem grander than it actually was. The shadows only began creeping in after Ellen had died.
Anne twirled around and the dress flowed with her, billowing out with her movements. She practiced curtsies and how she would greet handsome, powerful, wealthy men, remembering all the games she and her mother had played regarding etiquette. She also practiced her demure smile, knowing that she would have to stand out from the other women in attendance. There were plenty of people who would be seeking to win the heart of a wealthy man, and she imagined many women would be vyingto arrange a marriage. They would be more well-versed in that world than she was, so it was going to take all of her skill to outdo them.
When the thought of marriage flashed in her mind, Anne started to wonder if there was perhaps another way out of her predicament. She had always thought about earning enough coin to make them comfortable, but if she found the right man… well… that would certainly guarantee her a lifetime of safety. Finding the right man would be a challenge, of course. Could she really continue this act for a lifetime? She couldn’t imagine any man wanting to love a woman who came from such humble surroundings as this. However, her mother had always been good at telling stories and Anne hoped that she had inherited this talent as well. All she had to do was make an unassuming man believe that she was more than she really was, then her kiss and her whispered promises could do the rest.
When Rory returned, he stopped in the doorway and gasped. “Ye look just like her! At least, the way ye described her,” he said. Anne flashed him a genuine smile, touched by the compliment.
“Dae ye think this will impress the nobles?” she asked, swaying her hips from side to side.
“I think it would impress any man,” Rory said.
He placed some bread and cheese on the table, adding some slices of meat to the arrangement. At the sight of it, Anne’s stomach growled. Before she ate, she returned to the private room and carefully took off the dress and necklace, placing them back in the chest where they could be safe. She wasn’t going to risk anything happening to them. Returning to the main room, she sat at the table and broke off some cheese, enjoying the richtaste as it filled her mouth. She saved the meat for last, wanting to savor the experience.
“Is this enough? I remember what ye said about nae spending tae much coin at once,” Rory said.
Anne nodded. “We dinnae want tae raise suspicion. Now, did ye find out anything else about this gathering?” she asked.
Rory nodded, tearing off a piece of bread and chewing methodically. “A lot of people are excited about it. Many of the merchants are gaeing there because they think it’ll be easy tae make some coin. They said that people are always looking for an excuse tae spend at places like this. There are gaeing tae be people from all corners of the Highlands. It’s a point of pride for the McLeod clan that they can host such a large gathering. It’s like they’re boasting that they can hae this many people in their keep. But I did think of something, I asked them if there were gaeing tae be lots of guards there as well. They said aye, that every clan will hae their own personal guard, as well as the forces of the McLeods themselves. They’re nae gaeing tae risk the safety of their guests because they know that haeing sae many wealthy people in one place is gaeing tae attract thieves. Are ye sure this is a good idea? If there are gaeing tae be guards everywhere then maybe we should just lay low,” Rory said cautiously.
“The risk may be greater, but the prize is worth it,” Anne’s eyes flashed wildly as she thought of all the men who were going to be in attendance, each one of them buoyed by the surroundings, eager to loosen his purse strings and perhaps his heart as well.
“It’s happening soon. I thought ye always said we should leave some time between our missions? We hae enough coin tae lastus for a while.” Rory took a big slice of meat and tore at it with his teeth.
“But this could be the one that will last us a lifetime. We should get gaeing soon,” Anne nibbled on her piece of bread thoughtfully, seeing nothing but profit in her future. “It’s better tae take one big risk than lots of little ones, and the only reason why we need tae take it carefully here is sae we dinnae raise suspicion. But naebody is gaeing tae know us in the McLeod clan. We can be whoever we want tae be, and when it’s all over we might find ourselves in a better position than we hae ever been in before.”
