“If it holds any chance of helping,we are willing to assist in any way we can,”he assured me.
“The remedy calls for rowanberries from Loch Ness and water from Tobar Mhoire in Letterfearn,”I told him, hoping my fabricated tale would hold under his scrutiny.
“Gwen, go fetch my son,”the duke commanded, his hand resting on my shoulder.“I will do whatever I can to save her. You have my word.”
My heart sank at the duke’s words. I had not expected him to send his son on such an errand. I had thought it would have been one of the men who had come to Gran’s aid at the cottage instead. Dreading the interaction that lay ahead, I turned my attention back to Gran and willed myself to stand tall and not show any weakness in his presence. Within a few minutes, I heard sharp footsteps echoing on the flagstone floors, rapping down the hallway and into the room.
“Father, Mother, you called for me,”a voice spoke. I resisted the urge to turn around, recognizing the familiar tone. It was their son, the same insolent man who had been so disrespectful to me in our previous encounters.
“James, I am sending you to Tobar Mhoire in Letterfearn for water. You must also gather rowanberries to bring back with you for the remedy,”the duke commanded.
“But Father, I was planning on leaving for Edinburgh in the morning. Why not send Arthur or Henry?”he protested.
“Because you owe this woman your life, and it is time to repay the debt. You can postpone your departure a few days,”the duke said in a booming voice that echoed off the stone walls.
As they exchanged words, a sense of unease gripped me. The spell specified the need for berries from a particular rowan tree and water collected in a copper bowl from the well in a very particular way. I couldn’t merely delegate these tasks without arousing suspicions. I needed to be part of this journey. The prospect of traveling with this man dismayed me, butif it meant saving Gran, I would endure a hundred days in his company.
“I will go as well, my lord,”I interjected, abruptly interrupting their conversation.
“Cora, my dear, no, I think it best if you stay here with your gran. She needs your strength beside her.”
“But, my lord, I must go,”I protested. I had not anticipated his resistance, and my mind was in a frantic rush to devise reasons why I must go along without revealing the truth. This was not merely a trip to gather ingredients for a medicine; this was the working of a spell, and things must be performed and gathered in a specific way, or the spell would not take. However, I could not tell this to the duke.
“I fear if you leave with James that you may return to an empty bed. The doctor does not believe she is much longer for this world,”he told me.
I stood for a long moment unsure of what to say to sway him. What he didn’t know was without the items needed for the spell, Gran’s death was all but certain. Before I was able to gather my thoughts and plead my case to the duke, James interrupted.
“It’s a three-day ride there and back, and all you’ll do is slow me down.”His tone dripped with condescension. I watched as the duke shot him an unhappy look, then turned back to me.“What James is saying is true. He can get there and back much quicker on horseback than if you were to go with him in a carriage,”the duke explained.
“My lord, with the utmost respect, Lord Campbell lacks the knowledge to harvest the berries in a manner that preserves their potency. If done incorrectly, the medicine made with them will be ineffective. It’s a skill Gran has been teaching me for as long as I can remember. This is what she has been preparing me for,”I said, meeting both their gazes.
The duke sat in silence for a moment, contemplating my words.
“And are you sure this cannot be taught to James now?”he finally asked.
“No, my lord. It took many lessons before Gran was satisfied with my technique.”
“Well, if that be the case, then there really isn’t much choice in the matter. James, you will take Ms. Douglas with you,”he conceded.
“No. I will not be escorting some maid across the land,”James retorted.
“You have no say in this matter and will do as I say. Cora, go pack your bags. James will pick you up within the hour,”the duke ordered, cutting off his son’s objections.
Bending forward, I planted a kiss on Gran’s forehead.
“I will pull you from this spell, but I need you to stay strong, to stay alive,”I whispered softly in her ear before hastily making my way out of the bedroom, through the castle, and toward the cottage.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The First Part of the Journey
Ihastened back to the cottage, keenly aware of the urgency. I needed to pack swiftly for the journey, ensuring I had all the necessary items, including Gran’s book carefully concealed among my belongings.
As I retrieved the book from its hiding spot at the bottom of Gran’s bag, I was drawn to open it against my better judgment. Despite its pull, I resisted, knowing I didn’t have much time left before the duke’s son arrived. I quickly gathered the remnants of herbs around the hearth, bits and pieces that were left from Gran’s conjuring. I would need them when we returned with the water and berries for the countering spell. I swept what I could find into a small pouch and tucked it into my bag. I made sure to leave nothing behind that might force us to turn back.
I had just finished securing the last of my belongings when the rhythmicbeating of the horse’s hooves echoed on the frozen ground outside the cottage. A knock followed, and the footman stood ready to take my satchel and guide me to the waiting carriage as I opened the door. Stepping into the carriage, I found James seated across from me, arms crossed, and his gaze fixed on the window, paying me no attention.
“My Lord Campbell,”I said upon entering. Without acknowledging my presence in any way, he said nothing, and I felt like a mere ghost as I sat down across from him.
