Page 174 of Tales of Highland Loyalty

He was not Malcolm.

"Pardon," muttered Ainslee, softly, and allowed herself to be pulled away by Marisse. Taking her to one side, Marisse looked at Ainslee, archly.

"Hen, what is up wi' ye?" she asked. Ainslee blushed. The turmoil of the crowd, and the after effects of day-long drinking were beginning to take their toll. Confused, she looked at her friend.

"I...I...saw Mal," she said, increasingly disoriented. Her whole body shook, and it was not entirely the cold. The shock of seeing his face after so long - even if it had been briefly - had undone her.

Marisse sent her a glance of frustrated sympathy. "Mal," she said, looking at her as if she was mildly deranged. "Ye cannae have... Listen, Ainslee. Ye have to forget that man... that's the whole point...!"

Sailors and townsfolk milled past. It was noisy. It was late. Ainslee felt an overwhelming desire just to get out of there, and go to bed. She wanted nothing more than to hit the road, and speed off home. But she couldn't.

"I cannae forget him, cannae ye see?" she said miserably. By now they were channeling down the side alleys, hoping to get away from the men still trickling into the town. But all the while, Ainslee's heart beat as loud as a bell.

Marisse put her arms around her. "Ye've got ta, hen. For yer own sake..." she pleaded with her.

Ainslee was about to concede, and turn away, when she thought she caught the glimpse of him again.

This time, he was further down the path, at the other side of the vennel they had been walking down. The light was fading, but Ainslee was certain it was him.

"Nae," said Ainslee, suddenly stubborn. Pulling her hood around her, she pushed on through the narrow alley, and straight out the other end. There, she sped after the disappearing man - to Marisse's consternation.

"Ainslee," called Marisse, but she could not stop her from going on.

Now in her own world, Ainslee's head was focused on just one thing.

Finding Mal, and confronting him.

She would do whatever it took to get him to stop.

CHAPTER 6

It started raining.

This gave the woman pause to stop and wrap a heavy woolen hood around her head. Watching her, Malcolm blinked.

She had the perfect disguise, no wonder Malcolm was suspicious! Her dark eyes narrowed, as she spied him through the shaded vennel. He returned her stare, double. But instead of backing off, like any normal person would, she redoubled her efforts, gazing at him with open hostility.

Mal's fingers wrapped tighter around his sgian dubh.The last ten years had taught him a lot about people; and none of it was good. Ready to defend himself, Mal glared.

Really, he hoped she would just go and leave him in peace. After ten years on a boat, he was ready to be on his own for a bit. There was an arduous journey to undertake. His mind was flashing with people and plans. He did not have time for raggle-taggle beggar maids in dirty alleyways.

But to Malcolm's dismay, the woman was not budging. In fact, she had slowed down, and was now obscuring his path.

His fingers pressed tight on his knife, Malcolm stepped forward. "Excuse me, miss," he said, in assertive tones. The lass looked up. At this point, he was still polite. He would give her one chance to get out of the way.

But the woman just stopped. Pulling the woolen shawl around her head, she simply shook her head, standing in front of him in a provocative stance.

"Nae," she said, to Malcolm's great annoyance. With a deep sigh, he tried again. She was probably a prostitute, trying her luck with the sailors on the docks.

"Miss, yer in my way," he said, less politely. Still, he did not push her. Not yet, but his thoughts were beginning to clamor in his head. "I do nae want yer services!"

He needed to get out of here. He had a horse to hire, and lands to reclaim. The last thing he could risk was an encounter with some strumpet-thief. More than likely she had a knife, and had seen him getting off the laden ship.

With a quantity of gold and coin, Malcolm was anxious to get away from her. Fast.

She was not moving. Malcolm picked up speed, surging forwards, he planned to push past the stationery woman. Just at the moment he brushed past her, she made him leap.

"What's yer name?"