Page 25 of A Highlander for the English Widow

Lydia’s gaze darted to Logan, and it was clear by the way she cowered that she was intimidated by the man.

“What w-would ye like tae know?” she asked.

“It’s about this man you are seeing.”

“Stevie?” Lydia asked.

“Yes, Stevie. We have reason to believe that he is involved with a criminal named Bram MacGavin. Is that true?”

“I…I dinnae know about that,” Lydia said, averting her gaze.

“I would nae lie tae us,” Logan growled.

It was the first thing he had said to Lydia, and it had the required effect. She swallowed a lump in her throat and began gnawing on her lower lip.

“Aye… He haes mentioned it a few times,” Lydia admitted, and then she hastened to add, “but I never took part in any of it!”

“I’m sure you didn’t. But we need to know where Bram’s camp is located and any other information you can tell us.”

“Oh… I dinnae know about that. Stevie told me that it was a secret. I dinnae think he was even supposed tae tell me. I hae great respect for ye, m’lady, and…and m’laird, but I hae tae think about the promises I made tae Stevie…”

Amanda leaned forward and narrowed her gaze. Her eyes became as sharp as a hawk’s. She was beginning to think she should dismiss Lydia right there and then.

“I would think carefully about who you choose to give your loyalty to, Lydia. Men are not always trustworthy, especially ones who spend their time with criminals. You may think you are beholden to this man, but I can assure you that is not the case. Now, you are going to tell us what we need to know. If you are struggling with your conscience, then you should know that you are doing the right thing. Bram MacGavin is using children to help him with his criminal endeavors. We encountered a young girl who was wounded by him. She suffered a savage cut to her head, and if we had not found her…well…I dread to think what might have happened.” Amanda felt a surge of emotion as she thought of Lillie, and this imbued her words with a fierce energy. “By association, your Stevie is a part of this.”

“Oh nay, Stevie would never dae anything like this,” Lydia said.

Amanda closed her eyes momentarily. It always amazed her how some women could have blind spots when it came to the men they proclaimed to love.

“Either you don’t know him as well as you think you do, or you are being willfully obtuse. He is a part of Bram MacGavin’s thugs, and he has told you about them. Now, you are going to tell us what we need to know so that we can put an end to him. We will not have people taking advantage of children,” Amanda said sternly.

Lydia was suitably chastised and looked ashamed.

“He said there was a camp deep in the woods, beyond where most people gae. I hae nae been there myself. Stevie doesnae want tae take me there. I didnae know they were using children, I promise. I just thought they were daeing harmless crimes…”

“Nay crime is harmless,” Logan interjected, holding his gaze on the poor girl. “How many men does Bram have?”

Lydia lifted her gaze and tilted her head from side to side as she tried to recollect what Stevie had told her.

“I think Stevie mentioned there were a dozen or sae of them. Ye are nae gaeing tae hurt him, are ye? Stevie is a good man, he just fell in with the wrong crowd, that’s all. He’s trying tae earn enough coin sae that he can buy his own farm or inn, and then he’s gaeing tae marry me and we’re gaeing tae begin a family taegether.”

Lydia swelled with pride as she spoke about this life that awaited her in the future, but like so many other plans, Amanda thought it was all going to be for nothing. She glanced at Logan and knew he wasn’t going to show mercy to anyone who pledged their loyalty to Bram MacGavin, nor could she blame him. Each of them had been aware that Bram was using children, and so they had all participated in the crime. Neither Amanda nor Logan gave Lydia any guarantees that Stevie would be kept safe.

Logan continued to ask her specific questions about the watch schedule—when the men usually slept, if they patrolled the surrounding area… Things like that. Amanda sat back and watched Lydia. As Logan peeled away the truth, Lydia became more fragile, as though she knew what would become inevitable. For whatever reason, she had loved this Stevie and had convinced herself that they were going to have a happy ending. She was just a fool like so many other women and had to learn that happy endings were rare. At least she is still young, Amanda thought. She still has a chance to fall in love with a good man.

Once Logan was satisfied with the answers he had been given, he nodded at Amanda, who then turned back to Lydia.

“Now Lydia, I understand this may be a distressing time for you, but I think it’s best if you get back to work and try to distract yourself. I’m afraid that even after your shift ends today, you will have to remain in the estate. I cannot risk you going to warn Stevie. And I would suggest that you evaluate your life choices because this man, no matter what promises he has given you, is not a good man. There are plenty of other ones to choose from,” Amanda said.

Lydia looked up at her with an expression of shock, almost as though she was pleading with Amanda and telling her that she would never betray Amanda’s confidence. But instead of saying anything, she just bowed her head and accepted Amanda’s judgment before slinking out of the room with heavy footsteps.

Amanda immediately went outside and told Ann to make sure that Lydia was observed closely. Although Lydia had given Amanda her word, Amanda was not naïve enough to think that love could be conquered so easily. At this critical juncture, it was essential that the plan was not revealed.

“I shall be gaeing then. I can gather my men and get ready tae strike,” Logan said.

This was the moment that Amanda had dreaded, the moment where everything was going to be put on the scales of fate and weighed accordingly. She looked at Logan with a lingering gaze, trying to take all of him in, just in case she never saw him again. The thought filled her with an ache in her heart, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she told herself to be strong. She told herself to be proud.

“Best wishes,” she said, unsure of the proper thing to say to someone who was going to march into battle. “I hope that you return swiftly. Please, take care. I…care about you,” she said, the words catching in her throat. “I know that may not mean anything…”