Page 1 of Highland Spirit

Prologue

“Yer uncle is dead, yer mathair has been abducted, and yer faither is bein’ hunted by his own clan.”

Alana Chisholm froze, not able to believe the message that her father’s friend, Albert, just whispered in her ear. In a few minutes’ time she’d be marrying her childhood sweetheart, Ethan MacKeefe, and this news was the last thing she wanted to hear right now. She’d been waiting for her family to arrive for the wedding but never expected this.

“Nay, say it isna so, Albert,” she whispered back to the man, glancing over her shoulder at the members of the MacKeefe Clan who were not privy to her father’s immoral habits. The MacKeefes were already celebrating although she and Ethan had yet to say their vows. The entire camp had been busy all morning preparing food for the celebration, getting ready to welcome Alana into their clan as Ethan’s wife.

Ethan waited near the archway of flowers, jesting with his good friends, Hawke, Logan, and Caleb. He looked so handsome in his saffron leine and purple and green plaid that were the colors of the MacKeefe Clan. The priest conversed with Storm MacKeefe, the laird of the clan. Old Callum MacKeefe was already passing out the Mountain Magic – his potent brew of whisky. Everyone was here except for Alana’s parents.

The MacKeefes stalled while they waited for her family. Today, she was supposed to become wife to the man she loved. This wedding was crucial since Alana had a secret that she’d not shared with anyone – not even Ethan. “Please dinna tell me this now, Albert. I’m about to get married!”

If this message was coming to her now, it could only mean one thing. Her family truly needed her. And she had to try to help them. Her body became numb at the news of her uncle’s death. Fear coursed through her to learn that her mother had been abducted. This all had to do with her father’s little problem of getting mixed up in things that were less than admirable, she was sure of it. If it wasn’t his gambling, it was his drinking or fighting, or something else that always landed him in trouble. If it weren’t for Alana usually being able to smooth things over for him, her father would probably be dead by now. Alana had a knack for making things right. Give her a bad situation and she was usually able to turn it around and find the good in it. But today, she had the feeling this would not be the case.

Alana’s world came crashing down around her and she felt helpless to stop it this time. Laying her hand on her belly she tried her best to still the turmoil and anticipation welling within her. However, it did naught to calm her. She suddenly felt frozen in fear to think that she might not get to marry Ethan after all. She’d waited too long and she didn’t want anything to stop this wedding from happening.

“We’ve got to go, Alana,” Albert told her with urgency in his voice. “Yer faither is waitin’ for us at the shore. He’s got a friend with a boat. Kirstine and Finn are already in the cart ready to go.”

She noticed her younger sister and brother who had been here helping her prepare for her wedding now sitting in a wagon hidden behind some brush. The horse pulling the wagon neighed and snorted as if it were irritated as well. Albert knew all her father’s bad vices but was still his friend. So were a few others of the clan that her father trusted. These men now waited on horseback next to the wagon, ready to take her away.

“B-but, surely this can wait. Please,” she begged him. Her heart about beat from her chest and she felt like she was going to swoon. Turning back to see the MacKeefes across camp laughing and talking, her eyes settled on Ethan’s tall, dark, and handsome form. She’d waited so long for this day. She was already eight and ten years of age and still not married like most of the rest of the girls in her clan. She’d known Ethan her entire life and only had eyes for him. They belonged together. “Today is my weddin’ day, Albert!” she said, her bottom lip trembling. Her knees quaked as anxiety grew within her.

Alana couldn’t deny a request from her father. He counted on her more than anyone, ever since her mother threatened to leave him because of his ill-conceived ways. Alana had to be there for him. She couldn’t let him down. But neither could she walk away before she’d married Ethan. They’d planned a future together and she would not be the one to take that away from him.

“I canna go,” she cried.

“Ye must! Now, let’s move quickly. Yer faither awaits us at the docks with a ship ready to sail to Ireland.”

“Ireland?” she asked, just as surprised to hear this as the rest of the news. “But our home is in Scotland.”

“No’ anymore, it isna, lassie,” the man told her with a frown. “I’m afraid yer faither is considered a fugitive now. He’s done some very bad things. He’s a wanted man by more than one clan. A group of those he’s wronged are headed this way to find him as we speak. Anyone related or tied to him in any way is in danger. Ye must come with us for yer own safety and ye canna tell a soul. It is yer faither’s orders.”

“Nay! I’ll be safe here with the MacKeefes,” she told him. “Ethan will protect me once I’m his wife.”

“I’m afraid that might no’ be true,” he said sadly. “Ye see, while the MacKeefes were preparin’ for yer weddin’, yer faither has stolen their livestock from the hills and tried to sell it to the MacDougals. However, the MacDougals were no’ so easily fooled. All hell is about to break loose. Once the MacKeefes find out what happened, they’ll want yer faither’s head like everyone else.” Albert took her by the arm and pulled her along with him. The bouquet of flowers she’d been holding dropped to the ground. Hurrying along, she almost tripped on her long skirt as they made their way over the rocky ground to the wagon.

“Wait,” she said, breaking free of the man’s hold. “I need to say somethin’ to Ethan before I go. I need to let him ken I still want to marry him. I have to tell him when I’ll be back. When will we return?”

“Lass, Ethan will no’ want ye after this. And I’m no’ sure we’ll ever be back,” said Albert shaking his head.

“Never?” she asked in astonishment. “Well, then I’m no’ goin’ with ye! I’m sure Ethan will understand I had nothin’ to do with this.” Once again, she laid her hand on her belly, rubbing it in small circles, lost in thought. “My place is here with Ethan.”

“Ye’re wrong! Yer family needs ye now more than ever, Alana. Do no’ leave them at a time like this. It is important that yer family stays together no matter what happens. Ye have always been the one to keep them together, so dinna desert them in their time of need. Ye need to help find a way to free yer mathair.”

“What can I possibly do?” she asked, not wanting to leave Ethan but also not wanting to abandon her family, especially her mother, at a time like this. To think someone might be hurting her mother or treating her like a prisoner made Alana very angry, indeed. The weight of the world was on her shoulders now. Her family depended on her for her strength. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn’t. No matter what choice she made, she would lose someone she loved before this day was over.

“Alana, hurry!” called out Kirstine, her sixteen-year-old sister from the cart. She clutched their eight-year-old brother, Finn to her chest in a protective manner. “There are men approachin’ on horseback and they look angry.”

“Losh me! It’s the MacDougals,” said Albert, looking up over Alana’s head. “They got here faster than I thought. We need to leave at once!” He turned to go but stopped and looked back at Alana when he realized she didn’t follow. “What is yer decision, lass? What shall I tell yer faither? He canna do this without yer help. Ye ken he is a weak-willed man and always looks to ye as his savior.”

Alana had to make a choice quickly. But whatever she decided, she was sure she would someday regret it in the end.

With her mother’s life at stake and her father running for his life, there was nothing else Alana could do. She had to protect her siblings and help her family. Maybe together they could figure out a way to free her mother and clear her father’s name. But to do that she’d need a miracle. If all that Albert told her was true, and if she stayed behind, it could possibly mean she’d never see her family again.

“I will come with ye,” said Alana softly, her heart already breaking by her choice. “Guidbye, Ethan,” she whispered, looking back at him with tears in her eyes as she headed for the wagon. A group of angry Scots rode into the MacKeefe camp shouting and chaos broke out. Holding her hand over her belly, there was only one thing that would comfort her now. Even though she had to leave the man she loved, a part of him would stay with her forever because she was pregnant with Ethan MacKeefe’s baby.

They made it to the shore quickly, racing to the small trade ship preparing to leave. They’d all climbed aboard but what Alana saw made the blood freeze in her veins.

“Papa? she asked, seeing her father bound and gagged, tied to the center pole. Her mother lay in a heap at his feet. “Mathair,” screamed Alana, running and dropping to her knees, leaning over the woman and screaming to see her bruised and bleeding body. “Why did they do this to ye?” she cried, not understanding any of this at all.