Page 53 of Highland Spirit

“I’ve already told him and he’ll be waitin’.” Kirstine moaned again.

“Ye need to lay down.” Alana helped her sister lay down on the bed next to Isobel who was already sleeping. Then she walked around the bed and kissed her daughter on the head, tucking her in, thinking how much she looked like Ethan. Those same wide, brown, curious eyes and the little wave in her dark hair that Ethan had made it undeniable that he was her father. How could Ethan not have noticed the first time he set eyes on her?

Alana never liked playing the ghost because she was afraid somehow it was going to scare her daughter. But she’d explained to Isobel years ago that it was just a game. It didn’t seem to bother Isobel and the girl could even sleep right through it now. But something was different lately. Isobel had seemed spooked at the castle, claiming she saw someone following her, and that someone was after her doll. She’d seemed so happy at the MacKeefe camp, but here, as soon as nightfall came, she was sure her daughter would be frightened again.

Alana couldn’t blame her. Lately, this old castle seemed eerier than usual. And as much as Alana didn’t like when her father’s men were present, at least she didn’t seem so spooked when they were near. Every time they went on a smuggling run, she felt frightened, thinking she saw someone in the shadows. She supposed it was her own mind playing tricks on her and hoped that was all it was. She needed to be strong and stay in control – and think with a level head.

Hurrying up the stairs to the vacant tower, she pulled the dummy stuffed with straw over to the window. It was in the shape of a woman, even wearing one of the white nightrails that Alana had found in a trunk that she supposed belonged to the last lady of the castle. That is, the bride who was killed by her husband. Horsehair was used for the fake ghost’s hair.

“Ugh,” she said, not liking to touch the thing. This was all her father and Diarmad’s idea to keep people away from the isle. It had worked well this past year until Ethan and his friends decided to show up. “I hate this,” she mumbled to herself, thinking she hated herself and her life as well. If only she could find the treasure her mother spoke of, mayhap things would be different. Then she could provide for her siblings and father if they were ever able to escape Diarmad. But now that Ethan had her key, that might never happen.

She hauled the dummy up to the window ledge, looking out into the courtyard but not seeing Ethan anywhere. Since Kirstine said he was out there, she figured he’d see this and hear the scream and get spooked and leave. She had no choice but to do it. Ethan was very superstitious, and especially wary of ghosts. She had no choice but to scare him away.

Hoping Finn was in position, she flipped the dummy out the tower window and let out a bloodcurdling scream, hating herself more than ever now.

Then she stepped back into the room with her heart thudding in her chest. Every time she looked out the tower window, she got a bad feeling. She wondered about that poor woman and how she must have felt going to her death. Then, from the corners of her eyes, she thought she saw the flash of white floating by in the room behind her. She spun around, holding on to the windowsill, but saw nothing or no one in the room.

“Nay,” she said aloud. “It must just be my imagination.”

Even so, it spooked her, and Alana ran from the room and down the stairs, wanting to be safe again in Ethan’s arms.

* * *

Ethan had wandered outside the castle walls with Trapper when, all of a sudden, he heard that awful scream again. His head popped up to see a woman falling from the tower and hitting the ground.

“The ghost,” he said, his senses already on high alert. It didn’t matter that he saw a ghost in broad daylight, it was still unsettling to him. All those emotions from his childhood surfaced and the hairs stood up on the back of his neck.

Trapper took off at a run toward the tower.

“Nay. Come back here, Trapper,” he called out, running after his dog. When he made it to the spot just below the tower, he saw Trapper walking back to him with something big in his mouth. It resembled a person.

“What have ye got there?” asked Ethan, bending down to see it was a stuffed dummy made to look like a woman. “What the hell?” Suddenly things were starting to make sense. He realized he’d been made a fool of once again. There was no ghost at Blackbriar Castle. Someone was just trying to scare him away and he had a pretty good idea who was behind it all.

He heard the rustling of branches and turned to see Finn walk out of the thicket.

“Finn?” he asked, holding up the dummy. “Is this yer idea of a jest?” he asked through gritted teeth.

The boy stopped in his tracks and his eyes opened wide. “Nay,” said the boy, looking frightened of Ethan. “I’m just here to pick it up. None of this was my idea at all.”

“Alana,” he growled. “She’s purposely tryin’ to scare me away, isna she?”

When the boy didn’t answer, Ethan grabbed the back of Finn’s cloak in one hand, still holding the dummy in the other and stormed back to the castle.

“I want an explanation for all of this,” spat Ethan. “I want to ken what’s goin’ on here, and when I find out, someone is goin’ to pay.”

* * *

Alana rushed down the stairs, meeting her sister coming up.

“Alana, what’s the matter?” asked Kirstine. “Ye look like ye’ve seen a ghost.” Kirstine suddenly realized the humor in the situation and started to giggle.

“I thought I told ye to rest,” scolded Alana. “Why are ye climbin’ stairs in yer condition?”

“I was restin’ but I thought I saw someone walk by the door to the room and I came out to investigate.”

“I think I saw the ghost, Kirstine,” Alana blurted out, her body shaking. “It floated right by me up in the tower room.”

“Slow down, Alana, I canna understand what ye mean. Did ye play yer part or no’? I thought I heard ye scream.”