Page 64 of Highland Spirit

“Guid, then ye can come with me.”

Ethan’s plan had been for Caleb to take the girls and Finn to the mainland. But now that Kirstine’s baby was born, things had changed. Kirstine was in no condition to be riding across the water. Especially since today’s weather changed for the worse. He also didn’t feel good about bringing little Gavina out into the elements. Gavina is what Kirstine named her baby, after their mother.

“Mayhap it can wait until later,” said Alana, sounding as if she were trying to stop him from going up to the tower. “Let’s go break the fast first.”

Ethan stopped and held out his open palm. “Give me the key,” he said. “I ken where the treasure is hidden.”

“Ye do? How can ye?” This seemed to pique her interest. She didn’t hand the key over.

“I remembered something from when I was a child.” He continued up the steps and Alana followed, both of them stopping just outside the door.

“Ethan, yesterday when I was in the tower I heard the voice of a man warnin’ me to leave the treasure be. He said we would all be killed if we tried to take it.”

“It was Mad Murdock,” he said, pushing open the door and drawing his sword before he stepped inside. “He’s guardin’ the treasure. I realize that now.”

“Mad Murdock? The murderer?” she asked, a shiver going up her spine.

“It all makes sense now, Alana. He is the one tryin’ to scare us all away. I wouldna be surprised if there never was a bride who died. The more I think about it, mayhap I never even saw a ghost. He must have faked it, the same way ye’ve been doin’.”

Just as he said that, Alana felt an icy shiver go up her spine. She was no longer sure about that. “Aye, I . . . guess so,” said Alana, clinging to him so tightly, her fingers were digging into his arm. “I’m still a little scared.”

“Dinna be afraid, lass,” he said, pulling Alana into his arms and giving her a quick hug. He led Alana over to the hearth. “It’s here,” he said. “I ken it is.”

“The treasure?” asked Alana. “Nay, I checked this tower many times and –” She stopped in midsentence, when Ethan pulled out a brick and then pulled open a secret door next to the hearth.

“Ethan! What is that?”

He reached into the enclosure, sliding out a large wooden box with a locked latch.

“I am willin’ to bet we just found yer Templar treasure.”

“Let me see,” she said, kneeling down and running her hand along the carved wood. There was a Templar’s cross on the box as well as symbols that she couldn’t decipher.

“Open it,” said Ethan, nodding at the box. “I want to see what’s in it.”

With a shaky hand, Alana pulled out the key that her mother had given her. She put it in the lock and slowly turned it until it clicked. “My mathair died to protect this treasure,” she said. “So did my uncle. It must be very valuable.”

“I’m sure it is.”

She started to open it, but stopped. Somehow, she started thinking she didn’t want to know what was inside. This treasure caused the deaths of not only people in her family but also so many of the Templar knights. “Ethan, I dinna think I can do it.”

“Then let me,” he said, pushing her hands out of the way and flipping up the lock.

“The box seems so small. I thought it would be bigger,” she commented as Ethan lifted the lid and they peered inside.

“What’s this?” growled Ethan, holding up what looked like a scroll.

“It seems there are only scrolls in here,” said Alana in confusion, inspecting the inside of the box. “Ethan, are ye sure there is no’ somethin’ else in the secret hidin’ spot?”

“Nay, that was it,” he said, going back and checking for possibly another hiding spot but he didn’t find one. “There is nothin’ else. Och, this doesna seem to be any kind of treasure at all.”

“Oh, but it is,” came a voice from behind them. Ethan jumped up with his sword in hand to come face to face with someone he hadn’t seen in a long time now. The man had a long scar on his face by his eye and Ethan had been the one to give it to him.

“Mad Murdock,” he spat, wanting nothing more than to run the man through with his sword. Because of this man, Ethan had lived his life in fear of ghosts.

“Step away from the treasure,” said Murdock, holding out his sword.

Alana slowly stood up, not able to believe there was a man in the room. “Where did ye come from?” asked Alana. “When did ye get here?”