Page 9 of Highland Spirit

“Finn is almost done workin’ on buildin’ the boat,” whispered Alana. It was a secret project using the wood from the abandoned hut where Osla and her children used to live. “Mayhap when the time is right, we can try it out.”

“Diarmad will be leavin’ soon on another run,” said Kirstine. “Mayhap Albert and Graeme will help us.”

“I want to leave, Kirstine, I really do,” said Alana with a sigh. “But we have nowhere to go even if we do get off this isle. Faither has seen to it that no one will ever welcome us back again. And if we show up in public, we are most likely goin’ to be thrown in the dungeon for Faither’s crimes. If they tie us to the smugglin’ ring, we might all hang for it.”

“I see yer point, Alana. Ye are right. I guess we have no choice but to stay here. After all, I am Diarmad’s wife now and soon to have his baby. Mayhap ye and Finn should go without me.”

“I would never do that and ye ken it. Damn, why did Faither ever get hooked up with the vile man to begin with?”

“Dinna be angry with Faither,” said Kirstine. “He loves us, but just has a problem of makin’ the wrong choices too often.”

“I ken,” she agreed. “And since Mathair’s death, he has seemed to lose the will to live. With Mathair’s dyin’ breath, she told me to forgive him, and so I will.”

“She also told ye to guard the treasure, but we’ve yet to even find it.”

“I have a suspicion that we are closer than ye think,” said Alana, pulling the key out from around her neck attached to a string. It was hidden under her shirt. Her wedding ring was on the string with the key. “I think the treasure might be hidden right here at Blackbriar.”

“Really?” Kirstine’s eyes opened wide. “It would be a guid place to hide it since everyone is afraid to step foot on the isle.”

“My thoughts exactly. Our uncle kent this and so did our mathair.”

“Doesna Faither ken where the treasure is hidden?”

“Nay. I’m sure he wasna told because with his little problem, he couldna be trusted.”

“I wonder why our family was chosen to guard it?” asked Kirstine. “I would like to ken more.”

“Me, too, but I dinna think we’ll ever find out. But I’m goin’ to find the treasure if it’s the last thing I ever do. And then, I’m goin’ to use it.”

“Use it? For what?”

“To start a new life far away from here where no one even kens who we are. I dinna want my daughter livin’ like this. It is no’ right. And ye should no’ have to be married to a man ye dinna love.”

“Then we are goin’ to escape after all? I’m confused.” Kirstine held on to the wall for balance. “And are we goin’ to bring Faither with us?”

“Shhhh,” said Alana, her eyes darting around. “One of Diarmad’s men might hear ye talkin’.

“Alana, mayhap it’s time we get help. If Ethan is truly still alive, then mayhap he and the MacKeefes can –”

“Nay! Now haud yer wheesht,” spat Alana. “I could never ask Ethan and his friends to risk their lives to help me after the pain I’ve inflicted on them. Especially, after leavin’ Ethan at the altar on our weddin’ day.”

“Mayhap he still has eyes for ye, Alana. Perhaps all isna really lost after all.”

“It’s over, Kirstine,” Alana said softly, wishing things could be different. “What Ethan and I had could have been beautiful but I made the decision to leave him. No man will ever forgive an action like that. Besides, I’m sure he thinks I am naught but a traitor.”

“Mayhap no’. After all, ye thought he was dead and now ye found out he isna. Talk to Faither. Tell him Ethan was on the isle and is still alive. After all, the MacKeefe camp is close by. Mayhap more of them will come here. Mayhap Faither will come up with a plan.”

“Nay, no one else will come here. We’ve seen to that, or have ye forgotten? Our deceit will be kept a secret because of the awful legend that we canna let die. Kirstine, I didna want to alarm ye, but Faither’s health has been gettin’ worse lately. Bein’ chained up is killin’ his spirit and makin’ things even worse. He is too weak to go on the smugglin’ runs, yet Diarmad willna let him be. He is close to death, I am sure of it. It is even hard to carry on a conversation with him anymore.”

“What will happen to us if he dies before Diarmad says his debt is paid off?”

“I’m afraid if that happens, we will be stranded here for the rest of our lives. The secret boat Finn is makin’ is almost finished. So when it is, I will take it for a test before we all use it to sail to the mainland if we do decide to escape.”

“Alana, we are trapped in a life of hell that we will never escape, isna that so?” She sadly looked down at the bump that proved she would never be free of the evil man who forced her to be his bride.

“Nay,” Alana told her, putting her arm around her sister’s shoulders. Trying to remain optimistic was getting harder and harder through the years. “We’ll find a way out of this, dinna ye worry.”

“But it has been so long. I miss Mathair more and more each day.”