Page 57 of Highland Steel

“Nice. But it’s a ring for a lassie. What are ye goin’ to do with it?”

“Hold on to it for me, Ethan. If I dinna come back alive, please give it to Rhoswen.”

“Ye’re givin’ Rhoswen a ring?” asked Caleb, feeding his pine marten that was sticking its head out of Caleb’s bag. “It sounds serious.”

“I am serious about her,” Logan told his friends. “I’m goin’ to the Drummonds and if I come back alive, I am goin’ to ask her to marry me.”

“Och, ye’ve got it bad, man,” said Ethan, handing him back the ring. “But ye’re goin’ to have to give it to her yerself. Because if ye die, I’ll die too since I am goin’ with ye.”

“Bid the devil, no’ ye, too,” said Logan, giving Caleb a nasty glare. Caleb smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s what friends do,” said Hawke. “And that’s why I’m goin’ with ye as well to help ye bring back the Sword of Triumph.”

“Nay.” Logan shook his head. “This is more than just a mission to take back what is rightfully ours. I’ve decided to bring back Rhoswen’s nephew as well.”

“Then we’ll help ye do that, too,” said Hawke.

“And what does Storm say about it?” asked Logan, knowing their chieftain did not agree.

“My da might no’ agree with us, but we’re goin’ to do it anyway,” Hawke told him. “There is no way we’re lettin’ our friend walk into the lion’s den alone.”

“Nay,” said Logan. “Hawke, ye and Ethan have wives and families now to think of. I willna put all that at risk by askin’ ye to help me.”

“Ye didna ask,” said Hawke. “We’ve decided. So dinna fight us – we’re goin’ with ye.”

“Damn ye,” said Logan, snatching the ring away from Ethan and dropping it into his sporran. “Now all I need is Rhoswen tellin’ me she is comin’ along with us as well.” Logan looked around, thinking it odd that he hadn’t seen Rhoswen all morning. “Have any of ye seen Rhoswen?” he asked. “I ken she was angry with me but it’s no’ like her to hide.”

“Nay,” said each of the men in turn.

“Shall we get goin’?” asked Ethan.

“I want to say guidbye to Rhoswen first,” Logan told them. “I dinna want to leave here before we’ve made amends.”

“Mayhap she’s in the hospice,” suggested Caleb.

“Aye, that’s where she must be. I’ll go say my farewells and meet ye all at the stables.”

“So ye’re lettin’ us go with ye after all?” asked Ethan with a wide smile.

“As if I could stop ye,” grumbled Logan, heading up the hill. He went straight to the hospice and walked inside. “Rhoswen,” he called out. “I want to talk to ye, sweetheart.”

He looked around the room but no one was there. So he headed out to the center of camp, asking everyone he saw, but no one had seen Rhoswen since yesterday.

“Logan, are we goin’ to stand here all day?” complained Caleb. “I thought we were leavin’.”

“I canna find Rhoswen,” Logan told him. “Help me look for her, because I have a feelin’ somethin’ is wrong.”

“All right. I’ll tell Hawke and Ethan.” Caleb ran off to tell their friends.

“Guid mornin’, Logan,” said Blaine, coming down from the hill of bluebells with her brother and Oliver.

“Guid mornin’,” he said. “Have any of ye seen Rhoswen?”

“Nay,” said Newell and Oliver, taking off in a foot race down to the lake.

“I havena seen her either,” said Blaine. “Why? Is somethin’ wrong?” Immediately, she started to rub the cross in worry.

“Nay, I’m sure she’s here somewhere,” said Logan, not wanting to upset the girl. He headed back to the stables where he found his friends.