Page 4 of Highland Ghost

“Nash, it’ll be fine,” said Kellina, running to the man’s side. “Laird MacBain, this is my husband, Nash, and his twin brother, North,” she explained. “Nash, my sister is nervous and I’ll only be there for perhaps a fortnight. It willna be long. She needs me.”

“A fortnight?” spat Nash, jostling the baby in his arms as the child began to cry. “And what about our daughter, Robena?” he asked. “Is it fair to her that her mathair is leavin’ her? She’s so young, Kellina. She needs ye.”

“Ye’re right.” Kellina reached out and took the child from him. “I’ll take Robena with us as well. A little fresh air will be guid for her.”

“Now wait a minute . . .” Ian’s words were cut off by Nash.

“Ye’ll no’ go anywhere without me. I’ll bring the wagon around, and ye and the bairn will ride in the back under the tarp.”

“This is really no’ necessary,” complained Ian, not wanting so many MacKeefes within the castle’s walls.

“I insist,” said Nash, looking over to his brother. “North, why dinna ye and Matilda and little Bram accompany us as well? We could make it a family outin’ out of it.”

“Nay, that’s no’ a guid idea,” protested Ian, but they just kept on talking. A red-haired woman joined them, taking the baby from North.

“Hello, I’m Matilda, North’s wife,” she said. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, and we’d love to accompany Caitlin to your castle.”

“Then it is settled. Ye’d all best be on yer way. Guid luck,” said Storm.

Thinking that the longer he stayed there, the bigger the traveling party of MacKeefes would become, Ian decided to stop fighting it. “If we dinna leave now, the storm is only goin’ to get worse.”

“Then let’s go,” said Kellina. “Just give us a few minutes to put some things together and we’ll be ready.”

“Nay. We need to leave right now.” Ian was becoming frustrated, not wanting a caravan and especially babies traveling with them, yet he didn’t know how to stop it.

“We have things we need for the babies,” explained Matilda, bouncing her little boy up and down. “Unless you have supplies for babies that we can use at Gowrie Castle.”

Ian and Finn exchanged glances, and a sinking sensation settled in Ian’s stomach. There were no children at the castle right now, and neither were there many of his clan at all since they had all been frightened away.

“Go on and get what ye need,” said Ian. “But make it fast. We need to get on the road anon.” He turned and stormed out of the church, opening the door just as lightning struck and a blast of thunder rumbled through the hills. Both babies started crying from behind him, already making his ears hurt with their shrieking.

“Are we really goin’ to take them with us?” asked Finn from next to Ian, pulling his hood over his head to keep off the rain.

“Do we really have a choice?” grumbled Ian, looking up at the black sky, feeling like this bad omen was only getting worse. If his marriage wasn’t doomed before it began, it surely would be as soon as all these people stepped foot inside his castle and discovered the ghosts.

“I hope Bernard and Sylvia dinna scare the bairns,” said Finn, calling the ghosts by name.

“Mayhap this will work in our favor,” said Ian, trying to remain quiet enough but still able to be heard over the sound of the crying babies.

“How so?” asked Finn in confusion.

“Mayhap if we’re lucky, the cryin’ whelps will scare off the spirits, and break the curse for us somehow.”

Caitlin followed herbetrothed out to the courtyard, grabbing her sister’s arm when she overheard Ian and Finn talking.

“What is it, Caitlin?” asked Kellina, cradling her crying child under her cloak.

“I just heard them talkin’ about spirits,” said Caitlin. “See, I told ye there were ghosts at their castle.”

“Hush, Robena,” said Kellina to her daughter holding her baby closer. “She doesna like the rain. Let’s get out of the storm quickly. Here come Nash and North with the wagon and our things.”

“Nay, Kellina. We canna go. What about the spirits I heard the MacBains mention?”

“Hush, my wee lass,” Kellina said to her crying daughter. “Caitlin, I’m sure the only spirits they were talkin’ about was ale or whisky. And honestly, I could use some for myself right now. Now, hurry. Let’s get out of the rain.”

“I’m still no’ sure about this, Sister.”

“I’m with ye, and so are Nash and North and Matilda. Ye have nothin’ to be frightened of.”