Page 12 of Once Upon a Haunted Horn and Hoof

Chapter Four

From a crouched position in the barn near Callum’s still, Keithen held his hand over Lorna’s mouth, watching Callum at work. The girl had almost announced her presence, which would have caused the old man to know that he was being spied on.

Lorna looked back at Keithen, and her tense body slowly relaxed.

“Shhh,” he said, removing his hand from her mouth. This close to the girl, Keithen could not only feel her body pressed up against him, but was well aware of her tantalizing scent of wildflowers and fresh air. “Dinna let him ken we are here,” he said, his mouth up against her ear. He swore she held her breath and her eyes closed. Then, he felt her body go limp against his chest.

If he hadn’t been looking at her, he would have noticed the MacKeefe guards run into the barn, followed by the damned ghost.

“Callum, it’s the ghost! Do somethin’,” shouted one of the men.

Callum put down the funnel and his hands went to his waist.

“Lennox MacNeil, ye are no’ welcome here,” shouted Callum.

“It’s my grandda,” whispered Lorna.

“Ye ken he’s the ghost?” asked Keithen.

“I do. What does he want?”

“He wants the secret of how to make Mountain Magic.”

“But he’s dead. He’s a ghost,” she said. “What does it matter now?”

“Leave before I have my guards run ye through with their swords,” Callum threatened the ghost.

A deep laughter filled the air. “Yer men canna harm me, and ye ken it.” Lennox flew right through one man, and the other went sailing through the air as if the ghost had pushed him.

Lorna gasped and held a hand over her mouth. The guards ran from the building in fright.

“Ye dinna scare me, ye mischant spirit. Now leave!” shouted Callum once again.

“Ye ken what I want, Callum. Now give it to me.”

“Never!”

Right before Keithen’s eyes, he saw a large cask of whisky rise from the stack and then come crashing down, letting loose the others with a loud bang. The barrels rolled right toward Callum.

“Nay!” shouted Keithen, darting out from his hiding place, running to Callum and pushing him aside to get hit by the barrels instead.

“Nay! Keithen!” Lornaran out to help her betrothed while the ghost of her grandfather flew back and forth wailing, causing a shiver to run up her spine.

Keithen pushed up from the ground, facing the ghost head-on. Callum lay silent on the ground.

“Ye will leave here now and never return!” Keithen shouted to the ghost. “Ye willna ever hurt any of the MacKeefes again, and neither will ye stop my weddin’ to Lorna.”

“Ye ken what I want,” said the ghost, the apparition getting dimmer and his voice fading as if it were losing energy. Then, in a wisp of fog or air, the ghost disappeared.

“Keithen, are ye all right?” Lorna ran to him and threw her arms around him. “That was so brave, what ye just did.”

Without being able to stop herself, she pressed her lips against his in a deep kiss. Keithen’s arms closed around her waist, and he pulled her closer, returning the kiss.

“Mmmph,” came the groan of Callum from the floor. Keithen quickly released Lorna and they both ran to his aid.

“Callum, are ye hurt?” asked Keithen.

“Can ye stand?” Lorna wanted to know.