Page 19 of Highlander’s False Identity

“What?” asked the laird, genuinely taken aback. “Do ye nae like the lassie?”

“Nae, it’s nae that!” Beathan said. What he wanted to add was that he liked the girl a little too much, but he couldn’t exactly bring himself to use those words while she was listening.

“Well, what is it? Yer nae afraid of danger on the way are ye?” he asked his son, in surprise.

“Nae!” scoffed Beathan. “It’s nae that sort of danger that worries me…,” he added, his voice trailing off before revealing more of himself than he wanted to.

But the laird laughed and patted him on the back.

“Nonsense laddie, it’s just the trip ye need!” his father announced, before fixing him with a smile and reaching for a knapsack that he had brought out.

“It’s only what ye should have brought yesterday!” he teased, placing the haversack of precious jewels firmly in his son’s lap. However, his horse was already heavily burdened with baggage, and it proved difficult to tie it on.

“H'mm,” said Wallace, struggling with the package.

“It’s nae use, father. Prince is struggling already under the weight of things we must take!” Beathan said.

The poor horse was heavily laden with swords, daggers, and other protective equipment to make their journey through the bandit country.

The laird looked about for a moment, thinking. Usually, it would have been a servant who prepared the horses before a journey such as this, but to maintain security, they wanted as few as possible involved.

Edme and Beathan waited unsurely for permission to leave when the laird’s eyes alighted brightly on Edme.

“Here, perhaps ye should take it, lassie,” he said, approaching the girl and placing the jewels into her lap. “That’s if we can trust ye?” he said archly.

Edme’s eyes opened roundly, and she glanced at Beathan wildly. Beathan was just as surprised as she was.

“Dinnae fash, lass,” the laird said. “I ken they’re in good hands. After all, Beathan will be right behind ye!” he continued, then added, “An’ if ye get any wise ideas, I’ll have yer head! Ye got that?”

The laird laughed, but Beathan noted that his eyes did not. Edme nodded weakly, terror written large across her face.

Beathan wished he could comfort her in some way, but with his father bearing down on them, it was impossible.

“Of course, my lord, ye can trust me. I’ll nae let ye down,” Edme said, then she turned to Beathan and added gravely, “I’ll nae let either of ye down…. Ye have my word!”

Chapter Seven

“Och, Edme, ye forgot something!”

The laird’s voice called after her, as they trotted along the gravelly driveway which led out of the keep.

There was a sharpness in his tone which cut through her, making her turn immediately, eyes alert to his watchful face.

God knows, all she had wanted to do was get out of there. Being caught in a semi compromising position was bad enough, but now she got the feeling that the laird was playing games with her. Did he know something that she did not?

She had watched the little interaction between the laird and his son from her seat on her horse. Although she could not hear everything that they said, she had garnered the gist: Beathan did not want to accompany her on this mission.

To begin with, she had been reluctant to spend so much time with him, and when it was announced that he should accompany her to the keep, she had felt unsure. But since then, she had changed her mind.

Already, Edme’s heart was in her mouth at the turn of events in the last twenty-four hours. She had placed all her trust not only in Beathan, but the laird as well. She needed his protection every bit as much as he needed to trust her. The unexpected appearance of the laird like this was unnerving.

“F-forgot what?” stuttered Edme, as the laird walked over to her. In her hands, he placed something heavy, covered by a velvet cloth.

“It’s yours, I believe,” he said, smiling, but his smile was that of a trickster. Edme looked at him fearfully. She did not know him well, but she knew when someone was playing her. What was going on?

Tentatively, she lifted the cloth, a pure blue velvet, which was sublime to the touch. Beneath it lay a dagger.

Edme’s heart gave a start. For one awful moment, she had imagined it to be the Craig dagger, its jewels glistening out at her accusingly.