Page 40 of Highlander’s False Identity

“Away!” she hissed, before stomping out of the cottage and slamming the door shut so hard it almost came off its hinges. “Anywhere, as long as it’s far from ye and here!”

“But, but,” protested Beathan. Now he had picked up his cloak and was following her swiftly outside. He watched as she prepared to mount Nutmeg, the startled horse wondering what was going on.

“Och, Edme, would ye wait. The horses need feeding, an’… so do I!” he reasoned with her, but Edme was in no mood to listen.

“Do what ye like Beathan, I’m going without ye!” she said. She hadn’t yet got onto her horse; the pretty dappled mare needed some encouraging, perhaps spooked by their sudden arguing. Reluctantly, Edme came around to the front of her and gave her a friendly rub on the nose.

“Come on, Nutmeg,” she murmured. Instead of mounting her, she gently led the nervy horse a little along the track, which ran outside the old croft.

“But Edme, Duncan Castle is nae that way!” he argued.

Edme flashed him a look of pure hate. “Well, that’s as well, because I’m nae going there anymore!” she said.

There was a momentary pause as Beathan appeared to be thinking what to say next. He opened his mouth to argue with her, but before he could speak, Edme was halfway down the dirt track leading away from Duncan Castle.

“See ye later, Beathan,” she yelled. “Dinnae fash, I have nae taken yer jewels, ye’ve got them tucked up in yer pouch, I dinnae need anything from ye, I’ll be fine on my own!”

“But where will ye go?” Beathan asked her.

“Anywhere that ye ain’t!” she retorted and was about to turn away when a voice stopped her dead.

“Nae, lassie, that’s nae a good idea. Yer coming wi’ us, right now!”

Chapter Fourteen

“Ye are both to come wi’ us, right away!”

The man with the sgian dubh drawn was speaking. Beathan followed Edme’s eyes around to see where he was. When he turned, it was to see a pair of soldiers, knives drawn as if they were ready for action.

Beathan tensed immediately, seeing their blades. But when they opened their mouths to speak again, he was relieved.

“It’s nae safe here. The castle is the only place ye can go,” said the second man, in his local accent.

Beathan fixed the pair with his gaze, trying to figure them out. “Yer loyal to the clans?” he asked them directly.

Indeed, the soldiers were Scottish, but Beathan was more than aware that didn’t necessarily signal allegiance to the laird, or indeed any of the local clans.

Beneath his loose léine, Beathan reached stealthily for his sgian dubh, nestling in its pouch. But the toothy grin the blond officer gave him put him at ease.

“Aye, we’re from Duncan keep,” said the soldier. “The English were spotted in the area earlier today. We don’t exactly ken what they’re doing, but it’s nae safe to stay here. Ye need to come back with us now, sir.”

Then, the second guard, a short dumpy man with a thick thatch of brown hair, spoke. “An’ we almost didnae come in here at all, because we thought this place was empty, but then we heard ye arguing.”

At this, both Edme and Beathan looked embarrassed. Then the first soldier continued. “Aye, sir, the English have been seen here, so we will give ye an escort to Duncan keep, where ye will be safe.”

Without further ado, the pair mounted their horses and indicated for Beathan and Edme to follow them.

Beathan trailed behind Edme, making sure she was definitely on the path and not about to try anything. He didn’t entirely put it past her, not to do another bunk.

But by the look on her face, she was in no mood to argue. The mention of the English had washed away her angst, and she simply got into line with the Scottish guards.

“Lead the way,” she murmured to the men, as the procession set off across the windswept countryside.

As the four of them trotted near the crag side, Beathan muttered a silent thanks to the Duncan castle guards, who had appeared at just the right time.

If they hadn’t materialized when they did, who knows what might have happened to her?

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