Page 44 of Highlander’s False Identity

“How?” she asked, despite herself.

“There are tunnels built into Duncan Castle, and they go back centuries. They can take ye to the edges of the lands where they border with the Ross clan… I ken every inch of them from when we used to play…,” his voice trailed off at this point, although Edme instinctively knew what he was about to say next.

“With Sheelagh, ye mean?” she asked archly.

Beathan just sighed. “Aye, wi’ Sheelagh, a bit, but mainly wi’ her two brothers..,” he broke off for a moment, before giving Edme a wink. “We used to think it great fun that we could get straight to the Ross Keep from here. Well, now I guess that might come in handy!”

“So I get to the Ross Keep – then what? They’ll nae be expecting me for sure!” reasoned Beathan.

“Ye let me worry about that. I’ll send message to them, but also, yer nae going alone… there’s still a guard or two knocking about in here. I’ll summon one of them to accompany ye, wi’ a letter from me about who ye are, an’ that ye are to be helped to get out of the Highlands…”

“But!” protested Edme, her heart beating furiously.

Beathan lifted his face and looked at her tenderly. “As ye said, ye need to get out of here. I can help ye. There’ll be enough money to get ye out of the whole area; perhaps even out of Scotland, an’ ye’ll nae even need to rob anyone again!”

An unexpected twinkle came into Beathan’s eye. Edme wanted him to hold her tight, but instead, she stood her ground.

“I’ll nae go, Beathan. I want to stay here an’ help ye!” she argued.

“But Dughall is coming. I’m nae sure we can hold him at bay, but ye’ve got a chance to get away!” Beathan said, desperately.

“I dinnae want to run anymore, Beathan! I’ll give myself to Dughall if that’s what it takes. I’ll let him do whatever he wants with me… he can have his way if that’s what it takes!!” she was sobbing, finally holding onto him and digging her fingers into his neck.

Beathan looked bewildered. “Wait on, lass, what do ye mean, do whatever he wants…let him have his way, ye nae say that…?”

His question hovered in the air, open-ended. The look on Edme’s face answered his question. She nodded imperceptibly; then buried her face in his neck.

“Aye, Beathan, the fact is my brother,” Edme’s voice was shaking as she said this. “My brother, well, he doesnae behave towards me as a brother, if ye ken…,” she said finally.

“My God, Edme! I didnae ken,” murmured Beathan, stroking her tenderly and looking horrified.

“Nae, no one does. How can ye tell anyone something like that? How could I tell my father?” she asked him plaintively, looking into his horrified eyes.

“Gadzooks, ye mean that this has been going on… how long?”

Edme sighed. “Years. I mean, nothing has happened. Yet, anyway…,” she said, but her voice tapered off.

“But he tried it?” Beathan said, his voice dropping low and gravely. He put his arm around Edme and held her tight.

Edme nodded. “Aye, Beathan. Listen, ye remember afore when I said that I went to look for evidence of his treachery? Ye ken, about plotting with the English. Well, when I went into his room,” her voice heaved with the emotion of what she was saying, “when I was there, he came in an’ tried to grab me an’ push me down an’ have his way...,” Edme’s voice trailed off, as she desperately choked back the sobs.

“I’ll kill him!” Beathan murmured, beneath his breath. “I’ll wring his scrawny neck. I dinnae care how many of them are with him. I’ll tell them all what sort of a man he is!”

By now, he had worked himself up to a frenzy. But when he looked into Edme’s eyes, his expression changed.

“Nae, dinnae, please,” Edme begged him. “Tis true we have to fight him, but…,” she fought off the sobs heaving up from her chest.

“Och, I should have thought, lass. Of course, I will nae tell anyone anything, if ye dinnae want it,” Beathan told her.

Now that Edme had his understanding, she squeezed his hand lightly.

“Thank ye,” she said. “Now ye realize why I need to stay here wi’ ye, an’ fight?” she told him, as Beathan nodded. “The McKinley clan is my home. I’ll nae be driven away!” she added fiercely.

“Alright, lassie, I ken,” said Beathan, although he still sounded reluctant.

He put his arm around her tightly, sending a delicious shiver up her spine. It had grown dark, and the sounds of the horses departing from Duncan castle could be heard outside.

Beathan took her hand, and smiling, led her shyly from the hall into the waiting bedroom upstairs.