Page 47 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“Stop that this instant!” Evanna cried and came to Sarah’s rescue. She held the woman’s arm to stop her from doing any more damage to the poor girl. The woman snarled, but then her eyes widened, and she stopped struggling.

“Lady Evanna! Eh, but ye dinnae ken this lazy girl. I kill meself all day looking after the house and the bairns,, and she never helps.”

Sarah was silently crying by the door to the hut. Evanna saw red welts forming on her pale skin where she had been struck. Five children from the ages of six, to six months, were visible in various states of dress and dirtiness. They all had striking heads of red hair as well, just like their mother, unlike Sarah who was a brunette.

“Sarah had gone looking for her cat,” Evanna explained.

“Hah! That’s a lie if I ever heard one. If she’d gone to look for that mangy thing, she’d have told someone, but she never did.”

“I told Tilda,” Sarah objected.

“Ye hush!” Mrs. Creed snapped, waving the wooden spoon as a threat.

“She did indeed,” Evanna said. “She told me so. Tilda?” Evanna addressed the eldest redhead, assuming she was the sister Sarah had mentioned. She had pretty eyes and red cheeks, but the streaks of grime across her cheeks weren’t becoming. “Didnae Sarah tell ye she was going looking for Crumpet?”

Tilda looked at Sarah then at her mother. “Nae.”

Sarah went pale. Evanna could see the girl wasn’t shocked at the denial, but she was deathly afraid. Evanna also noticed that though the other children weren’t necessarily clean, they did not look hungry or deprived as Sarah did. Sarah was skinny to the point of her bones poking a hole in her dress.

“See? Me Tilda never lies. This wretch will go to Hell for the sin of sloth, you mark me words.”

“Please dinnae tell Da,” Sarah pleaded.

“I will nae lie to yer Da, and keeping things from him is lying. See how she corrupts us against God?”

“Mrs. Creed.” Evanna was horrified. The child was petrified, yet her mother had no sympathy. “Surely, ye can see yer daughter is terrified and very sorry.”

“She’s nae daughter of mine.” Mrs. Creed grimaced. “A burden is what she is. Didnae have much sense to let the pox take her as it did her Mam. Now she’s here, taking the food out of me bairns’ mouths and nae lifting a finger to do her share of the work.”

That explained it. Mrs. Creed was not Sarah’s mother, nor did she have any motherly affection towards the girl. Sarah was being neglected, and it appeared nobody had come to the child’s rescue.

“I’d like to stay and speak to Mr. Creed, if it’s alright with ye.” Evanna made to sit on one of the rickety wooden stools by the door.

Mrs. Creed looked flustered. “There’s nae need for that. Donald’l be ages yet.”

“Why?” Evanna asked. “Where has he gone?”

“Only to town, but he has business with the gypsies. It’ll take him all day.”

“Then I shall take Sarah with me.” Evanna placed a hand on the girls arm. She was shaking like a leaf, and Evanna saw that she wasn’t very warmly dressed. “When Mr. Creed returns you may inform him that his daughter is with me. I look forward to him collecting her in the morning. If he doesnae show up, I shall send one of the Laird’s men to seek him out.”

Mrs. Creed was finally lost for words. She chewed on her lower lip, and her beady eyes glared at Sarah, but there wasn’t much she could do.

“Let’s go, Sarah.” Evanna led the poor girl out from under her stepmother’s beady glare and towards the castle.

The morning had started with her father handing her the responsibility of the household. Evanna liked to believe he would consider this part of her responsibility. After all, weren’t all the tenants part of their household? How could Evanna walk away from a girl who needed help?

“Thank ye,” Sarah muttered shyly. “But it’s nae going to help. Me Da’s worse than her.”

“Then he shall have to answer to the Laird.” Evanna assured her. “For now, dinnae fret over what might happen on the morrow. Let’s get you into some warm clothes. And I believe Mrs. MacTavish’s made her famous honey cakes for tea. Would ye like to have some?”

“Yes, please.” Sarah beamed.

“Then ye best speed up!” Evanna yelled and began running.

Sarah squealed with delight and ran after her. It was liberating running in the grass fields again like she was young and unencumbered with another child by her side. It was a fleeting moment of pure joy, and Evanna reveled in it while it lasted.

Chapter Seventeen