Page 28 of Tempting the Highland Captive

“Aye, I have faith that God would provide, but I must admit tae bein’ grateful that fasting will nae be a winter requirement by necessity.”

Amelia smiled at his rueful expression. “As am I.”

Maggie returned from the kitchen with another empty basket, having taken a full one into the kitchen maids for storage or preparation as the need might be. She smiled at them both as she set it down between them. “We are blessed, are we nae, Faither?”

“Aye, we are indeed.” He made a sign of the cross and murmured a prayer of thanksgiving.

Amelia bent back to her task of unearthing turnips. She wondered how Ron was getting along with the men in the fields. They had all taken to him rather quickly. There had been some concern about the details of the story that she had told about him before his arrival, but he had stepped into the roll as if he had actually lived it. Any reticence to tell stories about his time in the Americas had been assumed to be modesty on his part. Stories had circulated around the clan between the people so often that no one knew where they had begun and what was true or not. He had become a part of them by simply working alongside of them in every aspect of castle and village survival.

Wonderful smells wafted out of the kitchen through the open door causing Amelia’s stomach to growl. She loved harvest time. She had never been fond of winter, spring was a most welcome reprieve, and summer was a time of enjoyable work for all, but the autumn season brought her senses to life in a most comforting fashion that could not be replicated any other time of the year.

“Hungry, lass?” Father Jacob asked with a smile having heard her stomach’s loud demands for sustenance.

“Aye.” She laughed. “I have ne’er been able tae turn down a fresh loaf o’ bread and stewed apples.”

“’Twill be good tae have a full larder afore the winter months arrive,” Maggie affirmed, “but we should be able tae spare a good amount for the coming festivities without risking anything.”

“Have ye thought how ye plan tae introduce yer husband tae the rest o’ the clan?” Father Jacob asked, concern furrowing his brow.

“I have.” Amelia nodded. “Ron and I have talked about it at some length, and I feel that we will be able tae manage it with little dispute. The elders, as always, are the biggest worry where that is concerned with their demands for an oathtaking. We have delayed it for now, but we will be forced tae face it sooner rather than later. The other concern, obviously, is that Michael Rossell will decide to take further action against us in retribution for my refusal tae wed him. I cannae shake the feeling that the fire was his doing and I dinnae believe that he will be content with that alone. He has his eyes set upon our land and its bounty, as well as our fighting men.”

“Aye, he is as greedy and dishonorable as his grandfather and his father afore him,” the priest agreed in a most uncharacteristic manner. He was not prone to such intemperate speech as he preferred to preach forgiveness and understanding, but when it came to the Rossell patriarchs, he had little patience. He had lost family during the attack that had granted Hugh Rossell the lands upon which his descendants now lived and had never fully forgiven them for it. “’Tis only a matter o’ time afore he takes further action against ye and our people.”

“We will simply have tae be ready for him,” Amelia stated firmly.

“Can one e’er be ready tae face the Devil?” Maggie’s words hung between them as a haunting premonition of what was to come.

“Only with the wrath o’ God on our side,” the priest intoned, crossing himself once more, this time for their protection.

“Or mayhap the wrath o’ one Cameron Kyall,” Amelia murmured. “’Tis why I married him after all.”