Page 16 of The Highlander’s Gypsy Temptation

“This here lassie, needs ye tae deliver a message tae Strathnaver.”

The lad’s brows rose in surprise. “At this hour?”

“Aye, she says it is a matter o’ life and death. She says she will pay.”

The lad’s face lit up at the reference to coin. “Oh, aye?”

Idalia fought the urge to roll her eyes. “Indeed,” she answered in confirmation. “Do you have something to write a letter with?”

“Aye,” the man nodded slowly. “Lad go and retrieve what the lass needs and bring it tae the table.” The man stepped back and allowed her to enter the house.

Idalia hesitated for a brief moment, uncertain as to whether it was wise. In the end, she knew she must enter to finish the transaction. Fighting the urge to look over her shoulder to where Bran was hiding in the trees, she stepped over the threshold. The house was dark but for the candle the man had lit to answer the door. The space was small but habitable. He led her over to the table, and the boy brought her over a sheet of paper, a quill, and an inkwell. Idalia sat down at the table and prepared the quill before carefully wording the message she was to send.

As they had walked looking for a village, she and Bran had worked out what to say. They had decided one letter would be enough as Tor could send a message to Dunn if he had returned to Orkney by the time the letter arrived. Idalia kept the letter brief but conveyed the urgency of their situation.

Tor,

Bran MacLeod is alive. His daughter Mahala is being held hostage by the Romani leader August Raymond. To save his daughter’s life, Bran took me hostage and attempted to deliver me to Raymond. I have escaped but am being pursued by Raymond’s men. Bran and I need your help to save his daughter and safely return home to Orkney. Please send help immediately! Our lives are in grave peril. Tell Andrew his brother lives.

Idalia Buckland

Idalia included a brief description of the location of Raymond’s encampment as per Bran’s instructions. Then she folded the letter, using the melted wax from the candle to make a seal. To prove it was truly her sending the letter, she pressed her ring into the wax, leaving the impression of the letters I.B. in the seal. The ring had been a present from her father and was her most cherished possession. Katarina would recognize it immediately. On the outside of the letter, she wrote Tor’s full name and his place of residence at Strathnaver. She turned and handed the letter to the young lad.

“Please see that this letter is delivered into the hands of the Laird Tor Leòideach of Strathnaver or his brother the Laird Dunn Leòideach of Orkney.”

“The Viking beasts o’ Orkney?” the boy breathed in awe, and some fear.

“Tell them Idalia Buckland sent you. They will treat you well and will pay you for the delivery of the letter.”

The boy looked to his father, who nodded his consent. “Off with ye, lad.”

“Aye, Da.” The boy nodded, then took off for the barn with a lantern in hand.

Idalia stood in the small kitchen space of the cottage alone with the boy’s father. Feeling uncomfortable, she stepped outside just in time to watch the boy ride away with her letter, on the back of a small but stocky equine. “God be with him,” she breathed as his retreating back disappeared from view.

“If ye need a place tae rest, I recommend auld Mave’s place. She is a widow who lives on her own in the village,” the man recommended. “I cannae let ye stay here as the wife is away. It would nae do tae have people talk.”

Idalia nodded in agreement. The last thing that she wanted was to spend the night with a strange man who reeked of spirits. “I thank you for your aid. You have quite possibly saved more than one life this night.”

The man’s chest puffed up with self-importance and he smiled, rocking back on his heels. “I think I will treat myself tae another drink. Would ye care tae join me?”

Idalia shook her head. “I thank you, but I must keep going.”

“As ye say,” the man nodded, waved a farewell, then reentered his house, shutting the door behind himself.

Darkness reclaimed the land with the loss of the candle’s light, and it took a moment for Idalia’s eyes to readjust. She moved to where she had left Bran at the edge of the woods. “Bran?” she whispered his name into the trees.

“I am here, lass.” He stepped forward to stand in front of her. “I saw the lad leave. I assume he carries our letter.”

“He does.” Idalia nodded.

“Ye should have gone with him,” Bran chastised gently.

“I know,” she murmured, but left it at that.

They turned together back toward the Romani encampment. Bran led them through the darkness with skill. Idalia was impressed with how easily he moved through the night. Even his horse moved silently. They kept a wary eye out for the other men who would be searching for Idalia. They had agreed that if they were discovered, Bran was to pretend he had found her in the nearby village and had extracted her quickly and quietly, with the intent to turn her over to August.

In truth, Idalia was no more willing to be turned over to August Raymond than she had been before. In preparation for such an event, Bran had gone over some basic self-defense maneuvers that would allow her to sink a blade into Raymond before the villainous cur could rape or kill her. If she were caught, August Raymond would not live long enough to lay a hand on her.