Trapped Under his Highland Spell: A Scottish Medieval Historical Romance (Tales Of Highland Might Book 4)

by Ava McArthur

  “Are ye nae sad that he haes gone?”

  “It was his time tae leave,” Isobel said darkly. “I know it is nae right for me tae speak ill of him, but he was a cruel man. He haed no room in his heart for anything other than land and greed. Niall learned tae many lessons from him in that respect,” she said, almost without thinking.

  Moira was troubled by this.

  “What dae ye mean?”

  Isobel seemed to realize she had said something she shouldn’t have and shrugged. “I just mean that Niall never haes much time other than thinking about the future of the clan. He heard the same stories as I did, and yet they never took hold of him as they did with me.

  Niall always worshiped Da and followed him in everything, and when we all found out about Roderick…well…I was surprised that Niall had the willpower tae say goodbye tae Da, and tae recognize that he had done wrong. I was really proud of him in that moment. Dinnae misunderstand me: Niall is nae like Da in that respect. It’s just that I wish he could remember what the stories were like and all that Grizel did for us.”

  “She means a lot tae ye,” Moira said.

  Isobel nodded. She looked up at a chirping bird and waved. “Aye, that she did. In some ways, she was more of a parent tae me than my own. I remember Mam a wee bit, but over time that haes faded.

  And Da…well…he never haed much time for me. I was never gaeing tae be a warrior, sae what use was I? All he told me was that one day I would get married. Until then, I didn’t matter at all, but Grizel was there tae teach me and make sure that I didnae feel alone. I owe her a lot, and I just wish other people could see that. People dinnae take the time tae understand her.

  They think she’s crazy, but she isnae. She just has a different way of looking at things. She is older than anyone else in the clan, and the things she’s seen and heard…ye wouldnae believe all the stories she haes in her head.”

  “I wilnae ignore her,” Moira said. This meant a lot to Isobel, who smiled widely and nodded in thanks.

  They continued walking towards the shore. Isobel took moments to spread offerings around the woodlands, and Moira wondered if any spirits were watching.

  “What about yer other brother? What about Jamie?” Moira asked after some time. The woods were thinning and over the horizon, she could see the shimmering sea.

  Isobel scowled. “He’s even worse than Niall. He thinks that Da can dae no wrong. He was angry when Da left, and didn’t understand. I think part of him blames Niall for it. All he’s ever wanted tae dae is fight.

  He’s built himself up intae this great, strong warrior, but what use is that when there is nae a war? I worry for him sometimes. There’s sae much more tae life that he has blinded himself tae, and I know he’s never gaeing tae change, no matter how much I try.”

  They walked to the small town that was settled near the shore. The sea breeze made the air cooler than it otherwise would have been, and Moira was glad she had brought a shawl with her. She wrapped it tightly around her and let Isobel take the lead.

  Fishing boats bobbed on the water, and in the distance, the ocean stretched out forever. It led to a land that Moira would never know.

  As Isobel went about her business she had a strange look on her face, as though something was wrong. When Moira inquired about this, Isobel frowned slightly and then shrugged it off.

  “It’s naething bad. It’s just that this town is cleaner than it haes been in years. Usually, it smells of fish and there’s moss and vines growing all over the buildings, and ye hae tae watch where ye step. But now…it just isnae the same.”

  It was a small mystery, but not one that deserved any of their time. Isobel picked up the fabric she needed. They stopped off at an inn to get some food and refreshment before they headed back to the woodland.

  Isobel seemed pleased when she checked that her offerings had been taken. Moira was surprised that Isobel could tell where she had left the offerings, as everything looked the same to her.

  On the way back, Moira regaled Isobel with stories about her niece and nephew, as well as what had happened with Roderick. There were some details that had not made their way to the Calbraith clan, and Isobel was amazed at the scheming that had transpired. She marveled at Kirsten’s bravery.

  Moira turned away, not wanting to reveal any sign of her guilt, but it was still there, deep in her heart. She still felt as though she should have done more to help Kirsten, and she wondered if the shame would ever go away.

  It was late in the afternoon when they returned to the keep. Moira was looking forward to spending the evening with Niall again and telling him all about her day with Isobel. Before they reached the keep, Moira turned to Isobel.

  “I just wanted tae say thank ye for taeday. When I arrived here, I wasnae sure of the life that would be waiting for me, and I didnae know if I was gaeing tae hae any friends. But it haes been better than I could hae imagined and I’m glad that we can spend time taegether. I hope we can spend more time taegether.”

  “Of course!” Isobel said, but just as she was about to say something else, a servant came out of the keep, beckoning them inside.

  Jamie was sick.

  8

  Isobel cried out in shock and sprinted towards the keep without a second thought. Moira followed closely. They ran inside and made their way to Jamie’s room. It was a small chamber with little more than the essentials.

  A healer was standing over him with a pensive look on her face. Jamie was feverish and sweat prickled his brow. He writhed and murmured in anguish, and it seemed as though sleep would not bring him any relief from his pain. Isobel burst through and fell to her knees, clasping her brother’s hand. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she gazed at her brother, willing him to get better. Moira frowned, concerned about what she was seeing. It did seem strange that Jamie would fall ill given how strong he was, but illness could strike anyone.

  Things like this had never been much of a concern for Moira, but everyone else seemed to be deathly afraid. Moira did notice one thing, though: there was no wreath hanging over Jamie’s bed like there was in the other chambers. Was it possible that some malevolent spirits had made their way into his room without the protection of rowan wood?

  Moira intended to stay and comfort Isobel, but it was no use. The girl was distraught and it was clear that her brother meant a lot to her.

  Niall was preoccupied with meetings all day. Things must have been serious if they were so concerned and that made Moira worried as well. Everything had been going so well and she hadn’t even had a chance to get to properly know Jamie yet. It seemed unfair that happiness should turn to tragedy so suddenly. However, she tried to stop herself from falling into despair. Illness wasn’t death, and plenty of people had gotten better before, but Moira didn’t like being left with nothing to do. While Isobel remained by her brother’s bedside, Niall was speaking with healers, leaving Moira alone. She wanted to do something to help, so she decided to go out and pick some flowers to at least bring some color and life to Jamie’s chamber. It was dark and gloomy, and she couldn’t imagine it would do anything to help him recover.

  She walked out to a nearby field with a basket and began to pick flowers. She hummed to herself and wondered what could have made Jamie so ill. After all, he hadn’t shown any symptoms at the wedding. She prayed that he would recover, as enough tragedy had befallen all of them, and she didn’t want to have to grieve with Niall and Isobel when such a thing could be avoided. She moved around the field without taking much notice of where she was going. She spotted some flowers in the distance and moved towards them.

  She didn’t realize that she was close to the shadows of the wood until she heard a voice whisper to her, “Ye are daeing a good thing.”

  Moira had been so lost in her own thoughts that she jumped.

  “Ye scared me!” Moira said when she realized it was just the old woman. Grizel seemed to find this amusing. She walked forward, leaning on her gnarled cane, and looked at Moira through her clo
udy eyes.

  “Ye are daeing this for wee Jamie, aye?” Grizel asked.

  “Aye, I thought he could use some color in his chamber.”

  Grizel laughed, although her laugh had a haunting quality to it. “That boy could always use more color in his life. All he’s ever seen is the red of blood. Just like his da, wanting war and battle and all the things that cost men their lives. He haes never paid any attention tae anything else. Always his mind haes been on other things.”

  “Dae ye think this is the work of the spirits?” Moira asked.

  Grizel looked around and sighed. “They can sometimes be cruel, especially tae people who dinnae believe in them. I tried tae make Jamie see what is around us. I tried tae teach them all, but only Isobel truly listened.” Grizel wore a sad expression and shook her head. “I will try and commune with the spirits tae see if I can get them tae lift this curse, but they rarely grant favors.

  I wouldnae be surprised if Jamie said some joke that the spirits would take unkindly.” She shook her head again, as though Jamie had made a foolish error. And with that, Grizel turned back and disappeared into the shadows of the forest, as though she became the darkness itself.

  Moira found it difficult to keep her mind on her task. She moved back to the middle of the field, wanting to stay away from the woods, and yet she found it difficult to take her gaze away from the trees. Was it possible that the spirits were taking their revenge for something that Jamie had said, or that his chamber, unprotected by a wreath, was the only point they could strike?

  Suddenly there seemed to be a chill in the air, and it felt as though a hundred eyes were upon her, watching and waiting. But for what?

  9

  Niall was waiting for her as Moira returned to the castle. His mood was somber, as she expected, and when he ate, he did so methodically, as though he took no enjoyment from the act.

  The air was tense in the castle, and Moira was tense herself, unable to set aside what Grizel had told her. Isobel was still by Jamie’s bedside, not daring to leave it until he became well again.

  “What happened taeday?” Moira asked.

  Niall leaned on the table and hung his head. Suddenly, he looked older than his years.

  “I was in a meeting when I got word that Jamie was sick. I rushed tae his side, but he was already feverish.”

  Moira was still a little confused. “Niall, I dinnae mean tae be uncaring, but why is everyone sae worried? Hae naebody ever got sick before?”

  “Ye hae tae understand that us Calbraiths are a hardy lot and we rarely ever get sick. It is something of pride that we are strong and healthy, and Jamie especially haes never been ill. Tae see him like that…it is worrying indeed.” He wore a grave expression. “He haes spent all his life making himself appear strong and yet now he seems sae weak…”

  “Perhaps it is the spirits…” Moira said, almost under her breath.

  Niall glanced up and glowered at her.

  “What?” he snapped.

  Moira stammered and felt as though she had said something wrong. “I didnae mean anything by it...it’s just that I saw Grizel outside, and she said that Jamie never haed anything kind tae say about the spirits. I couldnae help but notice there was no wreath over his bed either.”

  Niall rolled his eyes. “Moira, I know ye hae spent the day with Isobel, but I haed hoped ye wouldnae believe all these old tales. If there are spirits, I’m sure they hae better things tae dae with their time than make my brother ill.” His tone was harsh. Moira told herself that she was worried about Jamie and she shouldn’t take it personally, but it didn’t make it any easier to handle. She hated when men got angry because they could be so spiteful and intimidating. It made her think of what Marcas used to be like until Kirsten arrived. Since then, and especially with the arrival of his children, he had mellowed and his mood had been softened. Moira wondered if the same would be true of Niall.

  “I’m sorry for saying sae,” she said. “I dinnae mean any harm by it.”

  “I know. I would just rather find a solution than leave it in the hands of the spirits. Spirits are nae gaeing tae help us now.”

  “What will?” she asked.

  Niall exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair. He had taken a few bites of his meal, but mostly he had moved the food around. He looked to the ceiling and arched his eyebrows, trying to find salvation in anything around him.

  “I hae been speaking with the healers, and they believe it is something he ate or drank.”

  Moira felt her stomach twist in knots, as symptoms like these were all too familiar. Her mind flashed back to her dying mother and her poisoned brother, and all the trouble it had entailed...and the man in the middle of it—her uncle Roderick.

  He had wielded nature as a weapon, seeking to poison Marcas to take the clan for himself since he believed he was the rightful ruler. Marcas had almost died, and her mother had died because of him. Could someone have poisoned Jamie? Could it have been Roderick?

  “Poison?” she gasped.

  Niall shrugged. “I cannae say. Poison would usually work more quickly. Could be that the boy is simply ill, but even sae, it’s strange enough that it makes me worried. We hae lost sae much, and Jamie…he’s been hardheaded but he’s still my wee brother. I cannae let anything happen tae him.” As he said this, his voice cracked and he bowed his head.

  Sorrow came pouring out of him, and Moira rushed to his side. She put her arm around his neck and tried to soothe him, whispering sweet things and telling him that everything was going to be fine, even though she could not promise such a thing. Niall sobbed for a few moments before he steeled himself against his emotions and drew himself up into a rigid sitting position. He wiped his eyes and patted Moira’s hand.

  “I’m glad ye are here, Moira. I dinnae know how I would be able tae make it through without ye. Ye are a treasure.”

  Moira blushed and thanked him.

  “I appreciate yer kind words, Niall, although I’m sure that ye would be able to find a way. Ye hae a family and ye would look after each other. How is Isobel?”

  “Still worried. Still by Jamie’s bedside,” Niall said, allowing himself a wry smile. “There are sae many times when she would have us believe that she hates us for nae agreeing with her about the spirits, but in times like these, she shows how much she cares.”

  “It’s such a shame this happened. Isobel and I haed a good day taegether, and I was looking forward tae spending time with Jamie as well.”

  “Aye, well, I hope ye get a chance,” Niall said. The smile faded from his face; he looked somber. Shadows formed around his eyes as he gazed into the distance, into a terrible future. Moira knew how quickly fear could turn into despair and how it could seem as though everything was slipping away.

  She didn’t want that to happen to her husband, and she was going to do anything she could to prevent it. She kissed his forehead and once again promised that everything was going to be fine and that Jamie would be healthy again, even though in her heart she had her doubt.

  “The worst thing is that I cannae dae anything. There is no army tae fight or bargain with. There is no monster tae slay. All I can dae is sit and wait and hope…and I hae never been very good at daeing any of those things. Whenever there’s a problem, I want tae fix it. But what am I supposed tae dae when there is naething I can dae?”

  Moira thought back to the grim time when Kirsten had been thrown into the dungeon and Marcas was struggling for his life.

  “I’ve been where ye are now, and it isnae easy. Ye are always questioning if there’s more ye could dae, even though ye know there is nae. It’s easy tae drive yerself crazy thinking about all these different things.”

  “And how did ye cope?”

  “I did anything I could tae take my mind off things. I arranged flowers, I sewed fabric, I spent time in the kitchen cooking meals…anything tae try and distract myself.”

  “And did it work?”

  “It helped a wee bit, which is better tha
n nae at all. Come on, Niall, will ye let me help ye?” she asked, her voice filled with hope. She opened her palms to him. Niall looked at them, as though deciding whether he was going to take them or remain in this gloom. Moira was delighted when he placed his hands in hers and rose from the table. She didn’t yet know how she was going to distract him, although an idea was already beginning to form in her mind.

  “What dae ye hae in mind, then? I hae tae admit that I am nae good at the things ye distracted yerself with. I dinnae suppose ye hae a good hunt in mind? That usually does the trick, although it’s a wee bit late tae gae on a hunt now.” Niall peered out the window at the evening twilight. There were still a couple of hours of daylight left, but it would fade quickly and it would be easy to lose track of prey in the evening gloom.

  “Something like a hunt,” Moira said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “I thought we could play a game.”

  Niall tilted his head and looked intrigued at this. His dark eyes shimmered with delight as he followed Moira outside, and she was glad that she could do something like this for her husband. She knew what it was like to suffer alone, to be plagued with guilt and the feeling of impotence, and she wanted to do anything she could to prevent Niall from succumbing to the same curse.

  It was clear to her that Jamie meant the world to him, and Niall was liable to drive himself insane if he was left to his own devices. But Niall had Moira, and it was time to prove herself worthy of being his wife. There was more to their marriage than simply being a symbol of peace between the two clans.

  There was a layer of intimacy between them as well, one that meant they would protect and help each other. Their marriage was still in the process of flourishing, but Moira was beginning to understand what being a wife truly meant.

  10

  Moira smiled to herself as she led Niall outside. She ignored his questions about what type of game they were going to play, telling him that he had to wait and find out. He was impatient, and she could tell that he was frustrated, but he did as she asked.