When she was done, she headed home. Her mother had left an hour before to set supper on the table. Tonight was their night to serve Samuel Cameron, the community’s own Protestant minister. Her stepfather, Lorcan, wouldn’t like it. But it was the one thing her mother insisted upon and the only time her stepfather had given her mother her own way.
Would Festus be there tonight? Since their unfortunate first encounter he didn’t visit often. She told her mother what had happened, but Louisa hadn’t believed her. Sorcha couldn’t blame her. Her father had died when she was young, and they had almost starved before Lorcan came along and married her mother. Her mother considered Lorcan as her earthly savior sent by God, and although Sorcha felt she knew different, she loved her mother too much to ruin her illusions.
As Sorcha reached the front door she heard raised voices.
“Why does that heretic need to come here? Why must I continue to serve him from my table?”
Louisa sighed. “Now Lorcan, ye know the community does this on a rotating way and this is our time.”
“And ye know I don’t like having a heathen in my home. I am a solid Catholic.”
Through the crack in the shutters of the front window, Sorcha watched. In the corner of the kitchen, leaning back as if he owned the placed was Festus, Lorcan’s son. Sorcha would love to run to the woods and hide, but she didn’t wish to offend Samuel. He was relatively new to their community. He had come all the way from the Scottish Highlands to minister to them, and she wasn’t going to be the one to insult him.
As she eavesdropped a little longer, mentally trying to prepare herself for tonight’s adventure, she heard a distinct creaking sound. Turning her head, she saw the object of her thoughts leaning casually against the porch railing. Even though he was covered from neck to foot in a long brown robe, she could sense strength.
He placed his finger to his lips in a shushing motion. In the simple action was the permission to enter at her own pace with the assurance he wouldn’t tell. She nodded her head in understanding and continued to eavesdrop. Wonder if he knew he was entering a brood of vipers?
The voices grew louder and louder until Sorcha no longer had to struggle to hear. Samuel stepped forward. Twisting his head in her direction, he lifted one corner of his lips and tapped the door. A hush descended. Sorcha could hear her mother shuffling forward. She could almost see the glare her mother sent Lorcan, a clear warning for him to behave.
Louisa pulled the door wide, allowing Samuel to enter. She extended her arm and pointed him toward the bare table. “Welcome. Samuel, feel free to go ahead and take a seat while I place the victuals on the table.”
Samuel sat, his face displaying a wide grin. “Thank ye, Lorcan, for having me in yer home.”
“Well it weren’t exactly my idea,” mumbled Lorcan under his breath, barely concealing his disgust at having to eat with the minister.
Sorcha chose this moment to open the door and slip inside. She kept her head down and shuffled her feet until she reached the table.
“Lift yer feet girl, ye be stirring dust up in me food.”
“That’s right ye lazy, fat cow, pick up yer feet,” snickered Festus, as he repeated his father while adding his own words of cruelty.
Samuel jumped to his feet, pulled out a chair, and held it for her. She was glad her hair had loosened and hung down covering the blush that crept across her cheeks. Louisa set the food on the table and planted herself across from Samuel.
“Would ye say grace?” Louisa asked humbly, attempting to ignore the earlier remarks of the men folk.
Lorcan grunted.
Samuel bowed his head and gave thanks for the bountiful meal. When he brought his head up Festus was giving him a black stare. Sorcha felt pity for the minister, but there was nothing she could do to help him.
Samuel took care and focused on his meal. The simple fare was enjoyed in stoic silence. Every time Sorcha would reach for something on the table, her arm would accidentally brush his, and he would smile in her direction.
The awkward meal over, Lorcan said, “Sorcha, why don’t ye get up and go saddle the minister’s mare?”
“That’s right,” snickered Festus, “get off yer lazy rear and saddle the mare.”
Sorcha felt Samuel’s fist clench, as it brushed her leg. She reached over and squeezed his hand, communicating that it was all right.
Obediently, she rose from the chair and headed to the door, making sure to lift her feet. Once outside, she took a deep breath of mountain air, placed a hand under her belly, and took off in a near run toward the barn. She talked to herself as she saddled the mare.
“Just who does he think he is? How dare Festus embarrass me in front of the minister? Calling me fat and lazy while he sits in the corner and doesn’t lift a finger all day long! Boy, how I wish men could carry babies. Then he might know what it is like to waddle like a duck all day and never get to sit and put up yer feet.”
The mare whinnied in agreement.
****
When Sorcha left for the outside, Lorcan spoke. Samuel wasn’t happy, but he accepted the inquiry nonetheless. He needed to attempt to make peace with Lorcan for Louisa’s sake.
“Now the big mouth has left, I got some questions for ye.”
Samuel didn’t like the continual way Lorcan insulted Sorcha. If she had not stayed his hand moments before, his righteous anger might have brought a different outcome. Instead of answering questions in Lorcan’s home, he might have been peeling potatoes in a jail cell.
He desired to tell Lorcan what he thought of his behavior, but he feared doing so would only ake matters worse for Sorcha and her mother. Louisa tensed, her lips clinched together. Was she worried about what was to come? He wished for a way to put her at ease but figured his only option was to answer the man’s questions and see where they might lead.
“Since I am new to the area I have been asked many questions. Feel free to ask, and I will give ye my most honest reply.”
Lorcan snorted. “Do ye think we’re stupid?”
Samuel’s brows knitted into a frown. “I beg yer pardon?”
“Every one of us knows ye only chose the Protestant faith so ye can wear yer fancy robe, get free dinners, and still have yer women as well.”
Louisa gasped in horror.
Festus snickered.
Samuel grinned. “And to believe I thought ye might actually have an intelligent question to ask of me.”
Lorcan glared.
Festus frowned in concentration.
Louisa used a napkin to hide a smile.
Samuel rose from the table and bowed with a “Good evening,” on his lips. He escaped to the barn, barely managing to contain his laughter until he was in private.
He pushed open the doors, hearing a vehement, yet musical sounding female voice. It was venting its grievances against the whole world in one breath. He snuck around the stall door. Sorcha rubbed his horse with a vigorous motion.
Leaning against the wall, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, wishing to capture her scent. When all he smelled was horse flesh and other animals, he opened his eyes and studied her. His lips twitched at the continued haranguing. Since the young lass rarely spoke in the presence of others, this was a rare sight.
Samuel stepped from the shadows. “Please leave some of her hide intact.”
Sorcha jumped. “I — I didn’t hear ye come in.”
“Aye, that was apparent.”
Red covered her cheeks. He’d embarrassed her.
Before he could apologize, she said, “I’m sorry.” He would have asked what she had to be sorry for, if she hadn’t kept talking. “I know Lorcan can be a real horse’s behind, but he does have his good qualities. I mean, he could have disregarded my mother because she had a child, but he didn’t. He could have made me move out when I turned eighteen, but he allowed me to stay.”
As she continued to extol the virtues of her stepfather, Samuel stared at her. Her green eyes burned with an intensity that
matched her tone. The waning sunlight drifted through the stable roof sparkling and shimmering as it fell on her bright red hair. Her lips continued to move in a mesmerizing fashion, even as his ears ceased to hear the words rolling from them.
“Samuel, are ye listening to me?”
“Aye. Would ye go on an outing with me tomorrow?” he blurted.
Sorcha was speechless. Flitting emotions crossed her face. Would she reason she shouldn’t go on an outing and then say no? His heart skipped a beat.
“Aye.”
Samuel rewarded her with his biggest and brightest smile. Leading his mare out of the stall, he lifted himself astride, and took off down the road before she could change her mind.
Beyond a Doubt Page 20