The Talisman (Heart of the Highlander Series Book 2)

by Gafford, Deborah

Gavin opened the door. Megan stood facing him in the middle of her chamber talking to a woman whose back was to him. His sister looked up and motioned for him to approach. As he moved toward her, he glanced about wondering where their guest was. Perhaps the clanswoman speaking with his sister knew where he might find her.

  Megan smiled as he reached her side. "Brother, say good morrow to the lass you brought with you. I am sure she would like to see another friendly face to ease her mind."

  He felt his jaw drop as he turned to greet the other woman. The difference in her appearance was astonishing. With food and rest, a bath and donning of a pretty gown, she had gone from the look of a wild creature to that of a lovely maiden. He gazed at her, unable to look away. The magnetism he had felt in the forest took hold once again.

  To be sure, she still was overly thin and shadows edged her eyes, but even so, she was one of the loveliest women he had ever seen. Any man with blood in his veins would be attracted to such a comely lass. But this pull he felt had been there from the start, for he had been attracted to her even before her transformation.

  By the saints, with her new visage in his mind he might ne'er make it safely down the stairs or sit his horse again. In truth, the way he felt right now, the thought of sitting astride a hard leather saddle made him shudder. Aye, a man could hurt himself that way.

  Gavin forced back his reckless thoughts and smiled at her. Yet when he met her gaze, he sensed his expression of friendship was not welcome. A feeling of discomfort rose within him for the way she returned his scrutiny yet showed no sign that she remembered him. At least no pleasure in the memory. A frown wrinkled the corners of her deep blue eyes and the fullness of her lips thinned in a mute ambivalence.

  Surely he imagined it to be so. He had never been anything but kind to the lass. Perhaps, 'twas his large size that made her fearful of him. Aye, she just needed more time to accept him and feel at ease as she obviously did with Megan.

  He bowed. "Good morrow, lass. I hope you are feeling better." Then turning to his sister he added, "Ah, Meggie. What a great wonder you've worked. Surely this lovely lass cannot be the same one that we found in the forest but two nights past?"

  Megan smiled at the woman and patted her shoulder. "Aye. That she is."

  Without a sound, the woman walked across the chamber, sat on a stool and gazed out of the room's single window.

  Megan watched her then shook her head. Sighing, she lowered her voice. "She still has not spoken. I do not even know her name to call her by."

  Gavin rubbed his chin. "Well, we cannot call her lass all of the time. What say you choose a name for her until we learn her true one?"

  Megan's expression brightened. "Aye, 'tis a good idea." She stood as if in thought for a moment then said, "Since she came to us near the feast of Saint Andrew, I choose the name Andrea. Do ye think the name suits her?"

  "Aye, I think it fits our new friend well. Why not ask her what she thinks of it?"

  Megan walked over and knelt beside the quiet woman. "I do not know your name, but as you are my new friend, I must call you something. Since 'tis nigh the feast day of Saint Andrew, I choose to call you Andrea. I am Megan MacPherson and this is my elder brother, Gavin, who brought you here."

  Gavin's admiration for his sister grew as he watched her smile patiently and wait for a reply. When none came, she said, "Do you understand what I am saying?"

  The woman continued to stare out the window, unresponsive as ever.

  Megan rose and joined Gavin. "I believe she hears what I say, but I do not know if she understands me. If she does not speak Gaelic, how will we talk to each other?"

  "Ah, Meggie, the act of friendship speaks in any language. See how you have already gained her trust? She does not fight or cry out now. Perhaps in time the lass… uh, Andrea, will speak to us. Aught is possible."

  He hugged his sister. "I am pleased Andrea has you as her companion. She needs a friend." As he walked to the door, he turned and glanced across the room. The lass looked up and met his gaze. A feeling of unease rippled through him at the intensity of her expression. For a brief moment he had the desire to cross himself against the look he saw in her cobalt eyes. Surely it was not hatred he saw there.

  The fall from his horse two days past, must have addled his wits. A long afternoon's work would set him to rights.

  Chapter Four

  The smoke caught in her lungs. She couldn't breathe without coughing. Ailis doubled over, choking. Sweet Mary, her clothing was on fire! She beat at the flames but her efforts were useless. Frantically, she grabbed at her clothes and ripped them free of her body.

  Someone was touching her. Shaking her.

  "Andrea! Wake up. What troubles you?" Megan leaned over her as she squirmed about on the bed.

  "Huh? Jenny?" Ailis' frantic gaze darted around the room. This was not the traveling wagon her family called home. Tears blurred the shadowy image of the girl sitting beside her in the darkened room. For just a moment, Ailis could imagine 'twas Jenny sitting there. But no, she would ne'er see her sister again. Hideous images flayed her mind.

  Blood.

  Fire.

  Death.

  She covered her face with her hands and sobbed desperately as memories of the last several weeks came flooding back. "Oh, God! 'Tis true." Shuddering, she hugged her arms to herself and rocked back and forth.

  Megan reached out and gently stroked Ailis' hair. "Nay, Andrea, do not weep. 'Tis a miracle you have regained your speech!" When Ailis continued to sob, Megan said, "You should be happy. What grieves you so?"

  Ailis drew a deep breath, slowly pulled her hands free and wiped away her tears. Sweet heavens, what was she to do now? She had done what she meant never to do here. She had spoken.

  For over a fortnight she had managed to hold her silence and remain secluded in this chamber. Even when the old woman had taken the bandages from her hands and declared them healed she had only nodded. Now with the return of her nightmare, she had destroyed her secret. Soon, all in the castle would know she had spoken.

  Wringing her hands, Ailis gazed at Megan. The girl's face showed naught but friendly concern. It did not seem possible that she could be part of the deadly secrets, the evil, of her brother and his cousin.

  Ailis bit her lip and thought frantically. The girl had heard her speak. She must say something. But what? How much of the truth did she dare tell?

  Megan patted Ailis' hands as if to reassure her and then ran to the door of her chamber. Yanking it open, she shouted into the corridor for help. When a sleep tousled servant came running in answer to her cries, Megan said, "Run and awaken Nelli. Tell her to come to my chamber quickly."

  "What should I tell her is wrong?"

  "Tell her nothing, only that I have need of her in my chamber immediately. Now hurry."

  Megan did not wait to see if her orders were obeyed. She closed the door and hurried back across the room. Glancing at the wine ewer near her bed, she asked, "Would you like some wine, Andrea? Perhaps 'twould soothe you."

  Ailis shook her head and dropped her quivering hands in her lap. For several minutes, she simply sat there gripping them together in silence as Megan sat beside her, a look of worry on her face.

  Suddenly, the chamber door burst open. Nelli rushed in, red faced and panting. "Meggie, what is amiss? Yon lassie came runnin' and wailin' to fetch me as if the dark hounds of Satan rode her heels."

  Megan smiled. "Oh, Nelli. 'Tis wondrous news. Andrea has spoken! I woke her from a fretful sleep and she started talking. But she is frightened. I wanted you to help me ease her fears."

  The older woman expelled a labored breath and nodded. "Aye, 'tis grand news, Meggie, grand. Now, lass, give me a moment to catch my breath."

  Shuffling over to a wooden bench near the hearth, Nelli plopped down her ample frame. "Whew." Pulling off her nightcap, she mopped her plump face and smoothed back her tangled gray hair. Fanning herself with the cap, she said, "Ah, that's better."

  She glanced at
the stool near the window then patted the empty space left on the end of the bench. "Bring the stool over here for Andrea and come sit down, Meggie. We will speak to her together."

  Nodding, Megan picked up the stool and led Ailis over to the hearth's warm blaze. Then she sat down beside Nelli.

  Ailis searched their faces in silence as they waited. 'Twas sure they expected her to speak. But what could she say?

  As stillness filled the room, Megan spoke. Her gentle voice soothed Ailis. "Andrea, please speak to us. We are your friends and only wish to help you."

  Ailis looked from her to Nelli and back to her again. She prayed that she could trust them. Did she dare tell them everything? Nay, she could not risk speaking the murderers' names. They would not believe her and would surely warn Gavin and his cousin.

  Drawing a shuddering breath, she cleared her throat and spoke. Her voice cracked and sounded hoarse from disuse. "My name is Ailis. Ailis O'Brien. My da is… was an ale brewer. My younger sister, Jenny, and I traveled with him. 'Twas just the three of us. My mother died when Jenny was a bairn."

  Tears threatened to fall again and she blinked them back. "My da and sister and I traveled from market to market to sell his wares. We last roamed through the forest below the mountain near here."

  She glanced quickly toward the room's dark window half expecting to see the accursed wooded glen. Her voice caught in her throat but she forced the painful words out. "My… my da and sister were murdered in that forest."

  "Sweet Mary preserve us!" Nelli cried and crossed herself.

  Megan rushed to Ailis' side and knelt at her feet. "Oh dear God, Ailis. How did it happen? Who did it?"

  Anguish knifed through Ailis like a sharp sword. "I do not know! I heard a horse galloping away but I… I could not see the rider."

  Ailis gripped the edge of the stool and stared into the fire. "It happened while I was away from camp, gathering firewood. I heard screams as I neared. By the time I could get there, our wagon was ablaze. I called out to Da and Jenny and ran to our wagon. 'Twas burning fast. I climbed in it thinking I might save them but… but they were already dead."

  The horrid scene filled her mind once again, ripping her heart in two. Bitter tears streamed down her cheeks and she bit her lip to keep from shouting out her accusation. No, she must be wary. 'Twould ruin everything if the people here learned her suspicions.

  "I found Da first. He had… had been stabbed. I looked but did not see Jenny. I hoped mayhap she was not there. 'Twas hard to breathe. Smoke was filling the wagon. I wanted to run, but I had to find Jenny."

  Ailis' bowed her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying frantically to force the horrid images from her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she raised her face and compelled herself to finish. "I crawled to the middle of our wagon. My sister was lying there, naked. She must have fought with whoever violated her for she had a long scrape on the side of her face and her… her neck was broken."

  Megan's voice filtered through the terrible haze of Ailis' emotions. "Blessed Jesus, Ailis, I am so sorry! Can you remember anything else that might help you to discover the murderer?"

  "'Twas a month before feast day when we entered the forest. Da had said 'twas little time left to travel to the villages here about so we would nay stay there but one night. After I found Da and Jenny dead, I thought to pull them from the wagon, but before I could, my skirt caught fire. I jumped out of the wagon and tried to stop the flames but I couldn't do it so I tore off my clothes."

  Ailis rubbed her arms as she stared into the fireplace. She was cold. So cold. The bright flames before her flared and crackled. Just as the others had. Even though the blaze radiated heat, she shivered with the memory.

  "I just stood there and watched the fire burn. God forgive me, I had returned too late. I could do naught to save them." Tears broke free and coursed down her cheeks, soaking into the neck of her sleeping gown. "I should ne'er have gone to gather wood. 'Twould have been better that I had been there to fight or die with them."

  "No! You must not say that!" Megan exclaimed.

  Ailis slumped on her seat, the memories beating her down. "I watched the fire consume everything. Flames covered the wagon and burned it. The fire roared like a great terrible beast attacking and devouring the wagon and… and…"

  She could not say the words out loud. 'Twas too hideous to speak of. "After the flames died, the forest was quiet. Dark. I didn't know what to do. I remember walking through the trees away from our camp. I found the blanket I had carried firewood in and wrapped it around me. Then I just began to walk. 'Tis little I remember after that."

  Megan clasped Ailis' hands in her own. "You must have wandered for nearly a sennight before Gavin and Calum found you. No wonder you were out of your head with fear and hunger."

  Nelli rose from the bench and walked over, brushing a tear from her cheek. Bending down, she embraced Ailis in a fierce hug. "Ye poor lamb!" Sniffing, she released her and straightened. "Praise God in his mercy. 'Twas his will that ye came to bide with us." She nodded her head fiercely setting her double chin to wiggling.

  Megan squeezed Ailis' fingers gently. "Aye, you must stay here. We will be your kin now. You need never feel alone and fearful again." She glanced quickly around the chamber. "My room is large enough for two. If you wish it, I would be pleased to share it with you."

  For a moment, Ailis just sat there staring into her soft green eyes. Eyes so like her brother's. Suspicion of Gavin's guilt beset her. Sweet Mary, what could she say? She could not tell her the reason she was there. Thoughts of vengeance battled fiercely with her growing affection for Megan and the older woman. For over a fortnight they had befriended her and cared for her, asking nothing in return.

  Megan smiled sadly. "I know I cannot replace your sister, but I would be honored to be your friend. Please stay."

  Ailis looked at the two women who had done so much. The weight of the world pressed down on her. She felt weary beyond belief but she must remain a while longer.

  Until she had done what she had to do.

  After that, there would be no question of her staying. She would most likely be dead. Nodding mutely, she leaned against Megan as she wrapped her arms about her.

  Nelli cleared her throat. "Ah, 'tis settled, then. Come, lambs, back into bed with ye before ye catch a chill. 'Twill be good to have another woman about the keep, Ailis. What with Gavin, Logan and Calum, Meggie and I are oft in need of another woman's help to keep our men folk in line."

  The older woman smoothed back her gray hair and pulled her nightcap back in place. "Now, I have much to do. I will speak to Gavin at first light. As laird, he must agree to ye joinin' our clan, lass. But have no fear of that. 'Tis sure I am, that he will agree."

  She waited until Megan and Ailis were back in bed then pulled the blanket over them. She gave Ailis a reassuring smile, straightened her shoulders and hurried from the chamber.

  #

  The next morn, Nelli entered the castle kitchen long before the pink glow of dawn began to spread across the sky. The cook walked over to her stifling a yawn. "What has ye here so early? I have not begun preparin' the morn's meal. 'Twill nay be ready for quite some time."

  Nelli shrugged. "It doesna matter. I have preparations of my own to make." Humming to herself, she set to work. To be sure, she wanted Gavin well fed and content when she told him of Ailis.

  Pushing a damp gray curl back from her forehead two hours later, Nelli entered the great hall carrying a large platter of food followed by a young lad with a loaded tray. She walked up to the table where Gavin sat and placed her platter with its large wooden bowl filled with warm oats, a small jug of fragrant honey and a clay ewer of wine in front of him. Motioning the lad over, she set the tray's contents next to the oats, honey and wine. Spiced haggis piled high on a wooden plate sent a small cloud of savory steam rising into the air. A freshly baked loaf of barley bread formed a warm patch of moisture on the tabletop and neeps with tatties still bubbled with heat in a clay bo
wl.

  Gavin licked his lips in anticipation. "By the saints, this is a banquet fit for a king. What great deed have I done to be met with such grand fare to break my fast?"

  Nelli frowned. "Hmph! Can a woman nay serve a simple meal without being fashed about it?"

  "Ah, Nelli, if this is your idea of a simple meal for a morn, I relish the thought of one of your feasts."

  Calum walked over to the table and sniffed the air. "Good morrow cousin. By the saints, 'tis enough food there for half the clan."

  Winking at Nelli, Gavin said, "Aye, you had best join me since we are to work the fields together today. I do not wish to labor alongside a growling stomach and sullen face." He broke the steaming loaf of bread, passed a piece to Calum and called to a servant walking past. "Lass, kindly fetch another bowl."

  Grinning, Calum clapped him on the back. "Ah, ye are a good mon, my friend." He sat down and took a bite of the hot bread.

  #

  Later, as a servant cleared away the last empty dishes, she said, "M'laird, Nelli bid me tell ye she wishes to speak wi' ye afore ye leave for the far meadow."

  Calum grinned at him. "Ah ha, cousin. 'Tis time to pay the piper. I will wait in the stable for ye till Nelli has had her say." Whistling, he strode out of the hall.

  "Coward," Gavin muttered under his breath and headed for the kitchen. Och, such bounty was apt to cost a high price.

  Nelli was not hard to find. She stood waiting near the rear kitchen door and held out a small bundle wrapped in course linen. "Cook made up too much bread dough this morn. 'Twould be a sin for it to go to waste. I put some cheese in also. Workin' the fields is wearisome work. 'Twill tide ye o'er until the evenin' meal."

  Gavin took the parcel and grinned. "Thank you. Now, would you like to tell me what you are scheming?"

  "Scheming! If that is the way ye feel, I will take the food back. Ye can just wait till the evenin' meal." She thrust her arm out for the bundle.

  He lifted it high out of her reach and chuckled. "I think not. A gift given is a gift taken. Now, I know you have something on your mind, so why not just tell me what it is?"