Highland Light

by Cherime MacFarlane

  The pain threatened to cause him to lose consciousness. He refused to give up. He pulled the horse up then quickly tumbled from the saddle. Gideon slapped the horse's rump hard. He hoped it could get over the far side of the swale before the others noticed he was no longer on its back. The animal reared then galloped off with a squeal of terror.

  Gideon dropped to his knees, pulled the arrow forward then snapped the shaft off. Blackness threatened to turn off his mind. He struggled to stay conscious. Thankful for the darkness in the swale, he pulled the arrow out of his back with one hand. He was panting as he scrabbled to the side of the trail then pushed himself into and under the brush.

  There were two men. They spurred their mounts forward as they realized their quarry was not in the swale. As soon as they disappeared over the edge of the hollow in pursuit of his horse, Gideon scrambled to his feet. He loosened his plaid before scraped a handful of moss from the base of a large rock. Gideon steadied one chunk of moss against the wound in front then wound his plaid tightly against it. He was breathing through clenched teeth as he repeated the procedure with the entry wound in his back. If he left a blood trail they would be able to find him easily.

  He struggled back up the trail to the large rock where a tiny steam trickled across the track. Where the burn flowed down beyond the trail was a scree slope that went down the right side of the burn. Gideon stumbled to the side of the trail then let himself down the scree slope. Glad that he wore the leather trews he slid down the scree to land on a small ledge next to the burn.

  He pulled himself around a bulge of rock then found a flat grassy spot almost big enough to hold his length. Gideon was on his back. He managed to wiggle himself further onto the grass. The bulge of rock would hide him from view. It was as far as he could go. The blackness he had been holding off slid over him.

  He woke to find it near dawn. Gideon realized he had been unconscious for the entire night. If the men were still hunting him he would need to be still. But he was thirsty and needed a drink. The burn was not far away, perhaps at arm's length away from where he lay. He knew that if he tried to roll onto his side he probably would lose consciousness again. He could not afford to pass out again. There were things he must do if he intended to live.

  With the tip of his dagger he carefully ripped a horizontal slit in the sleeve of his shirt. Twisting the cloth around he was able to cut most of the cloth away. Gideon ripped the shirtsleeve free. He carefully slid over to the edge of the small grassy spot where he lay. Holding tightly onto the cuff of the sleeve he dangled the cloth into the cold water of the burn. When he felt the cloth had absorbed some water, he turned his head to the side and pushed the wet cloth into his open mouth. The water was cold. He gratefully sucked up the moisture. He again moistened the cloth then sucked the water from it.

  Gideon knew he had to somehow care for the wound. As he thought about how to go about cleaning it without bringing oblivion on once again, Gideon checked his pouch. He had a little dried meat left. There was a flint in the pouch and a small packet of salt. He could make a fire with the flint and his dagger. The salt struck a chord in his memory.

  On the voyage he had watched a sailor deliberately bathe a hand wound with salt water. When Gideon had asked the sailor what he was doing, the man had replied that salt cleansed and cauterized wounds. The sailor had also commented that it hurt like the fires of hell. Considering what else he might use to clean the wound, Gideon kept coming back to the salt.

  He looked around him. There were several spider webs hanging in bushes nearby. He could use those to seal the wound if necessary. First he had to make sure the wound was clean. Had it taken any of the fibers from his shirt into his body? Gideon carefully slit the shirt up the front. He could manage to close it somehow if he needed to do so later. Gideon lifted up on one elbow he shrugged out of one side of the shirt. He tugged the cloth off his body then lay still for a moment, panting.

  He held up the shirt and carefully inspected the entry hole. Thankfully they had used a sharp point and it appeared to have penetrated the cloth of the shirt without tearing any fibers loose on the way into his body. The plaid was under him and provided a pad between his body and the grass he was lying on. Hopefully nothing of a foreign nature would get into his back. There was no hope for it; the only way he could cleanse the wound was with the salt.

  Gideon fingered the small packet of salt. It was clear to him that he would pass out before he was able to force enough of the dry salt into the wound to properly cleanse it. There was one other manner in which he could clean it. He would need to flood the wound with salt water.

  He closed his eyes as he silently recited the 23rd Psalm. Gideon prayed for the strength to do what was necessary. He turned the sleeve inside out. Near the cuff where it was damp he coated the wet cloth with the salt. He allowed the other end of the sleeve to dangle into the water. That done, he took a deep breath then brought the sleeve up out of the water. Gathering the sleeve cuff together he pushed it down over the wound and steeled himself against the pain. Gideon squeezed the water down toward the cuff. He almost screamed when the salt water flooded into his torn flesh.

  His body quaked from the pain. Grinding his teeth together, Gideon held on to consciousness as long as he could. Finally he could bear it no longer, blackness washed over him again.

  Chapter 22

  Sim raised the alarm. In the twilight the horse came galloping down the trail into the glen. He saw the two riders pull up then quickly turn their animals back the way they had come when they realized they had been seen. Putting both hands around his mouth, Sim yelled out the MacGrough war cry. The sentry at the head of the glen took up the cry. Hearing the call to arms, all the MacGrough warriors ran from their homes into the growing darkness.

  Sim ran after the terrified animal down into the glen. It finally came to a halt at the stable door. Boyd hurried to the animal. He stripped the saddle and pack from its trembling back.

  Cadell threw open the door to the hall a sword in hand. Ailene had thrust Davie into Fenella's arms and taken up her bow and quiver.

  "It's Gideon's horse."

  Boyd called out. Seeing a dark stain on the leather, he carried the saddle to the door of the hall where he pointed out the stain to Cadell and Ailene.

  "Here! Blood, ye see it?"

  Ailene bent down to look. She groaned when she saw the stain on the saddle. Cadell cursed.

  "What might he be doin here?"

  Cadell asked not expecting a reply.

  "I dinna ken. This is his, mind."

  She scrubbed the stain with her fingers. Some of the blood came off on her fingertips.

  "Tis fresh blood."

  She stood and watched Sim trot up.

  He stopped to take a breath.

  "Twa men. Went back the wa they came."

  Ailene looked down the glen.

  "He is close."

  She went back inside.

  "Fenella, will ye look after Davie?"

  Fenella nodded. Ailene started up the stairs.

  "Ailene! Wait!"

  Her father called out to her.

  "We must plan. Ye canna go off alone in the dark."

  Ailene turned and lifted her chin.

  "What if tha are searching for him? If tha had taken him, they wa have the horse. They no have him."

  Cadell went over to her.

  "Aye. But we need ah plan. Ye need three men at least. Ye are no leaving me here. We will go an take Dalziel, Iver and Seumas. Ye ken, Seumas is the strongest man we ha. We need several plaids an rope."

  "Aye. I will get ready."

  As she dashed up the stairs, Ailene heard her father issuing orders. She took a pair of Gideon's leather trews then drew them on, She had to wiggle to get them barely laced up. A shirt and plaid were next. Ailene pulled on her riding boots then put on her belt and sporran. Ailene checked the contents of the pouch. She noted that everything was in it. She put on her sword and checked the dagger. Ailene slammed the d
agger into its sheath then went back down to the hall.

  The horses were being readied. Boyd brought her horse out. Ailene went into the stable. She found several ropes. Not knowing what they would find she took two short and two long ropes from their pegs on the wall.

  From the chest in the hall she took two waulked plaids then tied all onto her saddle. The last man to mount was Seumas. All the men carried swords and spears. Ailene was also armed with her bow and quiver of arrows. They trotted down the trail toward the south and Loch Lomond, Cadell in the lead.

  When they reached the top of the farthest ridge, Cadell called a halt. They could vaguely see the trail stretched out before them. He had a fire built in the middle of the trail as a beacon for Gideon and a warning to anyone watching that the MacGroughs were there and ready to protect their own.

  They camped there in the middle of the trail. Until Gideon was found no one could travel the west trail in either direction without approval of the MacGrough. Ailene knew that they could do no more until the morning. She made herself as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. She did not sleep. There would be time enough for that later when they found Gideon.

  As soon as it was light enough to see, They started their search. Ailene went first. She walked her horse. All dropped back to allow her to walk slowly along the trail.

  Ailene saw places where the two men had evidently ridden side by side. The trail was wide enough for two horses to pass one another on the trail but there were places where the brush on either side of the well defined trail was badly damaged. That told her that the men had ridden down the trail in the dark. In places they had veered into the brush at the side of the trail.

  Gideon's horse had stayed to the middle of the trace. She leaned down to examine the tracks there. The animal that made those tracks was well acquainted with the trail. At that point the horse was traveling fairly fast. As his horse had reached the stable exhausted, she felt it had come a long way in a very short time. He had ridden the animal without much rest.

  Gideon had been coming home in a great hurry. Something had caused him to leave the army and take off on his own. Ailene came to a deep swale. The trail into it was fairly steep, it was the same going out. Toward the southern end of the swale was a trickle of water that crossed the track. There was no way around the small burn that crossed it. Ailene stopped and examined the mud. The animal that had been traveling down the middle of the trail had stumbled a little as it went through the mud.

  She turned then carefully followed the tracks until she could see where the horse had reared and then taken off again. There were scuff marks at the side of the trail. She found a small pool of blood. Ailene knew this was the place where Gideon had dismounted. Along side the small pool of blood were the prints of someone kneeling in the dirt. Ailene lay down in the trail then looked at the brush on either side of her. She found the place where someone, Gideon, had pushed into and under the brush.

  Rising, she ran her fingers over a place where a handful of moss had been scraped from the underside of a rock. He was hidden somewhere near. She followed what appeared to be indistinct boot tracks along the side of the trail.

  The other men sat on their horses at the top of the ridge leading out of the swale to the north. They sat and waited as she puzzled out the signs that were trying to tell her where Gideon was. Swallowing hard she noted where he had fallen, handprints in the dirt told the story.

  The place where the burn tumbled down the mountainside drew her. Before anyone could stop her, Ailene went sliding down the scree slope. She stopped short of sliding into the cold water.

  "Gideon?"

  Ailene called softly.

  "Here." She heard a whisper from around the bulge of rock slightly below her.

  She moved further down on the ledge then carefully pulled herself around the rock. There was barely room for Gideon on the small piece of dirt hugging the curve of the burn. He was lying on his back in the grass and flowers there. He had evidently cut off his shirt and had draped it over his body. He was holding his dagger in his right hand.

  "Ah gradh! What did they do to ye?

  He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

  "Tried to kill me. You and Davie are well?"

  Ailene nodded.

  Gideon closed his eyes.

  "It was all a lie then. They put an arrow in my right side. It is my turn love, I was horribly stupid, Sorry."

  Ailene reached over to give Gideon a gentle kiss.

  "Now we will gie ye out of here an home love."

  She slipped back around the rock. Everyone was peering down the slide.

  "He is here. Arrow wound, ken? How do we gie him up?"

  Each man looked at the other. Dalziel pushed forward.

  "I will need ta see ta wound. Tis there room for me doon there?"

  Ailene slipped around the rock.

  "Aye. If ye pull me up."

  Once Ailene was on the trail, Dalziel was lowered down the slope. He disappeared around the rock. Those above heard Dalziel's deep rumble as the spoke with Gideon. There was a short laugh. Then Dalziel appeared back around the rock.

  Dalziel was brought up and Seumas then went down. The big man slipped as far around the rock as he could get. He bent his head then spoke to Gideon.

  "If ye wish I can carry ye out of here lad."

  Gideon's reply was not heard but Seumas laughed.

  "Nay lad." He responded to whatever Gideon had said.

  It was decided that they would use the horses to get both Seumas and Gideon out of the bed of the stream then up onto the trail. Seumas used Gideon's plaid to cushion Gideon's upper body, put both arms around his chest, lifted him up and around the rock. Gideon stood feet wide apart close to the edge of the burn, Seumas stood behind him, ready to brace him if necessary. Seumas tied the long rope so as to make two loops that he helped Gideon put his legs into. Then Seumas took the second long rope and got behind Gideon.

  "Lean on me lad an we will have ye out of this shortly."

  Gideon did as Seumas told him, clinging to the rope that was looped around his legs. Seumas held on to the second rope as the horse was led slowly up the trail. With one arm around Gideon, Seumas walked up the scree slope trying to keep Gideon from falling face forward against the lose rocks. Gideon was able to push off from the rocks with one hand when rocks slipped from under Seumas feet and they both hit the slope. The second time Gideon hit the rocks, Ailene heard him groan.

  Ailene was face down on the trail reaching out with both hands as his head came even with the trail. She grabbed his shoulder then turned his head to the side away from the rocky edge. As soon as Gideon's hands came up over the edge of the trail, Cadell and Iver each took hold of an arm and hoisted him up on to the trail.

  Seumas scrambled up over the edge. He immediately reached for Gideon. The big highlander picked Gideon up into his arms. The rope was removed from his body and Seumas gently set him on his feet. Dalziel and Cadell supported him as Seumas mounted his horse.

  "Hand him up ta me."

  Seumas reached for Gideon. They shifted him carefully onto the horse then into Seumas' arms.

  "Well now lad, home for ye."

  They set off as quickly as they could. Gideon passed out again as soon as the jarring of the horse's hooves on the trail made the pain unbearable. Seumas pushed the horse into a trot then. The sooner Gideon was home the better.

  By mid day Gideon was home in his own bed. Ailene had spoken for some time with Dalziel. He was confident that the measures Gideon had taken had cleansed the wound.

  "Well, lass he wa planning on walking home, ye ken? So he took steps ta ward off any infection. The salt water is ah great cleanser but tis ah if the fires of hades are burnin ye alive. Tis ah hard one to do ye self."

  Ailene cocked her head to one side.

  "Could he ha walked home?"

  "I think in ah day or so, aye."

  Dalziel scratched his beard with one hand.

  "Tis bet
ter some times to rest when ye have been greviously hurt. Breaking ta shaft an pulling out ta other half, caused a wee bit more injury as he culdna pull it straight out. Ta angle, mind?"

  Ailene clenched her fist as she wished to cause 'grevious injury' to someone, she was not sure who. She had asked Fenella to watch Davie. She would feed the child on the usual schedule during the day but she wanted to be able to concentrate on Gideon while not feeding the bairn.

  Ailene had just finished the forenoon feeding. She was on her way from the kitchen after having warmed a cup of broth for Gideon. Dalziel had been waiting in the hall for her.

  Ailene considered the situation. It was unfathomable. Somehow it did not have a MacNab ring to it. Ailene could have believed that he had been set upon by thieves except for Gideon's question regarding Davie's health and her own. She was looking forward to questioning Gideon further. This was a puzzle she dearly wished the answer to.

  She took the cup of broth up to Gideon. He still appeared to be sleeping or unconscious, it was difficult to determine which. Ailene laid a hand on his forehead. He was cool. She peeled back the bed covers and noted that as raw as the wound looked it was not red nor was oozing pus. Dalziel had advised laying a light linen cloth over the wound without a binding. If there were any drainage, it would be better if they knew about it as soon as possible.

  As she moved the covering back over the injury, then went to cover him back up, Gideon woke.

  His eyes opened. His right hand reached out for her hand, the one holding the covers.

  "I fear I must now ask pardon for being a fool. I will never live it down, that Seumas carried me home before him like a silly girl."

  Ailene sat carefully on the edge of the bed so as not to cause him pain.

  "I am only glad that ye thought as quickly as ye did Gideon."

  He said nothing. Gideon only shook his head slightly.

  "I read the sign Gideon."

  Ailene smiled at him.

  "They shot ye before ye entered the swale. Ye rode into the swale an tumbled off the animal just past were ta burn crosses the tail. Ye struck the horse hard on the rump, before it galloped off it reared. Ye fell on ye knees, broke the arrow, pulled it from ye and crawled under the bush."