Rumors Among the Heather

by Amanda Balfour

  “What are ye boys up to today?” he asked impatiently.

  “We found ourselves a spy. I wanted to hang him right where we found him, but Allan said we had to bring him to you. I still think we ought to hang him,” Tom said with a menacing glitter in his eyes.

  Angus the Younger looked at Julie for a long while. His face wrinkled in a frown. “What say ye, lad, to this charge of spying?”

  Julie turned around and looked at her accusers before she stood up—daring them to push her down again. Tom reached out, but Angus motioned for him to stand still. She stood up and turned to look at Angus.

  “I am not a spy! I was sitting on a rock minding my own business when these two cretins accosted me.”

  Tom began to sputter. “Wha’s he calling us? Why, I will…” He reached back to throw a punch, but Angus intervened.

  “Lad, ye say ye are not a spy, but yer speech is that of the Englisher.”

  “I’m English, but that doesn’t make me a spy. Unfortunately, I was visiting school friends when your rebellion started, with no way to get home. I’m trying to cross the mountains to get to my aunt’s house in Stonehaven. I just want to go home.”

  “I can appreciate yer predicament, but ye’re in a bigger one than ye ken. Ye’ve seen where my hideout is, so I cannae let ye go. Ye might tell Cumberland’s men where he could find me, and it wouldnae do at all. Ye see, he’s kind of partial to my company, and I’m partial to my head. I’m afraid we’ll have to keep ye for a while until I can decide what to dae with ye,” Angus said with finality.

  A hush fell over the room when Julie opened her mouth to talk back to him. Even Tom stepped back lest he be caught in the aftermath of her indiscretion.

  “I demand you let me go. I promise not to tell where your hideout is. Time is short. I have to find my aunt, don’t you see?”

  Angus stared down at Julie. “Well, lad, ye’ve got courage, I’ll say that for ye. My answer’s the same. You’re staying, so make yourself ta home.”

  He began to laugh. His infectious laugh had the whole room laughing before long. Trapped in these people’s madness, she began to feel like the only sane person in a world turned loose into a maze of false doors and paths of deceit.

  Later, Allan came over to where she sat and brought some salve and bandages for her feet. His hands were gentle when he carefully applied the balm to each sore. Her feet began to feel better with just his touch. He also gave her a new pair of shoes. She tried to thank him, but he would have none of her gratitude. When he finished, he took his healing pouch and left.

  Chapter Ten

  Julie’s captors did not bind and place her in a cell as she expected. They allowed her to walk around the compound as any other member of their rag-tag rebel band. However, she could not walk outside into the cool air. There were two sentries guarding the door, and five fierce Highlanders positioned strategically among the heather at all times.

  Julie walked around the large room dug into the hillside. The outside gave no clue to the roominess of the inside lair. It looked like part of a steep hillside. Trees tenaciously clung to the landscape, and huge boulders guarded the entrance to the room with a sod-covered roof. Moss clung to the walls as if nature did not recognize the difference between her own creation and man’s. Nature seeded the sod with flowers, gorse bushes, and heather as she did the hillside.

  It appeared to be a foolproof hideout, except there was only one way in and the same way out. Strange that they would leave themselves no way of escape if attacked. Chillingly Julie realized they fully expected to fight to the death for their dream, for Scotland, and for Bonnie Prince Charlie. They planned for this to be their last stand.

  At the far end of the room hung a large tapestry. Making her way casually over to the wall hanging, she managed to look behind it. To her surprise, she found another, smaller room with a huge round table and twelve chairs but still no way out. Disappointed, she sat down in a corner near the tapestry and watched the scene before her with growing despair.

  The men came and went. They relieved the guards outside, happily chatting to each other in Gaelic. Julie, after months spent in Scotland, had developed an ear for the language. The only other activities the inhabitants of the compound indulged in were maintenance of their weapons, sleeping, and of course gambling.

  Her stomach roiled with hunger, and she wondered when or if they were going to feed her or themselves.

  She did not have long to wait for her answer. As soon as the sun set, women began drifting unobtrusively into the room and leaving just as quietly, almost like phantoms. The men seemed to ignore them, and the women did not seem to want recognition. Each left a platter of food or a loaf of bread. In short order the groaning board filled to overflowing. Julie’s mouth watered as the aroma of the food tantalized her senses.

  Angus made his appearance before the table and bowed to his knees to ask a blessing. Everyone else in the room did the same. “Merciful God, grant a blessing on these, my men, loyal Scotsmen every one, the preparers of the feast. May the food nourish our bodies. May the saints protect us and our troubles be few. And God, may our enemies be left in disarray. Amen.”

  The men were obviously hungry, and at the best of times, Julie would not have expected them to be well-mannered, but she judged too quickly and with bias. They waited patiently for Angus to finish his prayer and then to fill his plate. After Angus, the men lined up according to rank.

  Timidly, Julie made her way to the end of the line. Someone thrust a plate into her hand. She did not notice who for she could not take her eyes off the food. Agonizingly, she watched as the food quickly disappeared from the table. When her turn came, she found a few potatoes, a piece of venison with one side burnt, and an apple. She took her feast to her corner and ate it quickly, lest someone take it away from her.

  After their meal, Angus mixed up a hot rum punch consisting of lemons, cinnamon, honey, and a generous portion of rum. All this he prepared in a huge silver bowl and stirred the concoction when the right moment came with a red-hot poker. The men filled their cups and once more pulled out decks of cards. They gathered in small groups to gamble, tell jokes, and pass the time. After several trips to the punch bowl, the party became more and more ribald and unruly.

  Angus sat upon his large chair in a corner of the room watching his men through half-closed eyes, all the while becoming sloshed himself. Seeing him in a good mood, Julie made her way over to him.

  “Laird, may I speak to you? I’ll only take up a few moments of your time.”

  “Ye’re as persistent as a fly. Well? Go ahead if ye must,” he said with resignation and flicked his fingers at her.

  “It’s just this. Since I was brought here blindfolded and I haven’t a clue where I am, I thought you might reconsider and let me go. You could blindfold me again and have someone take me back to the path and point me toward Aberdeen. I would not be able to tell where I had been even if I wanted to,” Julie said, watching Angus’s face for some reaction.

  Before he could open his mouth and speak, from outside came the call of a crow. The sound brought silence from each man, drunk or not—all were suddenly alert. The previously unruly men grabbed their broadswords without hesitation and ran out the entrance. Julie stood trembling and waited for the fight to begin, but before long the men filed back into the room.

  Angus entered last. He came through the door laughing heartily and patting two strangers on their backs. When they were close enough, to her chagrin Julie saw Matthew and Ribble. She stumbled as if she had been hit. Trying to recover, she stepped farther back into the shadows and pulled her cap lower over her eyes.

  They passed close by her on their way into the small inner room. Not even Ribble noticed her in the shadows by the tapestry. She strained her ears to hear their conversation, but she could not make out the words for the noise outside. They seemed to flow from Gaelic to English as naturally as if it were the way everyone spoke. Her thoughts raced through her head, giving her a headach
e.

  Was there ever a more unlucky person? I should never have rested long enough to be captured. Here I am right back where I started. Out of this whole country why did Matthew have to show up here?

  * * *

  “Lord Bonnleigh, what brings ye to my little piece of Scotland? I thought ye would’ve been on your way to France by now,” Angus asked.

  “It’s a long story, and I’ve no time or inclination to tell it. What is important is that a man named Hamilton and a company of redcoats are on our trail. We need a place to rest and some food, and we’ll be on our way,” Matthew said sharply.

  Matthew had never liked Angus or anyone of the MacLaren clan. The man was mean-spirited, loud, and obnoxious, but he fought with the heart of a lion. Many times during the rebellion Matthew found himself fighting side by side with him. He could not like him, but if he had to choose a man to stand beside in battle, it would definitely be Angus. They were both in the same predicament, running and hiding for their lives, so he had come to the only person he could trust.

  “By the way, I am looking for my, er, nephew. He seems to have run away. If not for him, I would have been in France by now. He’s small with auburn hair and big green eyes. Could you ask your men if they have seen him?” Matthew asked while trying to sound like an annoyed uncle and not a frustrated husband.

  “As it so happens, I have the lad here now. Ye just passed him on the way in. I’ll get ’im for ye,” Angus said, and stood up.

  “Here, now, in this place?” Matthew said incredulously.

  Angus nodded his head in some amusement. “I’m waitin’, man, do ye want the lad or nae?” his host pressed.

  “No, leave things as they are for now. Since he seems to be trying to ignore me, I’d like to play a little game with him myself,” Matthew said with irritation grating on each word.

  “As ye wish.” Angus shrugged.

  After sating their hunger and quenching their thirst, Angus called Matthew and Ribble into the small room.

  He looked grave and began to speak. “Ye were right. There’re several squadrons of dragoons coming this way, led by some popinjay my man dinnae ken. I take it this be the Hamilton feller ye spoke of?”

  Matthew nodded his head in agreement. “How soon before he’ll reach the Spey?”

  “He will be there by nightfall,” Angus said casually.

  “Then we’ll leave you at dusk. I’d no intention of laying my troubles at your door,” Matthew replied wearily.

  “You’ve no need to turn tail and run,” Angus replied, insultingly.

  Matthew’s eyes flashed a warning Angus could not miss. Annoyance marked his words when he spoke. “I am not turning tail and running for my own sake. This is not your fight. Hamilton’s quarrel is with me personally.”

  “I meant naething by what I said. I dinnae mean to give offense,” Angus said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I was at the moment thinking my men could do with a wee bit of exercise. A good outing is what they need, and a Sassenach is a Sassenach for all of that, eh? The world cannae help but be the better for the loss of one or two. I think we should invite these redcoats of yours to our little soiree. What say ye?”

  Matthew grinned and looked at Angus in a different light. As if being able to read each other’s minds, both men began to laugh. Two adversaries were united once again against a common cause.

  When Angus told his men, a shout went up. The men cleaned their rifles and honed their broadswords and dirks—all the time whistling. Each man took only one cup of rum punch. There were no cards or loud joking. Each man soon sought his pallet.

  Matthew watched Julie from under his half-closed eyelids. She looks so small and alone. I see her sleeping and all I want to do is lie down beside her. The cap she’s wearing does nothing to hide her face, and it has already slipped off. I can’t take my eyes off of her. Why has no one else noticed she is not a boy?

  I need to quit looking at her. So innocent in sleep. No one would know she has a treacherous heart.

  To stop himself from staring at her, he got up to walk around, but his eyes always came back to where she slept. She looked so guileless in sleep. He wanted to reach out and touch her. Before he could do that, a picture of her in Hamilton’s arms came unbidden to him, and once again anger and hate filled his mind. He lay back down and closed his eyes. He tried to sleep but slumber eluded him.

  * * *

  Several hours after midnight Julie roused from a deep sleep when a hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes flew open. Stunned, she stared into Matthew’s icy blue eyes. He motioned for her to stand up, all the time keeping his hand over her mouth. Reluctantly, she began to walk where he pushed her. She found herself in the far corner of the small inner room. Matthew released her and lit a candle. They stood not two feet apart and glared at each other.

  Despite her animosity toward Matthew, she could not help but notice how he was dressed. He had changed into the kilt of his clan. Along with the confiscation of their weapons, the English had forbidden the wearing of kilts after the Battle of Culloden. Just to have one on was punishable by law. He looked so handsome; she could barely keep from reaching out to him, but the look on his face spoke volumes for restraint.

  “I’m tired of always chasing after you. You’ve cost me dearly. Thanks to you, many men will lose their lives tomorrow when we meet up with Hamilton.”

  Julie swallowed hard and tried to regain mastery over her voice. “I did not ask you to follow me. I don’t need or want your help,” she said hoarsely.

  “I never thought I could be so mistaken in another. You fooled me and you even fooled Ribble. I hope you’re proud of yourself. You have turned Ribble against me. Tomorrow I want you to have a close seat. This is what you had in mind all along, is it not? To have two men fight for your honor? ’Tis the same old story no matter how many ways it’s told.”

  He moved closer to her, backing her farther into the corner. “Tell me, Julie, which do you find the most exciting? Seeing the actual combat or the spilling of blood? Do you want mine or Hamilton’s? Or don’t you know?”

  “You tell me. You have all the answers,” she spat at him.

  “I would rather have it come from your mouth. You have told so many lies, I doubt you know the truth.”

  Julie mustered all the strength she could and put it into one stinging slap across Matthew’s face. She pushed hard against him and managed to release herself from his grip. She started for the opening, but he caught her and pulled her back. Matthew pinned Julie to the floor, and his mouth came down on hers. She struggled at first, but as his tongue parted her lips, she tried hard not to feel anything, but she could not help herself. She loved him in spite of his deceiving her.

  His words hurt her deeply. Yet despite the name-calling and accusations of her heartless unfaithfulness, Julie could not put out the flame he started. Her hungry response to his kiss sent shock waves through her body. She tried to pull away, but it was too late.

  Tenderly, he moved from her lips to kiss the pulsing hollow at the base of her neck. His lips continued to tantalize as he pulled her shirt over her head and undid the binding around her breasts, setting them free. With his warm pulsing body pressed against her, she heard his heart beating wildly. He slid his hand across her stomach and caressed the skin of her thighs. Matthew’s hand ran across her stomach again. He stopped and sat back on his heels. Julie’s breaths came in gasps, as she opened her eyes and reached up to touch his face. A look of disgust marred his features.

  She began pulling her clothes back on. Her secret was out—he now knew she carried a child. Tears filled her eyes. She turned away from his accusing look.

  “Are you with child?” he asked, making it sound like a crime.

  Julie stood up but remained silent. She kept her back to him. The words she wanted to say stuck in her throat.

  He came over to where she stood and turned her around. “I will ask again. Are you with child?”

  Julie wiped the tears from her eyes a
nd stared back into those arctic cold eyes and said simply and defiantly, “Yes, yes!”

  “I’m surprised you say it so proudly, after all, isn’t this the reason you ran away? I might have known you would not wait for me. You did warn me.” He waited for her to deny his accusations, but she said nothing. “When did it happen? Did you go directly from my bed to his or did you wait a day or two? Whose child do you carry? Tell me if you dare! I want to hear you say it!”

  His angry whisper filled the room and echoed in her ears. Julie clenched and unclenched her fists, trying hard to keep her temper.

  “Why should I tell you anything? Would it make a difference? You have already made up your mind,” Julie replied.

  “I ask again. Whose child is it?”

  “The child is mine,” she angrily hissed at him.

  He pushed her from him like an unclean object. A shout went up from outside, breaking the deadlock. A horn sounded the alarm for battle. Quickly, Matthew straightened his clothes.

  “Wait here until everyone has gone. We’ve got unfinished business.”

  In an instant, he slipped behind the tapestry and joined the others. Julie laid down on the floor. She felt ashamed and angry. Once again, her body had betrayed her. She must get away, as far away from Matthew as she could. She would never know peace again unless she did. Their love was as cold as the floor she lay upon. She could never love anyone who accused her of the things Matthew had, and he could not possibly love her if he believed the things he accused her of doing.

  Only when she was certain everyone had left did she slip back out into the large room. The battle being played outside the compound echoed within. Everything in the room shook as swords clashed and ammunition exploded. She heard the squeals of horses and the cries of wounded men in death’s agony. Tears ran down her cheeks. She put her fingers in her ears and tried to drown out the sounds.

  She raised her head when a lull descended on the empty room. Timidly, Julie stepped out into the bright sunlight. She walked over the hill and saw the battlefield below. Everywhere, destruction met her eyes. The air surrounding her smelled of blood and gunpowder. Nauseated, she sat down on the nearest rock.