Elusive

by Linda Rae Blair

  She especially took note of young Fiona, or Fee as they called her. Fee reminded her of herself at that age—small but shapely, blonde, and those big gray eyes. She was a sweet girl who had always loved the castle, hearing the poems, and learning the traditions of Scotland. Fee and her parents lived in the United States but, from the time of her first visit to the castle at age four, Fee’s heart was in Scotland.

  She remembered how Fee had begged and begged her parents, until she was allowed to spend each summer and—once she had gotten older—more than one Christmas vacation here at the castle, learning about Scotland and its traditions. She would be the one—yes, Fee would be the one to inherit this home that they all loved so much.

  They settled down on the floor before her, wrapped in their thick, tartan plaid, woolen blankets, and fuzzy warm robes in holiday colors before the fire. Their hot chocolate was covered with the warm, melted sweetness of as many marshmallows as each could cram into a mug. Laughing to herself, she wondered why they bothered with the cocoa at all…but then, how would they melt all those marshmallows? Their eyes were sparkling with the reflection of the lights and ornaments on the twenty-foot tree that stood behind her like a sentry in its dressiest uniform.

  The castle with her stone walls could be a cold, drafty old place, especially in the winter. Her many rooms were huge, with outer walls of stone and only its inner walls showing the modernization each generation of lairds and ladies had given her. Each had modernized in such a manner that the use of the old stone walls was not lost in the efforts. Ceilings here on the first level were so high she still marveled at them. Windows were tall and many, dispensing light evenly across the expanse despite the size and height of the rooms. The rooms on this west side of her walls got the advantage of the setting sun turning them such a lovely shade of peachy-grey. Her heart sighed at the very thought of the lovely evenings she and her beloved had shared here.

  She had loved the castle from the first moment she saw it sitting at the base of a high green-forested hill, nestled in next to the blue-watered loch. The hill behind her held a stony cliff on its far side that, breaking loose of the forest, was a stony overlook to the loch. It was her favorite place in the whole world—and she had seen most of that world over her many years.

  She looked around this, her favorite room—the Great Hall they called it. It had been thoroughly decorated for the holiday by these children and their parents the week before. There were branches of evergreen and holly. Of course there had to be mistletoe—used by each of the children to cause embarrassment to their parents at will.

  There were red satin and velvet ribbons, paper chains, various lengths of ropes made from popcorn and berries. Candles as well as bright lights illuminated the huge room. Santa Clauses of varying sizes in tartan plaid as well as red velvet and fluffy white fur, miniature sleighs with their reindeer—more than one of the reindeer had red noses—set in corners, on the mantle, under the tree.

  And then there were the snow globes collected from around the world. The glass balls—filled with their trapped snow falling time and time again over village scenes or racing sleighs pulled by high-stepping horses—brought delight and fascination to the tinier children that blessed the castle this season.

  It was a sight to see! She grinned looking around again. Giggling to herself, she admitted that she was lucky there was no neon flashing—just the blaze of the fire and the flickering of the candlelight. Their decorating had certainly not left the room dull! Others might find it gaudy, even inappropriate for such a holy time of year—she simply adored it and the loving hearts that lay behind it.

  One such heart had seen to it that there was a tiny tree in her bedroom, decorated with tiny cookies for ornaments. This, she knew, explained the hushed whispers and secretive looks between her granddaughter, Mac, and Mac’s little daughter, Brie. They had forbidden anyone to go into the kitchen for hours on end.

  Poor Mrs. Poole, their cook, had raised a holy fit. Her husband, their quiet, distinguished butler for the last thirty years, had been seen escaping from their quarters, mumbling and looking very distracted, several times that day.

  Well, she thought, Mrs. Poole would get over it…in a month or two. As for Mr. Poole, there wasn’t much she could do for him other than the little something extra in his stocking this year. Perhaps a long weekend off in the isles with his long-suffering wife would earn him some respite. Smiling at the memory of the tree, it was worth it!

  The blazing fire in the fireplace—large enough to hold a hay wagon—certainly handled the old castle’s faults well. She giggled once more. She always thought of the castle as a ‘she’ despite the fact that this blew in the face of its history, even national tradition. The castle had been the family home for almost three-hundred years. Many of those years had been fraught with death from sickness, war, intrigue, even hatred and jealousy. The women of this castle had known great love, passion, and pain. There had also been betrayal, degradation, and, of course, murder. She caught herself shivering.

  As she took one more sip of the hot tea beside her, her hands gripping the mug for warmth shook slightly—from her advanced age as much as from the memories—and she became aware that they were all looking up at her in eager anticipation. It was time to begin what had always been in their heritage—like the women of old she would share a story.

  “Once upon a time, in a land not so very far away at all, there was a beautiful young Scottish lassie…”

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  Chapter 2: The Life of a Scottish Lassie

  Donnach, Scotland - 1725

  Caena sat looking out of the window of her rooms in Donnach Castle. The castle had been her home since the day she was born, almost sixteen years before. As her mind struggled with her thoughts, her gaze went across the loch of the same name. The loch’s normally rich blue water was dark and murky this morning—mirroring her mood as well as the sky.

  Under that stormy sky, the land as far as could be seen in any direction belonged to her father’s estate—the village where her father’s people lived, loved, raised their families, worked, and died.

  The fields where they raised the food for the castle and village were just starting to come to life. The pastures for their herds ranged from flatland to hills—high and beautiful. Shaggy white sheep with their black faces and the even shaggier highland cattle were just starting to drop the next generation of animals prized throughout the country. They would provide food and clothing for the estate, as well as bringing in the fees for breeding services that would spread their kind throughout Scotland.

  The Laird of all this, the Clan McDonnough, was Caena’s big, burly father, Finnean (FIN yan) McDonnough. He was known throughout the land as The McDonnough. It was a name uttered with the utmost respect by all who knew him, except some of his own blood. As the Earl of Donnach, he was owed respect. But, better yet, his people freely gave that respect to him for his fairness and generosity, as well as the good care he showed them.

  She thanked the good Lord that the droughts of the past were over. She had heard the stories of the starvation and loss suffered throughout her country. Now they could look forward to continued prosperity, if not freedom from the dreaded English rule. The Union had been forced upon them before her birth, and she prayed that someday her homeland would be free to rule itself again.

  Their clan-oriented society was being threatened. Their loyalty remained with their lairds, despite the show of loyalty they were forced to display for the English. Life in Scotland could be hard, but Scots were a sturdy, stubborn people who would resist the English or die trying—Union or no damned Union!

  “Good morning to you, Caena.” There was no answer as Ròs, Caena’s maid, entered Caena’s rooms. She caught the expression on her charge’s face. The girl’s mind was far off somewhere. Knowing her mistress as well as she did, she recognized that Caena was upset this morning. Why, oh why, is so much pressure placed on such small shoulders?

  Shaking h
er head, she quietly went about her morning duties—selecting the clothing for Caena’s day. Watching Caena out of the corner of her eye, she set out her hair brush and ribbons. She found fresh hose and assured that the girl’s slippers were clean and ready for the day—despite the fact that she herself had made sure of this the night before.

  All the while she moved around the room, she watched Caena closely. How very much like her parents she was, Ròs mused. Her strength and stubbornness came from Finnean, her beauty from her dear mother. Finnean doted on his daughter–and where had that gotten her, Ròsscowled.

  How much she herself loved the girl. She had tended to her with the love of a mother for her child since moments after the girl’s birth. So much joy and sadness all wrapped up in one day. Ròs sighed and went about her business.

  In the meanwhile, Caena was lost in thoughts about her father. From time to time, Finnean was misunderstood by his peers for his ideas which were considered extreme. Some even thought his ideas were threatening to their way of life. Unlike other men of his time, he held the minds and wisdom of the women in his life in high esteem. He had adored his wife, the sweet Morgana, who had died when Caena was born.

  Caena’s thoughts took her to the enmity that brewed beneath the surface of her family. She shuddered as she thought of it. Like so many wealthy families of their day, plots to overthrow the leader of the family were lurking in the dark corners of the estate. Power was always a temptress ready to seduce those of lesser character—which were plentiful in the McDonnough clan these days.

  God forbid any outsiders tried to battle with the McDonnoughs, for the McDonnoughs would band together to fight their way through hell itself. But the McDonnoughs were, amongst themselves, a warring brood. Knowing such plots existed was only a small part of the matter. Finnean would have to outsmart all of them. She realized that he had managed to quell such plots for his twenty-two years as Laird without any help from her. After all, she was a mere female. But loving him, she could not help but worry about her father’s safety.

  It was difficult for her to remain in her dark mood when she thought of her father. The thought of him always brought a smile to her face. The tale was told that when Finnean’s parents saw the mop of light hair on their new born babe, they had agreed immediately on his name which meant white-headed—she had been given the name Caena for its same meaning. The flowing, near-white blond hair she wore with such pride fell to such a length that she sometimes sat upon it—even when it was plaited.

  Oh, how Caena loved her father. He was the most important person in her life—other than the man she met on the cliffs—and had been for as long as she could remember. Her protector, her teacher, her supporter, both mother and father—he had been all of them. He would give her any desire of her heart, if he could. But, sadly, there were some things even The McDonnough could not do. Caena could never inherit all that was his and dear to his heart.

  Ròs watched the girl move to her dressing area. She knew where Caena’s thoughts had taken her. Ròs could always tell when the girl thought of Finnean.

  As Ròs dressed her, Caena watched herself in her looking glass. Caena McDonnough strongly resembled her mother, or so she had been told as long as she could remember. Of course, she had never seen Morgana. But she often heard that—while she had her father’s pale, blonde hair—she had her mother’s fine features, huge gray eyes, and the full lips that settled in a near pout when she wasn’t smiling.

  She blushed to think of her other features. With her tiny stature, narrow waist, full bosom, she had a figure different than most of the maidens in the castle. This too she got from her mother. She had seen the way some of the men in her father’s service looked at her. She shuddered again as she thought of it.

  “What is the matter, child?” Ròs asked. “Would you like me to get your shawl? Are you chilled?”

  “No, I’m fine, Ròs,” Caena responded quietly.

  Ròs seriously doubted that. “Perhaps you would like some tea?”

  “No. Thank you, Ròs.”

  Ròs was worried about her mistress and dear, dear friend. The girl had been in a state for days. Something was weighing heavily on her heart, and it upset Ròs to see the pain in the girl’s eyes. Even the thoughts of her father didn’t remain on her face for long.

  While Ròs worried about Caena, Caena’s thoughts returned to their previous path. She cared little of what others at court thought of her figure. Some of the women at court hid the fullness of their figures by wearing the binding undergarments of the English—copying their so-called English counterparts. While they more often wore the Scottish homespun chemises at home, they would give in to English fashion in public, especially for special occasions. They cared too much about what the English thought, in Caena’s opinion—not that anyone asked a woman’s opinion, she scowled again. Sighing to herself, she thought most of these women were probably just doing as their husbands expected them to do. That, after all, was what a Scottish woman’s life amounted to—making your husband happy!

  Caena felt her temper flaring. She recognized that her temperament was like her father’s. Aye, she could be what Finnean called ‘a fiery-tempered lassie’ when pushed—some said she was stubborn. She preferred to think she was just determined! Thinking of the imagined slight, she lifted her chin in defiance as she watched her reflection in the mirror. If they did not like her for herself, then damn them all. She caught herself before she would have stomped her dainty foot on the hard stone floor of her rooms. She sneaked a peek at Ròs to see if she had noticed how close she had come to displaying that determination.

  Finally, her thoughts settled back on the real reason for her dark mood. Her father had given her the worst of news. She felt her eyes starting to fill and her chest tightening. He had, despite his own heart, told her she had to make a dreaded decision. For the third day in a row it had clouded her thoughts and certainly her mood. The man, who if left to his own devices would give her anything he had, asked for a decision from her on a choice of husband. She wiped an escaping tear from her cheek, refusing to let herself break.

  Seeing the tears on Caena’s cheeks, Ròs could stand it no longer. “Lassie, dinna tell me that you are alright now. Come, sit next to me.” She guided the girl to a chair, then Ròs sat beside her, holding the weeping girl’s hand. “Now tell me what is bothering you so, child.”

  “Oh, Ròs, this should be one of the happiest days of my life. Just to know that I am to wed and—aye, to have any say in the matter—my heart should be bursting with joy.” She stopped to blow her nose on the little handkerchief Ròs handed her. “Father has given me a choice of husband. I should have been able to tell him, without any thought or consideration, that I chose the man I love above all—save father himself—but I could not.” She rose to pace the floor again.

  “Oh child, why did you not tell me afore now?” Ròs wrapped her arms around Caena for comfort, and then she backed away again to finish dressing her.

  “I needed to think this through before I said anything. But I just do not seem to be able to clear my head and make a decision,” Caena said quietly.

  “Ròs, I am very fortunate that he gave me any choice in the matter at all. He knows that I love one who is, in father’s eyes, not the best choice considering all that must be considered. And God knows none of my peers would have any say whatsoever in such a matter.” She turned and looked at Ròs. “He would not force me to go against my heart, Ròs. But to be loved enough to be given the choice…” she sighed, “I must live up to such a responsibility.”

  “Aye, lass, we knew this day would come, and your sixteenth celebration of birth is just days away.”

  Caena knew that the law demanded estates only be inherited by men. Therefore, what was the Laird’s—his fortune, the title, the lands, and the castle—must go to a male heir. She knew that it weighed heavily on his mind and heart that he had no son. She was his only child.

  For years others had pushed him to select a new wi
fe. However, his deep and abiding love for his dear Morgana had prevented any lasting relationships with other women. Friends had thrust every available young woman into his path, but he would not be tempted to take another wife. Thus he had no male heir in his future. This decision may well have saved him from the plotting of other family members over the years. All they had to do was just wait him out and reap the rewards of patience when the Laird finally died.

  “How was the choice given to you?” Ròs asked. She’d heard rumblings throughout the castle but would not take them seriously. She was not, after all, a gossip like so many of the other simpering women in the family’s service. She had waited to hear it from Caena herself.

  Caena turned to look out her window again, hoping the view of the Loch would bring her some peace. “You well know that I will have to choose between the sons of my uncle.”

  “Aye, it is as I feared.” Caena’s uncle—Finnean’s brother, Mordag (MOR dak)—had two sons. “Yes, those would be the only two choices…that is, if you wish to claim your father’s estate,” Ròs responded.

  Caena scowled with disgust as she thought of the eldest of the two—the dark, brooding, ambitious, and hateful young Macrath (mahc RA). He made Caena’s skin crawl with discomfort especially when he cast his dark, sullen leer in her direction. His black, hard eyes gave a piercing stare. What should have been a strikingly handsome face instead held a malevolence that spoiled its beauty. It made her shiver when he settled that stare on her—and he did so often—as if for no other reason than to unnerve her. She sometimes thought he loathed her as much as she did him but, for some reason, he was willing—indeed had asked Finnean’s permission—to take her to wife. Once again she felt herself shudder.