The Highlander's Quest

by Dana D'Angelo

  Elspeth looked curiously at Angus’s handsome face, but the expression there was decidedly blank.

  The bailie opened his mouth to respond. But then he flashed them a crooked smile and laughed. “Perhaps ye are right, and I’m mistaken,” Nathair said. “If everything is fine with Ross, then I’ll take my leave.”

  “I thought ye were going tae ask him for help.” She looked at Angus as she closed the door.

  “Nay, I dinnae trust the man.”

  Her aunt lifted a questioning brow when they returned to the common area.

  “It wasnae your husband,” Elspeth explained. “’Twas the bailie who had come tae ask about Da.”

  “That was kind of him,” her aunt murmured.

  “Sae what are we going tae do now?” Fiona asked.

  “If ye get evicted from the farm, ye can stay with us,” Lyall offered.

  “Of course ye can stay with us,” Morag said.

  “We cannae impose on ye indefinitely,” Elspeth said, shaking her head. “Tomas willnae like that.”

  Her aunt twisted her lips, knowing that she spoke the truth. “What if ye go see the Earl of Freemond?” Morag suggested. “He might lend ye money until your father resolves this issue with the neighbor.”

  At the suggestion, hope began to bloom in her chest. The Earl was said to be a generous man. If Elspeth could convince him of their dire situation, he might be sympathetic to their plight. And with a temporary loan from the nobleman, they would quickly pay off their debts before the harsh winter set in. The idea was perfect, but then suddenly, one looming problem assailed her. She had never stepped foot outside of town. How would she ever get to Freemond Castle?

  Chapter 4

  “Where will ye go?” Morag asked as she set a bowl of pottage in front of Angus.

  He picked up the spoon on the table and began to eat the hot stew with great enthusiasm. But at Morag’s question, he hesitated. “I’m nae certain where I’m going. At the moment, I dinnae have a place tae stay.”

  “It disnae appear as if ye have eaten much either,” Fiona pointed out.

  “Fiona!” Elspeth said, sending her younger sister a disapproving look.

  “What is your problem?” her sister said defensively. “He’s eating as if he’s never seen food before.”

  Angus drained the last of the broth and set the bowl aside.

  “’Tis true,” he admitted. “I havenae had a guid meal in a long while.”

  Elspeth regretted that they couldn’t hire Angus to work for them. Despite his leanness, she knew he was physically fit and would be an asset to the farm, especially with winter coming.

  Suddenly an idea struck her. “Angus can stay with us, right Da?” she asked.

  “I suppose sae,” her father said.

  The idea turned in her mind, and she became more enthusiastic. She had a little money saved from selling butter in the town market. Of course, it wasn’t enough to cover the rent, but it was enough to pay Angus for a couple of weeks.

  She nodded at the large Highlander. “Until ye can find another job, we can give ye daily meals, provide shelter, and pay ye a wee stipend. In exchange, you can help us on the farm. What do ye think?”

  Angus mulled her proposition for a long moment. Finally, he said, “I could use a place tae stay.”

  “Guid,” she said, grinning at him. Now that she didn’t need to worry about the harvest, she had time to figure out a way to get to Freemond Castle.

  A week later, the four of them fell into a comfortable routine. Her father had recovered somewhat, but he still couldn’t perform heavy labor. Having Angus at the farm was a relief for everyone. For such a short period, he did impressive work harvesting the remaining barley in the field. By her father’s estimates, they would finish their work by the following week.

  On their side, Elspeth and her sister worked just as hard. They spent the last couple of days making cheese. That task was done, and the cheese was stored away. They were now smoking and salting the fish they had recently purchased from the market. Soon, they would have enough food to support them throughout the winter months.

  “I’m going tae gather some bog myrtle leaves,” Elspeth said. She pushed the container of seeds into her sister’s hand. “Make sure ye feed the chickens. And if I’m nae back by the time ye are done, start preparing the next batch of fish. ”

  “All right,” Fiona grumbled as she accepted the container.

  Her sister didn’t seem happy about the new chore, but it was a task that needed to get done. Taking her basket, Elspeth hiked to the edge of the property to gather some fresh bog myrtle leaves. The herb was useful for flavoring the pottage she planned for the evening meal. And since she was low on the seasoning, she intended to gather as much of the plant as she could on this trip.

  A half hour later, her mission was completed. She strolled back to the farm, her basket swinging in her arm. Just before she reached the house, she heard hammering in the backyard. Some chickens squawked on the property as well. Elspeth walked into the house and was surprised to find it empty. She frowned. Fiona should have already started preparing the fish. She placed the basket on the table and set out to find her younger sister. When she made her way to the back, she saw the lass crouched behind a wooden barrel.

  “What are ye — ?” she started to say.

  Fiona jumped at the sound of her voice. But when she saw Elspeth, she pressed a finger to her lips and dragged her down to a squat.

  “Why are ye nae inside preparing the fish?” Elspeth asked, lowering her voice.

  “Be quiet,” she hissed.

  With her chin, Fiona jerked it toward the yard. She leaned partially to the side of the container, her interest captured by something or someone.

  Elspeth peeked past the barrel as well and saw Angus working on a broken cart. She pulled back and glared at her younger sister. “Ye shouldnae be spying on the man. ‘Tis wrong.”

  “I’m just admiring him,” Fiona said, pouting.

  “That is nay excuse.” Elspeth gave an impatient shake to her head. “Go inside and finish salting the fish as I asked.”

  Her sister got up and left in a huff. Elspeth started to leave as well, but sudden curiosity assaulted her. And she leaned over the side of the barrel once more.

  With each swing of his hammer, his arm muscles rippled. He was gorgeous. And though he appeared oblivious of his masculine beauty, she was acutely aware of it.

  Elspeth let out a slow breath, an odd feeling settling low in her belly. The Highlander obviously had worked on the contraption for a while since the top portion of his kilt was loosened from his broad shoulder and allowed to hang behind him. He had taken off his shirt, and the unusually warm afternoon sun bore down on him, causing sweat to glisten on his muscular torso. Military conditioning and physical labor sculpted his perfect male form. Not long ago, she had heard about Adonis at a local ceilidh. At the time, she had trouble imagining the Greek god, but seeing Angus now, she saw that he could easily be mistaken for the deity.

  Suddenly, the furious hammering stopped. Angus tossed the tool on the cart before lifting a heavy arm and dragging it across his forehead. He picked up his tankard from the ground but frowned when he discovered that it was empty. He turned and started to make his way toward the house.

  Elspeth’s heart stopped as she abruptly pulled back. She closed her eyes, cursing herself for not leaving the hiding spot when she had a chance. But Angus was heading in her direction and he would...

  “What are ye doing there, lass?” he asked, his brogue sounding loud in the stillness.

  She felt heat rushing to her cheeks. “I was searching for Fiona,” she said.

  He arched a thick brow. “I dinnae think ye will find her behind the barrel.”

  Elspeth got up. Not willing to meet his gaze, she concentrated on brushing the dirt from her skirt.

  “Nay, I think she’s inside.” She noticed the empty cup in his hand. “I see ye need ale. I’ll get my sister tae bring ye mo
re.” Taking the tankard, she hurried away, but she was well aware that he still watched her.

  Fiona smirked when Elspeth entered the house. “I heard ye were searching for me,” she said.

  Elspeth lifted her hand in the air. “Dinnae say another word.” She thrust the tankard at her sister. “Fill this with ale, and take it tae Angus.”

  ***

  Elspeth busied herself with the supper preparation and tried to forget the humiliating incident that occurred earlier. Fortunately she finished cooking without mishap, and the men soon returned from their work. After she and Fiona served the hot pottage, fresh barley bread and butter to the men, they joined them at the table.

  Ross tore off a piece of bread and began to butter it. “How was your day, lassies?”

  “My day was fine but Elspeth spent much of her time spying.” She made a disapproving noise with her tongue. “’Tis sae wrong.”

  At her comment Angus almost choked on his drink as he glanced at Elspeth. “Who were ye spying on, lass?” he asked innocently after he finished thumping his chest.

  “Am I missing something?” their father asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

  “Nay,” Elspeth dropped her eyes to the container of butter. “I was searching for Fiona but she was inside the house.”

  “I dinnae think I understand,” her father said.

  “There’s nothing tae understand,” she replied quickly.

  Elspeth dipped her spoon in her soup just as a knock sounded at the door.

  “I’ll see who that is,” she said, abruptly dropping the utensil in her bowl.

  Elspeth jumped to her feet and practically ran to the door. She flung it open and blinked when she noticed the person on the other side of the threshold.

  “Nathair,” she said, finding her voice.

  “Greetings, lass. I’ve come tae collect rent.” He paused. “Is your father home? Has he recovered from the brawl yet?”

  At the mention of rent, a chill ran down her spine. She swallowed. “Aye, he has recovered. We’re eating supper now. Would ye like tae join us?” she asked.

  “Certainly,” he said and followed her inside.

  As the bailie entered the house, his eyes swept over each person at the table and settled on Angus.

  “Everyone, Nathair is joining us for supper,” she said tightly, although she forced a smile to her lips. “He’s also come tae collect the rent.”

  “We dinnae have the money,” Ross said flatly. He leaned back from the table. “The neighbor robbed us and we cannae pay.”

  The bailie became quiet, his gaze now locked on her father. Her mind raced as she pictured her family getting evicted from the only home they knew.

  “Just give us more time tae come up with the money,” she pleaded. “If ye allow us, we can pay ye in three weeks.”

  Nathair turned to look at her. She unfurled her fists and gently placed a hand on his sleeve, making sure the pleasant smile remained on her lips. The bailie had always been nice to her, and she hoped she could appeal to his sense of compassion.

  “Will ye help us, Nathair?” The question hung heavily in the air.

  “The laird willnae like the delay.”

  “Please,” Elspeth said, fighting to keep the panic and desperation from entering her voice. “’Twould mean a great deal tae us.”

  The silence in the room seemed to stretch, but then he let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine,” he said. “That’s all I’ll give ye. Ye have three weeks tae come up with the rent.”

  “Thank ye,” she said, squeezing his arm. She gestured to her sister. “Fiona, make room for our guest.”

  ***

  As soon as Angus finished his meal, he excused himself from the table. He didn’t like the visitor, although he suspected that the feeling was mutual. A few times throughout the meal, he had caught the other man assessing him. And while Angus tried his best to ignore the bailie, the man’s inane chatter annoyed the hell out of him.

  Angus went outside and climbed into the cart that he had repaired earlier in the day. He lay on the wooden cart, lacing his fingers behind his head as he peered into the inky sky. Working on the MacFlikire farm was adequate but he was starting to feel restless again.

  After some thought, he decided to stay long enough to slaughter the family’s oldest cow, and assist them in preparing the meat for the winter. After that, he needed to leave. The stipend he earned while working on the farm would be enough to sustain him for another few months. An hour later, Angus heard the bailie leave. The man made enough noise to wake all the farm animals. But the racket was short-lived and everything became settled once more.

  The brisk night air brushed against his cheeks. And although logic told him he would be more comfortable near the hearth fire, he felt no urgency to go back inside. He didn’t know how much time passed, but he suddenly noticed that the activity inside the house had ceased. Likely the family was now asleep. He let out a sigh and sat up. As much as he wanted to stay outdoors, he needed to get his rest. There was still much work to do the next day. He started to climb down from the wagon when he heard a startled cry from the shed.

  Angus froze.

  The hairs at his nape stood on end as he instinctively knew that something wasn’t right. No animal should be making noise at this time. He crept to the shelter, and saw the outline of three figures leading livestock into the yard. A fourth man held the gate open for his companions.

  Angus pulled the dagger from his sheath. He edged closer to the man at the gate and started to grab him. But the thief somehow sensed his presence and turned abruptly. He expected the bandit to run, but instead, the robber threw his fist in a wide arch, swinging it directly at Angus’s head. He ducked, but unfortunately, he didn’t move fast enough. The punch clipped him at the side of the jaw, knocking him to the ground. The robber quickly climbed on top of him and began to pummel him.

  The other raiders were alerted by the scuffle. Now that their ruse was up, they abandoned their efforts to keep quiet. They raised their voices, yelling and swearing, and drove the livestock into the darkness.

  The sound of scrambling emerged from inside the house, and shouts rang in the air. With a torch in one hand and a claymore in another, the farmer rushed into the yard. His daughters followed right behind him, one carrying a pitchfork and the other a shovel.

  But even as Angus was mindful of the activity around him, he barely noticed the chaos. His eyes were transfixed on the brooch pinned to the thief’s shoulder. The design was exactly the same as the one he wore.

  “Come on, Donnan!” someone yelled, dragging the raider off Angus. The two men ran off.

  “They’re gone,” Elspeth said. She went inside the shed to check on the remaining animals.

  A few minutes later, she returned. “They took the last of our cattle and two sheep. Fortunately, we chased them away before they took our packhorse as well,” she said grimly. When her eyes fell on him, her frown deepened. “Are ye hurt, Angus?”

  “I likely have a few bruises but ‘tis nothing serious.”

  “I heard a couple of other farms in the area were raided,” Ross said tiredly. He rubbed his temple as if it pained him. “We should have been more vigilant.”

  Understandably the MacFlikires were upset with their new loss, but there wasn’t much Angus could do about that. When the family was once again settled in their beds, and he heard faint snoring, he saw his opportunity. He rose slowly from his sleeping area. Because of his encounter with the attacker, he found it impossible to sleep. He needed to find that bandit. And once he caught up with the man, he would finally get some answers.

  Angus carefully opened the front door and slipped out into the cool night. It was difficult for anyone to travel in the dark, but he needed to leave now since the raiders wouldn’t be far. All he needed was a horse. After that, it was just a matter of tracking down the thieves.

  He slipped into the animal shelter, easily finding his mark. For a moment, he felt guilty for stealing from
the MacFlikires since they had been so kind to him. But he shook off the feeling. Technically, they had yet to pay him his entire wage, and he planned to only borrow their horse. Once he discovered the truth of his identity, he would return the steed.

  Angus started to lead the packhorse into the yard when he stopped. There blocking his path was Elspeth. The lass stood like a powerful warrior princess, her legs firmly planted on the ground, a pitchfork in her hand. A fierce look was set on her bonnie face while her red hair was in wild disarray.

  “Where are ye taking our horse?” she asked, the weapon aimed at his heart.

  Chapter 5

  Elspeth made a threatening motion with the pitchfork. “Where are ye going?” she demanded, trying to interject as much courage into her voice as possible.

  Meanwhile, her heart thumped in her chest, and the blood rushed loudly in her ears. A loose strand of curly hair fell across her face, and she blew it out of the way since she had no intention of loosening her grip on her weapon.

  “Ye can put that away.” Angus looked cautiously at the pitchfork and slowly raised a palm in the air as if to placate her. “The bandits couldnae have gotten too far. If I go after them now, I’ll likely catch up with them before sunrise.”

  His deep brogue penetrated her brain, and she lowered the pitchfork slightly.

  “Then ye were only going after the thieves and werenae going tae steal our horse?”

  “That’s right,” he said. “I would reach them faster if I rode a horse.”

  Elspeth screwed up her face. He had a ready answer for everything, and his tone was sincere. However, she wasn’t certain she could believe him. She regretted that she had run out of the house without carrying a torch. At least if she could study his face, she might determine whether he lied or not.

  Unfortunately, it was impossible to see in the dark. The most she could make out was the hulking outline of the Highlander and the horse.

  But she didn’t need daylight to know what he looked like. His handsome visage was already burned into her memory. His dark-brown hair was perpetually mussed, and stubble grew along his strong jawline. He had an easy grin that lit his rugged face, and those dark brown eyes of his had the ability to pierce her soul. Although she would never admit this to anyone, she found that Angus’s presence unnerved her. The frustrating part was that she wasn’t usually flustered. And even though she told her sister not to look at the Highlander, Elspeth couldn’t stop herself from admiring his muscular build or fantasizing about how it would feel to be wrapped in his arms. The mere thought of him jumbled her senses and made her feel all too warm. She knew other lads from town, but no man intrigued her as much as Angus did.