“Angus,” she screamed and started to run to him, not caring about the potential danger she faced.
“Elspeth, stop,” Jon cried, trying to force her back.
But she pulled away from the boy. While her young friends escaped into the woods, she needed to help Angus. Grabbing his arm, she tried to drag him to the safety of the forest. But he was too heavy, and she was only able to move him a few inches. When she saw that the guards were almost upon them, her body tensed.
“Wake up, Angus,” she said, shaking him by the shoulder. “Please wake up!”
His body jerked, but he was out cold. Panic seized her, and she shook him harder. Finally, a small groan rumbled in his chest.
As the enemy closed in, it was almost impossible to get away. They were rounded up and hauled to a small cluster of trees that grew a few paces from the firepit. Six prisoners, including Tam Roy, were tied to the tree trunks. The guards quickly secured her and Angus to a nearby tree.
Their captors were eager to join their mates and left one man to keep watch over them. Fortunately for them, that sentinel was more interested in the activities at the firepit than he was about guarding them. He moved closer to watch the antics of his peers.
By this time, Angus regained his consciousness. “What happened?” he asked, sounding slightly disoriented.
Hearing the sound of his voice, the redheaded outlaw turned to look at him. His gaze then dropped to the clasp on Angus’s kilt, and he then did a double-take. “Owen MacLegan,” he said. “I thought ‘twas ye.”
Angus paused in shock as he pondered the name. “Aye, I believe that’s me,” he said as recognition slowly dawned upon him. His eyes narrowed slightly and he continued to study the other man. “And ye are Tamas, the son of James Hay, the Earl of Freemond.”
Elspeth looked at Angus, astonished. Did she hear him correctly? When he was knocked out, he must have regained his memory. It was odd to hear his real name, yet somehow it suited him. But she was surprised to learn that the name Tam Roy was also an alias. No one was who she thought they were.
“Didnae we already meet the Earl’s son in Freemond?” she blurted out in her confusion.
“Most likely ye met Malcolm, my younger half brother,” Tam said flatly.
In the distance, Elspeth heard several men whooping with joy. A few minutes later, they became engaged in loud chatter and laughter. The women, who were a part of Tam’s group, were forced to serve food and drink to their captors.
“They’ve found my whisky store,” a man beside Tam grumbled.
The watchman hurried to the firepit to get his share of the firewater.
Elspeth turned her attention back to the outlaw. “How are ye acquainted?” she asked.
“Owen was my father’s trusted man,” Tam said.
Elspeth glanced at Angus in time to see him furrow his brows. “Are ye all right?” she asked worriedly.
“Why shouldnae he be all right?” Tam asked, puzzled.
She started to explain. “Angus, I mean, Owen...”
“Ye can continue calling me Angus,” he interrupted. “Believe it or nae, I’ve become attached tae the name. But tae answer your question, Tam, I had lost my memory. Since discovering this, I’ve been on a quest tae recover my identity and my past.”
“I see,” Tam said. “But ye remember now?”
“Aye,” Angus nodded.
As the men continued to converse, Tam filled Angus with gaps in his history and how he served the old Earl. It was almost as if she were learning about a completely different person. But everything about Angus finally made sense. Much of the skills and knowledge he possessed were retained from his elite combat training. She had never doubted that he was a great Highland warrior, and it was now confirmed.
A sharp hiss called to her. When she turned her head, she saw Jon and Alec hidden in the bracken a few feet from them. Relief flooded her. “The lads have come back for us,” she said softly.
The prisoners around them perked up. Elspeth had recognized the four men who had chased her earlier. But any resentment she had toward them was now gone.
After a few minutes, the coast was clear, and the lads crept over to them. “We stole back your weapons,” Alec said, his voice low as he cut the ropes that secured them to the trees.
“We need tae get out of here,” Elspeth said, rubbing her tender wrists. She started to get up.
“Nay,” Angus said, stopping her. “We must stay here. If they discover that we’re gone, they’ll come after us. ‘Tis dark now, and it’ll be difficult for us tae get far.”
“How lovely that everyone has gotten reacquainted,” a man drawled, interrupting their discussion. “But let’s nae get too merry since ye will all be dead soon.” He gestured to the three men who accompanied him.
Elspeth gasped. It was the Earl of Freemond. Earlier, she wasn’t able to clearly view the supposed outlaw’s profile. But now that the Earl was among them, she saw the family resemblance.
“Malcolm,” Tam said the name as if it were a curse.
“I cannae say that I’m overjoyed tae see ye either, brother,” he said.
“We might share the same sire, but ye are nay brother of mine,” Tam said.
“What are ye going tae do with us?” Angus said, interrupting the exchange.
“Dinnae I make myself clear? I’ll have ye killed, of course,” Malcolm said, focusing his attention on Angus and then on Tam. “My men were incompetent and should have finished the deed from the start.” He studied everyone in the group, and his voice hardened. “But it appears that I’m tae have another chance. This time, everyone here dies, including my dear brother.”
“’Tis awful enough ye would kill innocent people, but ye would kill your own kin as well?” Elspeth said, unable to help herself.
“’Tis nae terrible,” Malcolm said, contradicting her. “’Tis a necessity.”
“I’m aware of his plan,” Tam said, his tone matter-of-fact. “As the firstborn son, I lay claim to the earldom. Malcolm murdered my father and hoped tae inherit the title and estate once he terminated me. As ye can see, his plan has backfired.”
“Ye are much more perceptive than I thought,” Malcolm said, letting out a cruel laugh. “I saw an opportunity when I learned about Owen’s memory loss. I believed he would lead me tae ye, and I was right. Now that I have ye at my mercy, ye will all die.”
“You’re wrong about that,” Angus said, standing up. The rope slipped away from his wrists just as Tam straightened beside him. “We dinnae plan tae die today.”
Tam quickly maneuvered behind his stepbrother and held the blade of his sword at his neck. Tam’s comrades moved just as fast and subdued Malcolm’s guards.
“Aye, ye are verra wrong,” Tam said, agreeing with Angus. “The only one who dies here will be ye and your men.”
Malcolm gripped his half brother’s arm, his face white with fear. “Perhaps we can work out a deal,” he said in a desperate attempt to sound reasonable.
Just then, another guard came upon them. When he saw that Malcolm and his peers were restrained, he raised his voice in alarm. In the ensuing chaos, Malcolm broke free from Tam’s grip. Seconds later, answering shouts echoed throughout the campsite.
Angus pushed Elspeth toward the lads. “Go,” he commanded.
He picked up the claymore from the ground and spun around to face the remaining warriors. Every member of Tam’s crew also joined the fight.
Jon quickly led them away from the conflict but stopped a few paces away. Likely, they should have retreated farther into the woods, but they were all transfixed by the horrific scene playing out in front of them.
Elspeth’s gaze went from one set of fighters to the other. Angus and his friends fought well, but Malcolm’s party had consumed strong whisky, and their clumsiness and inefficiency indicated that the firewater was taking its effect. Then in a matter of minutes, the enemy was subdued, and the skirmish ended. Malcolm was thrown unceremoniously on the ground. Tam planted his
foot firmly on the other man’s back.
“Tie these bastards up with the others,” Tam said. “I’ll see tae them in a moment.”
Now that the danger had passed, Elspeth and the lads slowly ventured back to the clearing. Angus saw her approach, and his expression relaxed.
“What will become of Malcolm Hay?” she asked.
“Malcolm will be jailed and punished,” Tam said. “My father was one of the Queen’s trusted advisors. No doubt she willnae be pleased tae learn who had caused his demise.”
“Aye, Malcolm, and all of his followers will be punished appropriately,” Angus agreed. “And Tam will take his rightful place as the Earl of Freemond.”
The two men had a short discussion before Tam left to deal with the prisoners. The captives were bound and would soon be transported to the Queen’s palace. From where Elspeth stood, she saw that the false Earl was standing a little apart from his men.
Elspeth shook her head in disgust. Malcolm had no intention of giving her the reward money. Now with all her options gone, she was certain the landlord would evict her family from their home. Despite her misfortune, she was glad for Angus. At least things was working out for him, and he would get everything he wanted.
“I’m guessing ye willnae be returning tae the farm,” she said brightly while trying to hide her disappointment. With his memory returned, he would be able to resume his life as a high-ranking commander. In his position, he would have no use for a simple lass like her.
“I’m nae returning tae the farm,” he said. “But neither are ye.”
“I’m nae sure what ye mean.” Her voice faltered even as her heart began to quicken.
“From what I recall, I own land nae far from Freemond. And I would be honored if ye and your family would come tae live with me.”
His invitation surprised her. “But what about the bonnie lass from town, the one ye spoke with at the well?” she asked.
For a moment, her question puzzled him, but then he said, “I dinnae fancy the lass. Ye, on the other hand, mean everything tae me. Even when I had nay identity, ye stood by me. And even though I’ve regained my memory, ‘tis still ye I desire.”
“Is this true?” she asked, hardly believing what he told her.
“Aye,” he nodded. He lifted his hand to caress the side of her face. As he stared into her eyes, his gaze softened. “Will ye marry me, Elspeth?”
“I will.” Her eyes shone with love and gratitude.
“I’m glad.” Angus said, pulling her close.
He bent his head, and when their lips touched, she glimpsed their future. She had initially set out to help her family and gave no thought to her own happiness. But now her family would have a secure place to live, and she would marry the man she loved. In the end, she too got all that she wanted, and she couldn’t be happier.
Thank You
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Dana D’Angelo
About The Author
Dana D’Angelo is the only girl from a family of nine children. As a teenager, there was a constant battle for the T.V. remote, which she lost, so she was forced to find her amusement in books. A friend got her into romances, and soon she read as many as ten romance novels per week, spending hours with her nose pressed between the pages, skipping meals and cutting out sleep. Life, it seemed, wasn’t as exciting or interesting as in the Medieval or Regency eras.
It wasn’t until she was married with two young kids that she decided to take a stab at writing her own historical romance novels.
She is intrigued with the idea of writing romantic stories that could bring hours of enjoyment to readers, help them escape from reality, and perhaps remind them how sweet love is and should be. These are the things that she enjoys as a reader, and these are the things that she wants to give back as a writer.
Dana lives in a city east of Toronto, Canada. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s dining at local restaurants with her husband and kids and enjoying spectacular foods of the world.
Website: www.dana-dangelo.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dana.dangelo.books
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Glossary
Bailie — The bailie is the Scottish equivalent to a bailiff. They acted as burgh magistrates to the government on a local level. They were responsible for executing and enforcing court laws, decisions, orders and warrants. In the case where they acted as bailie to a landed estate, they were in charge of overseeing the property and its buildings. Some other duties included collecting rent, managing accounts and running the farms on the land.
Ceilidh — A ceilidh is a social gathering where people entertained each other by sharing legendary tales, poems and songs.
Drover — A person who guided large groups of livestock from one area to another. Distances covered might be from the highlands to the lowlands. In some cases, a drover might lead livestock to England.
Great Kilt — Originating in the 16th century, this full-length garment worn by Highlanders was known as the belted plaid or great kilt. The fabric was approximately nine yards, and was pleated and secured with a belt. The lower portion of the great kilt was adjusted to come up to a man’s knees. The upper half of the garment could be modified to either drape over the shoulders or be worn as a hood. A pin or a brooch might also be used to hold the excess material together at the shoulder.
Guising or Mumming — This 16th century custom involved people wearing a costume or a disguise to impersonate the souls of the dead or nature spirits. The people went from door to door to recite verses, songs and give blessings. In exchange, they accepted rewards or food on behalf of the ancient spirits. The guisers concealed their identities, and often threatened mischief when their demands weren’t met. They felt safe being incognito since they believed they would be unrecognizable to the dead.
Kelpies —These shape-shifting water spirits usually appeared as horses but also took on the human form. Found near pools and lochs, these malevolent creatures enticed unsuspecting people on their backs (in the equine form) and drowned them. Their hides were magical and prevented victims from escaping.
Kirk — A Scottish and Northern English word that means church
Leine — The term means "shirt" or "tunic" in Gaelic. Men and women wore this linen garment under kilts, or kirtles and arisaid (women's dress similar to the great kilt). The women’s shirts were full length while the men had a shorter version.
Samhain — This pagan festival was celebrated on October 31st and ended on November 1st. People believed that the past, present, and future converged at this time, and that the dead and living were able to interact. This period also marked the end of harvest, and the beginning of the winter or the “darker half” of the season. The cattle were returned from summer pastures and some of the animals were slaughtered for the coming winter. Samhain later became known as All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day and finally Halloween.
Samhain Bonfire — The Celtic people believed Samhain was a time when spirits roamed freely among the living. In order to protect themselves, they lit huge sacred fires to ward off the spirits that might cause evil, misfortune and sickness. When the great fire died down, they often took the embers home to relight their hearth fires. They carried these embers in turnips or gourds that were carved with faces. These faces were meant to scare off any evil spirits that might lurk in their path. The following day, the people gathered the bonfire ashes and scattered them over fields to protect the next year�
�s crops from the harmful spirits.
Tryst — A tryst, in a Scottish sense, is a marketplace or fair where people from all over Scotland converged to buy and sell black cattle, sheep and horses. These trysts were usually held each year at a specific time and place.
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