Highland Bloodline

by Florence Love Karsner

  "Is it always so crowded here?"

  "I guess so. I never thought about it. But you get used to it I suppose. Come on. My home is just another few blocks up the High Street. The homes there are much more comfortable and there aren't so many people. But you need to know that our neighbor is a British major, Major Lloyd Ashford. He's actually a kind man, but we might want to avoid him if we can. We'll go the back way, behind the major's house and on to ours. Then we'll go through the kitchen and find Mattie."

  "This is not how I pictured Edinburgh. I know it's a city of great medical achievements. I thought it would be cleaner, I suppose. But with so many people crowded into one place it can't be clean, and I bet disease would run rampant in these surroundings. We need to find Alex and Jack quickly. This is no place for any of us. Now I understand why Alex was so keen on getting back to the Highlands when he studied here."

  As Robbie had said, the closer they got to his end of High Street the homes were indeed more appealing. In fact, some of them were very fine.

  "That's my home there, the one with the tall, black doors with the lion's head knocker. Let's get off here and sneak to the back."

  Robbie's home was a stately two-story building with columns supporting the porch on the second floor. The two front doors were exceedingly tall and painted a lustrous black. As he pointed out, the doorknocker of a lion's head stared out at anyone who got close enough to use it. They both dismounted and slowly made their way along the street.

  "The next house down is where Major Ashford lives. He often has soldiers in his home and we don't need them to see us. His is the last house on the street, so we shouldn't have to worry about anyone else seeing us. Come on, let's find Mattie. She'll be mad as a wicked witch with me. I left while she was sleeping and didn't tell her I was going."

  "Yes, I can see that she might be a bit perturbed with you."

  Tying the horses to the large birch tree behind the house, Robbie led the way to the kitchen door. There were several candles burning in the windows, so he was hopeful Mattie was still up. She had no family and he assumed she would just live there until she died. But, as he had told Caitlin, he didn't expect she would greet him warmly.

  Quietly twisting the doorknob, he found what he knew he would find, a locked door.

  "Just as I expected. Locked. Mattie is particular about keeping all doors locked at all times. We never had a robbery or anything of that sort, but Mattie took it upon herself to be the keeper of the house."

  "Then why don't you just knock and perhaps she'll answer the door?"

  "Uh, of course. Yes, that's what I'll do." Robbie squared his shoulders and stood tall then knocked lightly on the door.

  They waited for what seemed like ages to Robbie. What was taking Mattie so long to get to the door? Was she ill? She was getting on in years, but Robbie's impression of her was that she was still very spry and her mind was as keen as it had always been. She'd been more than just a housekeeper for his mother. She was a friend and confidant as well. Now that he knew more about the circumstances surrounding his birth, he suspected she knew many secrets he didn't know.

  Finally, he heard a tap-tap-tap.

  "That's Mattie. She always uses a cane. I'm not sure she really needs it to walk, but I saw her use it to whack a couple of dogs that were chasing us one day. She's a tiny woman, but I'd rather not have her truly angry at me."

  Holding a candle in one hand and her cane in the other, Mattie came to the door and called out. "Who's there? What do you want?"

  "It's me, Mattie, Robbie. Let us in."

  "Who? I don't know anyone called Nobbie."

  "Robbie! Robbie! It's me, Mattie!"

  "What? Oh, Robbie! Is that you, my boy?"

  "Yes, Mattie, it's me. Hurry now, let us in."

  Fumbling with the candle and her cane, she eventually opened the door and stood staring at them for a moment.

  "Oh, Robbie. I thought you were gone forever! Come here, dear boy!" He walked forward and she pulled him to her bosom. He stood more than a head taller, but allowed her to hold him. He knew a moment of great relief, as he had thought she might use her cane on him.

  "Are you alright then?" Pushing him away from her, she looked him up and down and, satisfied he was in good condition, she held him close once again.

  "And just what explanation do you have for disappearing in the middle of the night? And where have you been? And who is this lad with you?"

  Robbie grinned at Caitlin and proceeded to make the proper introductions.

  "Mattie, this lad is Caitlin MacKinnon, my stepmother as it happens."

  "What? You're a lady?"

  "How do you do. Yes, I'm Caitlin MacKinnon and I am indeed Robbie's stepmother. I don't usually dress in this manner, but we find ourselves in a desperate situation and that sometimes means you have to take desperate measures."

  As Caitlin made her way inside, Willie followed right behind her, insisting on standing between her and Mattie.

  When Mattie spied Willie, she jumped back and raised her cane high in the air. "Oh dear! A wolf!"

  She brought her cane down and Robbie caught it just in time before she struck Willie.

  "No, Mattie! It's only Willie. He's Caitlin's protector and he'll not hurt you. Be calm now. He's harmless, at least until he needs to be fierce."

  Mattie took a deep breath and looked from Robbie to Caitlin then back to Willie. His hackles were standing on end and he was watching her with blazing eyes that held hers in place.

  "That's the largest wolf I've ever seen. And I've certainly never been this close to one." She gathered herself together. "Well then, come in to the kitchen. I'm quite sure I can find something to fill your stomachs."

  She moved very quickly—without her cane Caitlin noticed—and they followed her through to the kitchen. Just as Robbie had said, she was very tiny and thin, and had an abundance of totally white hair piled up in a bun on the back of her head. Her spectacles dipped low on her nose and she peered over them most of the time. When she did push them up, Robbie always thought she looked like an owl, as her blue eyes were enormous then.

  "Young man, you have some explaining to do first. Where have you been?"

  "Mattie, Mother told me about my father before she died. She told me if I ever needed any help I should find him and he would not turn me away. Well, when she was gone I didn't know what to do, or how to get on with my life. So I read all her notes about my father and found my way to the Highlands. That's where I've been all this time."

  "What? You actually found him?"

  "Yes. It really wasn't so hard, as the MacKinnons are well known in the Highlands. I took the coach to the nearest village and walked some miles from there and found their lodge. My father, my da, lives there with his entire family, which is quite large. He has a wife, Caitlin, who you just met. And he has several brothers, and there are some orphans, and an uncle and his lady friend."

  "And how did you know which one of them was your father?"

  Caitlin spoke up. "It wasn't difficult to tell who had fathered this young lad. He is so like Alex it's uncanny. He's a MacKinnon no doubt."

  "What did this MacKinnon have to say when you showed up?"

  "Uh, he was very surprised I think, but treated me well. It's a long story Mattie, and I don't have time to tell you all the details just now. We're in trouble and need your help."

  "What have you gotten yourself into now, young man? I've saved your hide more than once and never let your mother know. Don't tell me you and that Brampton boy have pulled another stunt! Getting you out of that prison was not so easy. If I hadn't known a couple of the guards you'd still be there today. I know the two of you thought taking food to the prisoners was a good deed, but in the end it wasn't such a bright idea."

  "I haven't seen Paul in some time, but I need to find him. He might help us."

  "He's bad news, Robbie. He's just a street urchin who doesn't know right from wrong. He's not had much in the way of parents if you recall. W
ho knows where he even is anymore."

  "Mattie, just listen. Alex, my da, and his brother, Jack, have been captured and we think they may be in the Old Tolbooth. I don't know how much you've kept up with the happenings here, but the British soldiers are rounding up the Jacobites and either executing them or sending them to the islands where they'll be sold as slaves. We've got to get my da and Jack out before they're shipped off."

  "Oh, saints above! Your father's a Jacobite? That could make things difficult. I hear a lot on the High Street when I make my daily rounds. I've not told anyone you've been missing—well, except for Ned, the old gent I get candles from. He's almost totally blind now, and his candles aren't as fine as they once were, but he needs every pence he can get."

  "And how about you, Mattie? Are you able to get along in this big house without Mother being here?"

  "Oh, Robbie. I miss Fiona tremendously. But she's at peace now and I'm getting along. You know your mother. She made provisions for both of us long before she passed on.

  "Lord Wellington was most angry with her when she told him she was with child, but he sent her away long enough that no one knew any of the details. When she returned she concocted her story of your father being a soldier and dying in a battle.

  "I believe she truly loved that Scotsman, but she never told him about you. That was her decision and I accepted it as well. She could never have left the city, and he couldn't have stayed away from the Highlands. She was intelligent enough to recognize that fact.

  "She and Lord Wellington made their peace long ago, but he was not one to show his emotions. Still, he made sure she was well provided for and that was his way of forgiving her, I suppose."

  "I barely remember him. He always seemed angry any time he came to visit."

  "I saw him briefly at your mother's funeral. He remembered me of course and asked about 'the boy.' But as you had left and I had no idea where you were, I couldn't tell him anything. Then he walked away before the vicar even finished his final prayer. Lord Wellington was always a bit difficult to converse with, but he's very old now, Robbie. He's not as fearsome as he might once have seemed."

  "Yes, well, I doubt we'd have much to say to one another anyway."

  ~ ~ ~

  Caitlin had sat about as long as she could manage. "Robbie, we've got to get moving. Time is not something we have a lot of. Now, about that stone in the cobblestones you told me about. Can you find it in the dark?"

  "Oh, certainly. Finding it will be easy enough, but lifting it will be difficult. It was all Paul and I could do to get it open ourselves. We finally pried it up enough to put a stone under the edge, then we dropped down and got to the tunnel."

  "What? You don't think we'll be able to lift it? We have to find a way. Come on. Let's just find the place and then we'll figure out how to lift the stone."

  "Mattie, if we can find Jack and Da, we'll sneak them back here so they can get a couple of hours of rest and maybe some food. As I recall, they only get a bit of gruel and water twice a day. They're bound to be weak and tired. So if you can get some food ready for them, and maybe have a tub of water ready? That place stinks to high heaven and they will, too."

  "You two must stay hidden. There's been a lot of activity over at the major's place yesterday and today. Don't know what it's all about, but something's up. But go now. Everything will be ready when you two get back. And Robbie, be careful son. Your mother will turn over in her grave if anything happens to you."

  Caitlin pulled at Robbie's arm. "Robbie, the major lives right next door. Don't you think it's dangerous to bring two escapees here?"

  "No, Caitlin. Think about it. If the guards even learn they're gone, they'd never think to look at a home close to a British major's place. Plus, the major has a small paddock behind his house where he keeps some very fine horses. That may come in handy too. Right now, though, we've got to find Paul. He can help us I know."

  As they started out the back door, Mattie called to them. "Here, take this small lantern. You'll need it if you get inside the prison."

  Robbie took the small lighted lantern and they left out the back door, looking about before they started out. Noise from next door got their attention.

  "Mattie's right. There's a lot of activity at the major's place. Look."

  Caitlin saw several Redcoats prancing about, drinking ale and laughing.

  "Looks like he's having a celebration of some kind. The soldiers all seem to be enjoying their evening."

  Robbie nodded but made no comment.

  "Do you know your way in the dark?" Caitlin was even more worried about Alex and Jack now that she had seen Edinburgh and the throng of people.

  "Of course. Paul and I know every inch of this city. We actually made a map of the underground tunnels once. Some of them are probably not even known to the officials. One of them winds its way under the chapel of the kirk on the south end of the castle, and another one runs underneath Cowgate Street. We could always use one of those if we can't get out and go above ground."

  "How are we going to find this lad called Paul?"

  "Oh, that won't be hard. I know where he's probably staying. His mother walks the streets most nights, if you understand what I'm saying. He'll be hanging about the back room of the pub. The pub owner sorta looks after him, keeps him pretty well fed, and I used to bring him stuff from home, too. Mattie knew about that too, but she'd never admit it. Paul's pretty self-sufficient, much more so than I am."

  The streets were lighted by oil lamps and the lamplighters were busy now extinguishing them. The official time for them to be used was five to nine, and it was well past that. But there were several still burning, which helped Caitlin even if Robbie didn't need them.

  "The pub's just around the corner here. Paul sleeps on a cot next to the window. He'll hear me tapping on it." He rounded the corner and walked gingerly across the cobblestone street, then got down on his knees.

  Rapping quickly, he waited a moment. It was only a second before a face appeared and lifted the window.

  "Robbie! Where've you been? I've looked all over the city for you. You just disappeared. Thought maybe that lord fellow had come and taken you back to London with him."

  "No, I've not been to London. I'll tell you about it later. Right now I need your help. My father, my real father, is a Jacobite. He's been captured and I think he may be in the Old Tolbooth. I need to get him out of there."

  "What? Your father? I thought he was dead."

  "Yeah, well, so did I. But that's not important right now. I need some help lifting the cobblestone, you know, the heavy one in the middle of the others close to St. Giles."

  "You mean the one where we got trapped and Mattie had to plead with the guards to let us go?"

  "Right. That's it."

  "Robbie, we could get trapped again. I don't know if that's such a good plan."

  "We've got to try Paul. My da's in there. I just know he is."

  Paul nodded, then without further discussion grabbed the long, wooden stick he never went out without. He'd learned early on he may have to defend himself, especially when he stole food from the merchants.

  "Then let's go. Haven't had any fun since you left. I even tried going to the library and reading like you do, but that's pretty boring stuff if you ask me."

  Robbie smiled at him as he climbed through the window and was on the street with them. As Paul stood he saw Caitlin, then he saw Willie and immediately stepped back.

  "Whoa! What is that?" He stood very still, pointing down at Willie who was keeping close to Caitlin but aware of everything around him.

  "Oh, never mind him. That's Willie. He's a friend. Nothing to worry about with him."

  "Huh. If you say so. He looks pretty vicious to me."

  "Well, but he's on our side. And this is Caitlin, my stepmother."

  "Ma’am." He nodded to her.

  Caitlin looked at the young lad, much smaller than Robbie, and far too thin. He had a head full of auburn hair—in need of a good
washing—pulled back and tied with a leather thong. Not at all someone she would have expected Robbie to have been acquainted with. But at this moment she'd take any help she could get.

  "It's getting late. Most people will have gone home by now, except for the few who never go home and sleep on the street. But they won't bother us. Probably won't even know we're around," Paul commented.

  "We need to hurry, Paul. We've got to get down below the streets before daylight gets us."

  The three night crawlers and Willie began working their way to St. Giles Cathedral. Most of the streetlights in that area were out now, so they weren't quite so visible.

  "Ma’am, did you know this was where the first Tolbooth was built a long time back?" Paul asked.

  Robbie smiled at his friend. "Guess you learned that from some of your trips to the library?"

  "No. But I do remember you telling me about it. I don't read a lot, but I've got a memory that never fails me."

  "Trips to the library can be good, Paul. There's a whole section on the landmarks about the city. You might want to look at those sometimes."

  "I know where most of 'em are. Just don't know the history of 'em like you do."

  The central stone was actually fairly large and Caitlin was amazed the two young lads had found this entryway. But just one look told her it would be extremely heavy.

  "Robbie, we'll never be able to lift that!"

  "Oh, yeah we will," Paul said.

  Running to the edge of the cobblestone street, he returned with an iron bar about one meter long.

  "This should do it. Just like before, Robbie, I'll pry the edge up and you and the mistress drop down. You'll have to hurry, as I can't hold it very long. Come on now, get moving."

  "Paul, if we're not back here in a half hour, then come to the tunnel at the kirk, at the end of Cowgate. This exit and that one are the only ones not sealed off. This one is closer, but if we can't get back here then we'll use the Cowgate exit and then make our way home from there."

  Robbie then turned to Caitlin. "It's about a two-three meter drop from the top to the floor. Can you do that?"