Bridget sighed, knowing that a few extra days wouldn’t change anything about her future. Still, she’d hoped for the extra time to say goodbye to her friends and family, so it brought a reasonable degree of disappointment.
“But…
Her father pulled back his hand and continued walking toward the castle, ignoring her protests.
Fionn, trudged along beside them and sighed. “I ken it’s difficult tae understand, but our plans have changed. Da and I both want what’s best fer ye. We agree it’s safer tae transport the dowry separately, so it will nae be attracting pirates. We dinnae want tae take any chances.”
Bridget rubbed her forehead with confusion. She knew her brother was cautious but couldn’t shake the feeling there was something he wasn’t telling her. “So ye’re splitting the transport into two ships?”
Fionn nodded as they reached the door to go inside. “Aye. Ye’ll be on one, and the dowry on another. Ye leave fer Castle Strome tomorrow, and in three days I’ll send the dowry after.”
Bridget sighed, brushing past him into the corridor and crossing her arms across her chest. “Would nae it be easier fer us tae transport everything in a single trip? It seems more complicated than necessary.”
“Perhaps,” their father allowed. “But we still think this is the wiser path. Ye need tae trust us.”
She pouted at the gentle scolding and cast her gaze toward the floor. Her long, brunette hair was pinned back into a snood embellished with pearls, but a few tendrils still managed to escape. Bridget flailed, unaccustomed to being at odds with them, and asked, “So, will ye be on the second shipment then? I was nae expecting tae travel there alone.”
Laird MacKay sighed. “Of course nae. I would nae leave ye fer a moment, until I ken ye’re safe and happy.”
“Then who will be guarding the dowry?”
“Peter and William have agreed tae the task,” her father told her. “But ye’re my greatest treasure, so I’ll be travelling with ye myself.”
Laird MacKay eyed her tenderly. “Ye’re more precious tae me than all my worldly possessions. As much as I trust our guard tae watch over ye, it’s my responsibility as yer father tae make sure that happens.”
She was touched by the affection in his voice and responded, saying, “Da…”
His eyes crinkled around the edges when he smiled and turned back down the hall. “Come, I need tae speak with the men at the docks and make sure everything is ready.”
Bridget pouted and glanced over to her brother while they followed after him. “Three days?”
Fionn chuckled at her indulgently. “Aye. I’ll send the gold, I promise—in three days.”
“What if something happens? What if there’s a storm, or the ship cannae make the journey? Rodrick will be furious.”
“Then it will be delayed a day or two, but it will still get there regardless.”
Their father scoffed at the mention of her betrothed. “Let me deal with Rodrick, ye have enough to fret about. He’ll get his gold. The dowry is yer security, and he’ll receive payment once I’ve seen ye happily married off.”
Bridget tried to understand why there’d been a change in plans. “Very well, if ye think it’s best…”
“I do,” he responded simply. “Now go and finish packing.”
She sighed, picking up her skirts as she left and turned the corner into the hall. Her footsteps padded down the corridor as she made her way to the bedchambers. She called her maid when she got there, saying, “Mary? Mary, I need ye tae attend me.”
A petite woman with brown hair stepped out from around the corner. She curtsied to Bridget respectfully and clasped her hands in front of her, saying, “Aye, Mistress?”
Lady Bridget nodded as she walked over to a wooden chest. “There’s been a change of plans. Da and Fionn have decided that I sail tomorrow instead of two days from now. I need tae finish packing and get the rest of my things in order.”
The maid’s eyes widened. “Good gracious! I had nae idea. There is much tae dae then. ’Twould be my pleasure tae assist ye.”
Mary flitted across the room collecting different items as Bridget folded one of her gowns and tucked it carefully into a wooden chest. Her hands brushed across the fabric and laid it carefully in the wooden chest. She swallowed hard as a wave of emotion struck her, realizing it would be her last night in the castle. Castle Varrich had always been her home, and now everything felt uncertain—her life was changing. She didn’t know what to feel, she was scared and excited at the same time. In her heart, she told herself it was an adventure and she should relish the opportunity.
Bridget glanced toward the window and let out a sigh, walking over to gaze out over the village of Tongue and the rolling hills of Sunderland. It was bittersweet. “Ye must be looking forward tae living in Castle Strome,” Mary told her excitedly. “It must be wonderful knowing what’s in store fer ye, traveling tae a new place, marrying a wealthy laird. What more could a lass ask fer?”
She smiled thinly. “Aye, what indeed?”
“Have ye ever met yer betrothed?”
Bridget nodded. “Actually, I have—he seemed pleasant enough. There are nae complaints on my part. Da tells me he’s a good man, and that Rodrick will take care of me, that’s all that matters. He’ll provide a home...security,” she trailed off thoughtfully.
Mary set down the gown she carried and walked over to her slowly. “Then why dae ye seem so sad?”
She sighed, turning back to her and saying, “I always knew that I’d be leaving these walls one day, but it’s still a shock now that it’s truly happening. ’Tis my duty tae marry and ensure the alliance with the MacDonnell’s. Yet, fer some reason I feel unsettled.”
Mary pursed her lips and nodded. “Aye. Ye’re a good lass. Yer mam would be proud of ye if she were alive. I imagine she’s smiling down on ye right now as ye set off on yer journey.”
Bridget smiled. “Thank ye, Mary. I’m sure she is too.”
At least Rodrick is nae old and decrepit, she told herself ruefully. Surely in time I’ll grow tae love him.
As they finished with the packing, the sky grew dark and Mary went to light a fire in the hearth. There was a knock on the door and Bridget turned to it reflexively. “Who is it?”
A chuckle came from the other side and a voice said, “It’s Fionn. May I come in?”
Mary looked to her for permission, and Bridget nodded. The maid opened the door and curtsied when the tall, intrusive figure of Fionn MacKay stood towering in the doorway. He looked over at Bridget on the bed and smiled. “Hello, little sister. I came tae check on ye and see how ye were doing.”
She’d already changed into her night dress and taken her hair down from its pins. The long, chestnut waves cascaded past her shoulders and came almost to her waist. The warm crackling of the bedroom hearth filled the room with an orange glow and Bridget sat on the edge of the bed with a little smile. “I thought ye’d be putting Josie into bed.”
“Rose is with her now,” Fionn told her gently. “Though I’m sure she’ll be up again in a little while. The child is determined nae tae let either one of us sleep.”
Bridget chuckled and Fionn gazed back at her with a wistful expression.
“They will miss ye.”
“I’ll miss them too,” she told him honestly.
The edge of his mouth turned up into a grin. “Now that ye’re getting married, it will nae be long before ye have some wee bairns of yer own. I would love tae have some nieces and nephews.”
She knocked him gently with her shoulder and laughed, saying, “That isn’t funny! Dinnae tease me, Fionn.”
“I’m not,” he assured her. “I’m merely looking at the positive. Ye’re nae a child anymore. Ye’re eight and ten, it’s time ye started considering these things. I ken ye’re frightened, but this will all turn out fer the best, I promise.”
Bridget blushed. “Ye really think so?”
“I’m yer brother,” he reminded her seriously. “It’s
my duty tae make sure ye’re well looked after. Clan MacDonnell is fortunate tae be getting ye as their lady.”
“Well, then…thank ye, I guess.”
Fionn smiled. “Cheer up, lass. Ye’ve got an exciting trip ahead of ye.”
Bridget nodded as he glanced back toward the doorway.
“And now, I should probably be getting back. Otherwise, Rose will wonder what’s become of me. I just wanted tae make sure ye’re ready and tell ye that I love ye.”
“I love ye, too.”
Fionn kissed her on the forehead and stood up from the bed, saying, “Make sure ye get enough rest. It’s a long trip tae Loch Carron.”
She nodded, absentmindedly, and watched him exit through the doorway. “I will. Goodnight, Fionn.”
“Goodnight.”
He closed the door behind himself and she was left alone. With a heavy heart, she crawled underneath the covers and laid her head against the pillow. The soft material felt cool against her cheek and slowly lulled her to a place of rest.
Fionn is right, she told herself. Soon my new life will begin.
T he next morning, Bridget exchanged a teary farewell with Fionn and his wife on the castle docks. Rose embraced her with a hug as wee Josie danced around their feet, saying, “Take care of yerself. Fionn would ne’er forgive himself if anything happened tae ye.”
“I will.”
She’d chosen a simple, blue gown to wear while they were travelling and pulled her hair back lightly in a woven snood. It was simpler than her usual regalia, but far more practical. Servants bustled around them on the dock, carrying Bridget’s chest of belongings and other items from the castle. She turned to Fionn and said, “I’ll miss ye.”
“And I ye,” her older brother responded. “Promise tae write me as soon as ye arrive. I want tae ken that ye’re safe and everything went according tae plan.”
Bridget nodded, then wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She could feel the tears beginning to mist in the corners of her eyes and breathed in deeply. After a moment, she managed to pull herself away. “Goodbye.”
Fionn and Rose waved sadly, and she walked up the wooden ramp to board the ship. The vessel they travelled on was similar to the English Galley, with a below deck that gave ample room for storage. It was the finest ship in her father’s fleet and well equipped to protect them on their journey. As she ascended, Bridget glanced around to admire the intricate craftsmanship along the bow. Her heart beat wildly, and she chose to interpret that as excited—because after all, her entire life was about to change.
She turned to Rose and Fionn on the deck and waved, taking one last look at Castle Varrich on the hill. The ancient stronghold, which had been her home Bridget’s entire life, stood tall and foreboding in the distance. Laird MacKay and a pair of guards walked down the path, approaching Fionn before he boarded, “Dinnae forget, ye’re tae send the ship in three days-nae a day before.”
Fionn nodded. “Aye, Da. It will be done.”
Bridget’s chest felt tight as she watched them hug and turned away to give them privacy. The crew whirled around her as Laird MacKay boarded, preparing to set sail. She stared back at Castle Varrich in a daze and didn’t even realize that her father had come to stand beside her. Quietly, he placed his hand upon her shoulder and waved goodbye to the ones left behind. It gave her a sense of comfort having her father with her, and she breathed out slowly through her nose.
Be happy, she commanded. You’re going on an adventure.
A short while after that, they took to sea and everything Bridget knew of her previous life disappeared.
B ridget exhaled contentedly as she gazed up at the clear blue sky. They’d been sailing for hours along the northern coast of Scotland. She breathed in the salty sea air as the wind blew into her face and listened to the waves crash against the side. It was soothing to hear the wind and sea blend together in a sort of music and she smiled, finally beginning to enjoy herself.
She found comfort and calm in the rocking of the ship and decided to settle down for the night. The sun was low on the horizon and she knew it would be dark soon. Just as she began to relax, a call came from one of the seamen.
“Sails! Captain, there’s a ship approaching from the south!”
Captain Munro spun around at the announcement and joined him on the deck. “What?”
“Twenty leagues away, they could reach us within an hour.”
The man pointed to a spot on the water and everyone on deck came and gathered around to see. They all grew tense at the sight of a tiny ship coming from the west, even her father was in rapt attention.
Bridget came over to see what they were looking at but could barely make out the hint of white on the horizon.
“Is it a merchant?” she asked them curiously.
None of them responded.
“Da?” she pressed. “What’s happening?”
Laird MacKay swallowed hard before turning toward his daughter. “’Tis nae a merchant ship,” he told her. “There are nae ports of call this far out at sea. Any traders coming this way would skirt the mainland.”
“Who then?”
His face paled when he responded, saying, “Exactly what we were afraid of—pirates.”
CHAPTER FOUR
The Minch, Northwest Coast of Scotland
“T here’s nothing here,” Rupert grumbled. His greasy black hair fell across his forehead as he tore open another sack of grain. “What dae ye want tae dae?”
Marc frowned, looking over at the debris. The deck was littered with a mess of all the things he and the others had already gone through. He ran his fingers through his hair and said, “They must have hidden it somewhere. Keep looking. We cannae return there empty handed.”
Rupert grunted in acknowledgement, tilting his head to the remaining crew. “What about them? Should we throw them overboard?”
Marc shrugged, kicking aside one of the bodies. “It matters nae. We’d best be rid of them. Our master cannae afford tae let the old man talk.”
Laird MacKay cried out in pain from where he lay bleeding on the deck. His tunic was stained with red, and a gaping wound oozed across his side. His eyes were wide with fear as he gazed up at the brutal pirates, saying, “There is nae coin aboard this ship.”
Rupert grit his teeth and whirled on him, saying, “Then ye’re a ruddy fool sending yer daughter off without a dowry. I ken there’s gold here somewhere.”
Laird MacKay flinched as he clutched the wound along his side. “I already told ye, there’s nothing here.”
“Leave him be,” Marc, the senior of the two, responded in a dismissive tone. “He’ll die of his wounds eventually.”
Rupert snorted, reaching down to the hilt of the blade at his waist and said,. “I’d like tae slit his throat fer wasting our time.”
Marc stopped his companion before Rupert was able to make a rash decision. “Are ye daft? If ye kill him now, we may ne’er find the treasure,” he spat out acidly.
“If the gold was on board this ship we would have found it by now,” the other man argued. “Let’s just kill them and be done with it.”
Marc shook his head. “The laird swore that it would be here. We cannae go back there emptyhanded, we need some coin.”
Rupert frowned, gesturing back to everything they’d destroyed along the deck. “Fine. Ye’re the clever one, ye find it.”
Marc rolled his eyes and scoffed as he walked over to the fallen lord. Blood smeared along the wooden deck as the man crawled toward his daughter, but Marc stepped in front of him, demanding, “Where’s the treasure?”
Laird MacKay grit his teeth, holding his hand against his side and glared at them. “Ye’ll ne’er get away with this. My son will hunt ye down and see that justice is served.”
Marc laughed. “Ye think so? How is he going tae dae that, when there’ll be nothing left to show we were ever here? Fer all he kens, yer ship was caught in a storm.”
The laird set his jaw determinedly and glanced over
to his daughter, still alive but unconscious on the floor. Her dark, brown hair nearly covered her face completely, and her dress was torn. Blood smeared across her head where she’d been struck and oozed out onto the deck.
Marc followed his gaze and said, “Ye care about her, dae ye? Of course ye dae. She’s a bonnie lass…attractive face…” He trailed off menacingly, letting the implication of his words sink in. “What dae ye think we’ll dae tae her if we dinnae find the gold we’re after?”
“Aye,” Rupert agreed. “I would gut her like a pig.”
The laird’s eyes grew wide and Marc smiled when he saw his fear. “Dinnae be stupid, Rupert. I can think of a better use fer her—”
“Nae!” the laird cried out. “Please, nae my sweet lass.”
“Then tell us what we want tae ken,” the pirate growled. “Or I’ll hump her right here in front of ye. Furthermore, I’ll enjoy it.”
“Dinnae touch her!”
“Then tell me what I want tae ken,” Marc repeated.
Laird MacKay swallowed hard, looking back and forth between the pair of vicious pirates. “It’s on another ship,” he told them. “We separated my daughter from the cargo tae prevent an attack like this.”
“And where is that ship now?”
“’Twas meant tae follow a few days after, giving us enough time tae arrive at our destination.”
Marc roared, his face turning red with anger as he paced back and forth across the deck. It was then that Captain Munro of the MacKay ship started laughing.
“Ye men are a bunch of idiots,” he jeered. “The worse collection of pirates I’ve ever seen. After all this, ye ended up taking the wrong ship. Clearly, God has a sense of humor.”
“Arrrrgghhhh!!”
Without warning, Marc kicked over one of the wooden crates and stormed back to where the laird was laying. “Ye think ye’re pretty clever. I’ll tell ye what old man, if God has a sense of humor, then why dinnae we leave this up tae him?” Turning to Rupert, he asked, “How many row boats are there?”
Rescued by Valan (The Pirates of Barra: Highland Raiders) Page 3