“I’ve been such a fool that I don’t think I can face her,” he confessed to Katherine.
“She’ll see the change in you. Go on in.”
As they entered the room, Alex, still thinking his presence might upset May-Jewel, lingered just inside the door.
“She’s been askin’ for ye,” Molly whispered to Katherine.
Tears welled up in Katherine’s eyes as she beheld her sister’s battered face but cheered to see her outstretched hand. Taking it, she sat next to May-Jewel on the bed.
“Oh, thank God. I’m so happy that you’re going to be all right,” she said, brushing away her own tears. “I thought you would never regain consciousness.”
May-Jewel’s voice was small but clear as she answered, “The doctor told me some of what happened to me. But I still don’t understand how I ended up in the well.”
Briefly her sister told May-Jewel the details pertaining to her accident and all that had transpired since then. But as she spoke of Garth’s death, Katherine’s eyes filled with tears again, and she turned from her sister’s gaze.
“Oh, Katherine, I’m deeply sorry about Garth. But as I was poisoned too, how is it that I’m still alive?”
“It obviously wasn’t the same kind of poison. They haven’t yet found out what it was that took Garth’s life, and I don’t think we’ll ever know.”
They sat in tearful silence. Suddenly May-Jewel’s face darkened and the familiar pout appeared. “They should have arrested Alex, too!”
Quick to respond, Katherine put her right. “But Alex didn’t kill anyone. It was Brice! He was responsible for the deaths of Sir Robert, Charles and your mother. It was he and Selina who plotted against us.”
“My mother? But Alex said he…”
“I know,” Katherine whispered, looking toward him. “But he’s innocent.” She leaned closer to her sister. “He’s just inside the door. Give him a chance to explain and defend himself.” She rose, motioning Alex to approach. “I want to speak with the doctor. I’ll just be over there if you need me.”
Alex, his eyes moistening as he looked down on May-Jewel, brushed a lock of hair from her bruised cheek. “You don’t know how relieved I am that you’re going to get well.”
In spite of Katherine’s words on his behalf, Alex’s previous actions were still very vivid in May-Jewel’s mind. She turned her face from him.
“Please,” he begged, kneeling beside her. “Don’t turn away from me. I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” he continued, a break in his voice. “Forgive me. I’ve been such a fool, such a cad.” He gently brushed his lips across her cheek. “Forgive my crudeness and insulting advances. Forgive me for letting greed blind me to the love in my heart.”
Turning her eyes to him, she whispered, “In the garden, you implied that you knew my mother…” Her words faded.
“All lies! I tried to… to raise myself in your esteem by implying it.” Alex hung his head and whispered, “I’ve been such a fool.”
May-Jewel touched his cheek gently. “Yes, you have.” Then pushing his tangled hair aside, she added, “But you have a fair face when it’s not flushed with wine or ambition. And a fair face will get you far.” She smiled weakly.
Alex cradled her hand in his and kissed it. “If only you’ll forgive me,” his voice ached with remorse, “I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy.”
“And will you again wear your kilt and dance with me?”
Lightly pressing his cheek to hers, he whispered, “Aye, every day. And with each step, I’ll tell you how much I love you.”
Another issue came to mind and May-Jewel asked him, “Are you truly a Papist?”
Alex wouldn’t slink away from this issue and freely admitted that he was. “Does that matter so much to you?” he asked.
“No, not really… but I’ll have no more secrets between us.”
He kissed her hand again and said, “Aye, no more secrets.”
Smiling, May-Jewel sank back upon the pillow and drifted into a healing sleep.
* * *
Stubborn showers and a thick fog shrouded the countryside with a gray moroseness the morning of Charles and Selina’s funerals. There weren’t any friends nor relatives gathered at the grave site to mourn them. The only one in attendance besides Vicar Macailean and Vicar Hawes was Alex, who felt he owed it to Charles to come and pray for the old man’s soul. May-Jewel, though recovering, was by doctor’s orders, restricted to the manor. Katherine couldn’t bring herself to attend the service of Charles as there were too many memories involved, and she wouldn’t attend Selina’s who had been responsible for Garth’s death and so much horror.
Two days later Garth William Craig was laid to rest. After his funeral, Katherine sat pensively in the garden that encompassed the mausoleum. There wasn’t any need for her to enter the Craig vault for she knew Garth’s spirit had long left the brooding frame that housed his soul. It eased her sorrow to think him set free in death, freer than he could ever have been in life. It didn’t seem likely that he could have overcome all the hate that speared him into manhood. She wept quietly, framing his noble image forever in her mind. His last words to her were ‘Dree yer ain weird’. But how could she ‘Face up to her destiny’ now that so much had changed? Now that Garth was dead? How could she think about life at Wistmere where so much evil had taken place? Could she find the courage to continue to live each day to the fullest? Did she have what it took to claim her destiny? Yes, she admitted to herself, straightening her back and sitting tall. And Garth had helped her to see that she did.
Once these thoughts were finally formed, Katherine felt a sudden surge of freedom rush through her. She felt
