Her lips twitched, “Old wives’ tale.”
“Perhaps, but it made ye smile, dinnae it?” Leith grinned as he went back to his horse and mounted it. “Let’s get to searching.”
Taking the lead, Leith turned back down the road to the first inroad. Riding alongside her, he scanned the road and the few houses there but none filled the description the maid named Tina had given Mary. At the end of the cul-de-sac, Leith turned around and took them to the middle inroad.
He could see the growing distress in Mary’s face and hated that she was feeling this fear. She was too gentle a creature to be under all this worry. The second lane was long and Leith was fearing to have to turn back when at the very end of the lane was the house Tina had described.
The three posts were slightly tilted in the front yard and their whitewash was faded and chipped, but this was the house. The building was as sprawling as Mary had told him, and though he was happy she finally found her destination, he felt cheerless knowing that this was the end of the road for them.
He dismounted the horse just as Mary did. The lass was looking at the house with wide eyes as she twisted the reins over her hand. She then looked at him with the same disbelieving expression. His smile was faint, “Go on then. Go knock and see who’s there.”
She handed the reins to him while she went to the low, broad steps. She twisted to look at him once more before he nodded and she knocked. Patting the horse’s nose, Leith looked on. No one came to the door, so Mary knocked again.
Leith was beginning to get cautious when she knocked a third time and no one came. He was about to call her over when the door was answered and instead of an old woman hobbling to the door, a young man in drab brown trousers and a linen shirt came to her.
“Aye?” the man asked, while shooting wary looks at him. “May I ‘elp ye?”
“Is Missus Linda here?” Mary asked. “I was told this is where she lives.”
“Ah, Linda MacCook left here a long time ago,” the man said, “I was her only help, ye see, an’ she kent ‘tis house was taking too much from her than she had to give. She gave me this house free and clear with just the charge to keep it standing. No one kens where exactly she went as she was wily like that. It’s just me and me wife here with our two bairns. Who are ye?”
“A…an old friend,” Mary replied and Leith could hear a note of defeat in her voice from where he stood, “sorry for bothering you.”
As she hurried back to him, Leith saw the man scratch his head twice, shrug and went back in. Mary’s eyes were set in frustration. She mounted her horse with hurried ease and set the animal to run. Leith had to be quick to follow her and when they came to a clear he called over, “Lass, slow down. The hounds of hell arenae at yer hells!”
His shout seemed to fall on deaf ears until Mary’s began to slow to a canter, then to a walk and ultimately, to stand still. He circled her to see pure devastation on her face and she looked at him with worried eyes.
“What am I going to do now?” she asked hollowly. “I came here on a fool’s errand. Where am I to go now? I cannot…no, won’t…turn back and crawl home like a shamed dog.”
Reaching out, Leith rested his hand on her trembling one, “Ye can come home with me. I’ll take care of ye, Mary, until ye find another option. I swear on me life.”
“But…” she began. “You left home to seek help for your father. What will they think of you when you come home with me? An Englishwoman?”
“Ahhh,” Leith began to smile slyly, as plans began to build in his head like blocks mounting upon another, “About that…how do ye feel about holding onto a few stipulations…”
9
It was in a deep daze that Mary followed Leith as they backtracked to the Robasdan Clan. The Scotsman had generously offered her another way to stay in Scotland that was, to stay with him at Castle Lenichton, all the way in the Highlands.
She was stunned, utterly stunned. It was one thing for the man to rescue her…and she would be in debt to him for the rest of her life…and then to carry her to see Missus Linda’s home, but now, to offer to take her in? That was unheard of. Were people really so generous?
The horses were slowed to a walk as the rush to find Linda was gone. And, even more, Mary was musing about what Leith had told her to do when they did get to his home.
“Play mute, lass,” he said. “I ken me people are nay averse to strangers but then again, we are so high in the mountains that we rarely get outsiders. However, until I find out what they do ken or how they will act about ye being an outsider, its best for ye to stay mute.”
“What will you tell them about me?” she had asked. “Surely they will think something about a strange woman coming back with you?”
“Leave that to me, lass,” Leith had grinned.
“I can hear the gears in yer head turning over, lass,” his smooth lyrical voice cut through her thoughts. “It’s naything to be too concerned about. I promise ye.”
His words were assuring but she was not as settled. Could she have the control to keep quiet at all times?
Looking over to him, she attempted to smile but she fell short. “I trust you to know what is best.”
The forest trails were earthy with the smell of pine and flower blossoms, dark moss, and the ever-present smell of water. Birds chattered above and
