Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

E nsconced in the solar once again, while Beattie was absent finding vases for the mountain of roses she'd picked, Dahlia was anxious for the time to pass. Her thoughts were of Arran and his concealment within the castle. She was aware that could only be a temporary situation. But what would happen once Bairre realized his attempt on Arran's life had failed? Would he be so bold as to make yet another attempt?

There was still no word from her brother, the Laird Haldor, with the longed-for reprieve from her betrothal. And time was running out. She spent the afternoon in a lather of consternation praying that Beattie would bring her cousin Nicol to her chamber this evening and mayhap he could enlighten her to the whereabouts of the mysterious bothy. The more she thought about it the more she was convinced this was where Bairre was hiding Emilia. After all, Arran had searched high and low with no sign of Emilia. It was clear she must be a great distance from the castle.

At last Beattie appeared. "'Tis good news, melady. Nicol is on duty until close tae midnight. He will come tae yer chamber after he leaves his shift. Nae one will be aware of it."

Dahlia could hardly suppress her excitement. She longed to see Arran to let him know she may have a clue to his mother's whereabouts. She took an early supper and then, declaring herself to be tired out, retired to her chamber.

Beattie was waiting for her having filled the room with bowls and vases containing roses. The air was filled with their delicate fragrance but Dahlia was hardly able to enjoy it for she was jumping out of her skin, counting down the hours until Nicol would join them.

Not long before midnight there was a knock at the door and both Beattie and Dahlia jumped nervously. When Beattie opened, however, it was not Nicol waiting there but one of the kitchen-under-maids, a small girl, who looked uneasy and could scarcely find her voice to speak.

"I've brought this message from melord Arran." She was out of breath, twisting the striped hem of her pinafore between her fingers. She took a deep breath rolling her eyes with the effort of recalling the message she'd been charged with.

Dahlia waited impatiently for the child to gather her wits.

"Please ask the lady Dahlia tae pay a visit tae the village with her lady's maid tomorrow tae gather strewing herbs fer her room."

"And that is all there is?"

The child nodded nervously. Dahlia had expected Arran would have named a place and time for them to meet. Instead, there was nothing save for an odd message about herbs.

Dahlia glanced at Beattie who extracted a small coin from her purse and handed it to the child. The girl pocketed it, turned on her heel and fled out the door at high speed without another word.

At least with this brief message from Arran, it seemed her prayers that he'd gone undetected during his long sojourn within the passageways of the castle had been answered.

Midnight came and went and Dahlia was beginning to doubt that Nicol was coming. She was just about to give up and suggest to a yawning Beattie that she head off to her own bed when there came a tentative knock at the door.

The door was quickly opened to the grey-haired man standing there still in his hauberk with his helmet tucked under his arm. Nicol entered the room and clicked his heels smartly.

"Ye wished tae meet with me, melady." He looked puzzled.

"Did Beattie nae tell ye what I wanted tae speak about with ye?"

"Och. She asked if I remembered the laird when he and his brother were weans. And I told her I did."

Dahlia beckoned for him to sit beside her at the fire while Beattie took the third chair.

"That may seem a strange request Master Nicol, but I am interested in where the two lads may have spent some of their time when they were away from the castle. D'ye recall?"

He gave a soft laugh. "It is impossible tae forget, melady. The two of them were a law unto themselves. They were bad before their mother died, but after they would listen tae nay one who tried tae rule them. Their faither had nay time for them. I was a member of the guard charged tae keep an eye on them, but they made fools of us every time and took off into the mountains."

"Where did they go, Nicol?"

He shook his head. "We never did find where the little devils went. We kent it was in the mountains. We followed them more than once but they always managed to lose us. They were clever and very determined tae keep their hiding place a secret."

"Hm." Dahlia was despairing. "Ye ken it was in the mountains but ye never found the exact place. Was it a bothy?"

"All I can tell ye is that it is, as ye say, in the mountains. We assumed it was a bothy or a wee cottage somewhere beyond where we followed them. It left the best of us baffled, I can tell ye."

"D'ye recall the way tae the point where ye lost their trail?"

"Aye. I could retrace me steps there with nae trouble. If ye wish me tae guide ye I could do that. Yet after I come tae the point where we lost their trail, I'd nae be much use tae ye." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I did have me own ideas of where they may have gone."

Dahlia straightened in her chair. Perhaps Nicol knew more than he'd first said. "But ye never followed them?"

"I wondered, at the time, if we were too close on their trail and the guards in charge had decided tae let the lads be. I even wondered if young James Mackinnon had paid off the chief of the guards as he seemed tae give up the chase very easily in the end."

"Would ye be willing tae take mysel' and Master Arran into the mountains in search of the place? Ye'd be paid well fer yer trouble."

Nicol bowed. "Aye. I'd be willing tae guide ye tae the place where I'm certain the hiding place was. I'd like tae help ye and melord Arran. He's a fine man and was a good laird during the present laird's absence."

"Then I'd be grateful if ye'd say naught about this conversation, Master Nicol. I shall pass on tae Arran what ye have told me and, I daresay, we will make arrangements fer ye tae lead us into the mountains." She signaled to Beattie who handed Nicol a gold coin from the purse and escorted him to the door.

"Thank ye Beattie. I found Nicol's information very useful. Now, ‘tis time we were both sleeping in our beds fer we have tae visit the village tomorrow in search of strewing herbs."

Beattie gave her a knowing smile. "Aye, melady. I shall see ye bright and early tomorrow."

There were two places in the village where strewing herbs could be obtained. The first of these, a small cottage where Mistress Mab lived with her several children was close to the center of the village. Dahlia was familiar with it because she'd made a trips there once already.

The garden at the front of the cottage was a riot of colorful plants and flowers overflowing along the path and creeping around the doorway in bundles of color. Among them sweetly scented violets and pennyroyal mint covered the ground, sweet fennel waved its fronds along with lavender, basil, sage and tansy.

Mab flung open the door, welcoming her customers warmly, holding one small wean in her arms while another tugged at her skirts. Dahlia returned the warm smile although she was still puzzled as to what Arran's message meant and why she was to go in search of strewing herbs. She peered into the corner shadows, half-expecting to see his figure emerging.

Inside, bunches of dried herbs, mostly chamomile, lavender and rosemary, hung from the ceiling and beside the fire, drying, were further bunches of basil and sage. The small cottage was fragrant with a multitude of scents from the aromatic herbs.

As strewing herbs were always in demand at the castle Mab was not altogether surprised to see Dahlia although the purchase of the herbs was generally left to the castle housekeeper.

"'Tis a rare treat tae see ye here, melady." Mab bobbed a curtsy and indicated several baskets stacked on an old table that contained an assortment of herbs. "These are ready fer strewin' and I think ye'll find they'll keep their sweet scent fer a good long while."

Dahlia wondered if Mab was to pass on another message from Arran, but the woman seemed quite focused on the sale she was making and keeping her babe by her side. So, after a few minutes of inspection had passed, Dahlia and Beattie each collected an herb-filled basket and made their way to the door where Beattie proffered several coins in exchange.

"These will bring a freshness to the great hall," Dahlia said with a smile, "and help to rid us of the distasteful smells of spilt beer, dogs and old bones."

Mab grinned as she opened the door. "That they will me ladies. Yer hall will be as sweet as the morning rain once ye've strewn these over the floor."

"Well," Dahlia muttered once they were clear of Mab's hearing. "Clearly that wasnae the place Arran meant fer us tae be."

Beattie led the way along a small overgrown pathway to the second cottage which was well out of the way of the scattered cottages of the village, situated in a clearing in the woods.

This cottage was even smaller than Mab's, surrounded by a white-washed picket fence. It too was covered with a mass of gloriously fragrant flowering herbs.

They rapped on the front door but there was no answering response. The place seemed strangely deserted even though there was a spiral of smoke issuing from the chimney.

They were proceeding around the back of the little house along a narrow path when they heard the sound of someone walking in the woods nearby.

Dahlia looked up, holding her breath, when, sure enough, Arran's tall figure appeared among the trees. She handed her basket to Beattie with a quick word. "Wait here," she said and hastened toward him, a joyful smile on her face. He seized her in his arms and, together, they wandered arm in arm into the woods, out of sight of the world.

Once they were certain they were alone, Arran folded her close, his lips desperately seeking hers and they lost themselves in a long, despairing kiss that held all their fears and joys and hopes for the future.

Tearing themselves apart, they searched around for a suitable place to sit and, still holding each other close, made a cushion from a cluster of bracken ferns. Dahlia leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I cannae stay long, Arran. I was only permitted tae leave the castle for a brief time because I was accompanied by Beattie. We were forced tae promise tae return within the hour."

"'Tis better than naught, me sweet dove. I am pleased the wee lass remembered me message fer ye."

Dahlia chuckled. "'Twould have saved me the cost of two baskets of herbs if the girl had been able tae tell me where tae go."

Arran nodded. "Apologies. I didnae think she could remember all that."

"'Tis nay matter. Ye are here with me now, and safe. I've been fashin' all this while nae sure if ye were still concealed in the castle or whether Bairre or his henchmen had taken ye prisoner again."

"There's been one or two close moments when I thought I might be discovered, but I've managed to keep well out of their way most of the time. There are some old servants I trust who've brought me food and made sure I was comfortable enough." He pulled her close and looked intently into her eyes. "But I cannae remain concealed. I wish tae find me maither and help ye tae leave the castle afore yer betrothal time has run its course and Bairre seeks tae claim ye as his bride."

She shuddered. "Aye. ‘Tis what I fear with every part of me. I'd rather slice me own heart with me dirk than allow that man tae touch me."

"Skulking about the castle as a fugitive doesnae sit well with me. I must confront the man and take me rightful place at Castle Mackinnon."

"Nay." Dahlia clutched at his sleeve in a panic. "Ye ken he'll kill ye."

Arran shook his head. "He'll nae lay a hand on me. I'll let it be kent among the guard and the men who are still loyal tae me that Bairre is nae tae be trusted and that he's already attempted tae kill me. They'll nae stand fer outright murder, whether he be the laird or nae. And I'll make sure he understands that. He'll be risking his own life if he attempts tae take mine.

"'Tis still a dangerous game ye would play. I beg ye, keep out of his sight." She gazed at his profile, the determined set of his jaw, and her heart sank. She well knew if Arran made up his mind about something, there was little that would stand in his way.

Then she brightened, recalling the conversation she'd had last night with Nicol.

"I've hopes we may be able tae find where yer dear maither is being held."

She then related everything she'd learned. First, the stories she'd gleaned from Bairre himself of his childhood adventures with his brother and the hideaway they'd made for themselves in the mountains.

"Och, that's a good discovery, lass. But did he reveal tae ye where this place of concealment was located?" He scratched his head and a golden lock of hair fell across his brow tempting Dahlia's fingers to smooth it behind his ear. "The mountains are vast, there are many tracks and pathways throughout the woodlands that line them. There are caves and a thousand hiding places there. I ken the mountains also. As a lad in exile from the castle I used tae explore when I had time tae mesel'."

Then she told him about everything she'd learned from Nicol.

"…so ye see, with Nicol tae guide us, this means we have a good chance of finding the bothy that the two young lads used in their boyhood escapades. If me suspicions are correct, this is exactly the well-hidden place Bairre would use tae keep yer maither prisoner."

Arran nodded, a smile breaking out on his face. "Aye. If the guards couldnae find the place when they were in pursuit of Bairre and his braither, he'd be certain nay one would find the place now. I've searched high and low."

He hugged her close. "Ye've given me hope me precious darling. We must seek this place as soon as we are able tae safely make our departure from the castle."