It would be difficult to leave Tess with her kin,Colin realized as he moved quickly across the island.
There were other things that Colin remembered.Things that he could not tell her. Hints and accusations, whispersand rumors. Tales that might have been the absolute truth…or theembittered yearning of a clan that had lost its laird. Indeed, theLindsay clan had seen no justice meted out to Sir Stephen’skillers, whoever they were. Whatever Colin’s recollections, though,he realized they were based on fragments of what a young lad hadheard years ago from traveling merchants and musicians who hadpreviously passed across the lands of clan Lindsay. None of it wasworth mentioning to Tess now. Of that he was certain.
Within an hour, Colin built a large fire on thehighest point on the island, and another one along the easternbluffs. He had no doubt that Alexander would arrive soon, evenwithout the aid of all these signs. But Colin had many questionsabout how Tess would react when the exact moment arrived to leavethe island.
He frowned at the thought of how she’d sunk into adeep melancholy once she had made up her mind to go. Colin couldunderstand her perfectly, though. This was the place where she hadspent most of her life. These ruined buildings were home. She couldbe herself without worrying whether others would accept or rejecther.
Colin had given her the privacy that she had sought.He’d come out to start the fires himself. But now, as the sky andthe sea gradually became calmer, he could only imagine how herfears would be preying upon her.
He turned his steps back toward the building.
The outside, the stairs, even the largeliving chamber had been transformed in his absence. Everything hadbeen cleaned and swept. Amazed, Colin looked at the shells sittingin a neat pile by the door.
As he was looking at the changes, Tessdescended the stairs of the ladder. He saw the child’s clothing andthe cross and the brooch were the only things that she was carryingdown. She looked self-consciously at her dress when she saw him inthe room. He noticed that she had mended the holes. “I lookedthrough everything that might have resembled a dress that Charlottehad put away up there, but there was nothing better than what Ialready had on.”
“Tess, you look wonderful as you are.”
She shook her head. “I know I don’t remember much ofthat other life that I left behind, but I can guess at theimportance of good manners and clothing and household skills—allthose things that people deem necessary in a young woman who wantsto make a good first impression. All of those things that I sadlylack.” A blush had crept into her cheeks.
He immediately took her hands. “In what istruly important in life, you are better prepared than most womentwice your age. And what you don’t know you learn in no time atall. But none of that is important right now.” He lifted her chinuntil she was looking into his eyes. “Just think of the thrill thatfinding you are alive will bring to your mother and your other kin.Think of that, Tess, and everything else will work out.”
The uncertainties in her dark eyes continuedto linger. “I…I don’t want to disappoint her, Colin.”
“You shan’t,” he said fervently. “You arealive, Tess.Alive! No mother would wish for a greatertreasure.”
She looked searchingly into his eyes, and heheld her gaze for a long while. Then he smiled and glanced down atthe things in her hand.
“Now, do you mean to tell me that out of anentire loft filled with baubles and keepsakes, that’sallyou are taking with you?”
Tess smiled at the small bundle. “These arethe only things that are mine. The rest belong to this island.Whoever is sent to take care of it after I go should inherit them.”She walked away from him and cast a sweeping look around the room.“There was one last thing that I was hoping to bring with me,though.”
“If you want to bring Makyn and her weelambs, it should be no problem.”
She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want touproot them. They belong here, too. What I was hoping for…itdoesn’t really weigh much and doesn’t take much space. But…”
“Anything.” He would do anything to see thatsmile dance in her eyes.
“Those.” She pointed to the pile of shells.“’Tis not really for me, but more for you, as I know how you’vebecome accustomed to the sound of them crunching beneath your bootsand…”
He smiled. She was going to survivethis.
They both were.
The Isle of May was truly a place ofmiracles.
‘Unparalleled’ was the only word Alexander couldthink of to describe the thrill of relief that had coursed throughhim at the sight of his brother Colin standing on the shore of therocky inlet. And the same word would have worked for hisastonishment at the bonny caretaker of St. Adrian’s shrine. But theship’s master had no way to describe his feelings upon learningthat she was Theresa Catherine Lindsay!
Alexander had a far better recollection than hisyounger brother of the storm of rumors that had followed the attackon the Lindsay clan eleven years earlier and the young heir who haddisappeared. He himself had been introduced to Sir Stephen Lindsaynot long before that tragedy. He had watched the man fight in atournament the king had held in the bowl-shaped rock amphitheaterjust outside the walls of Stirling Castle the summer before. He hadheard stories from his own father, Alec Macpherson, about theHighlander’s courage and his dedication to his king and his people.And as a child, Alexander had even overheard bits of talk of howbeneficial it would be to both clans if someday Alexander were towed a daughter of Ravenie Castle’s laird. As it turned out, LadyEvelyn Lindsay had indeed borne a daughter.
But life’s tragedies take no heed of men’s plans. Inone fateful night, the Lindsay laird had been killed and the bairnlost. Lost until now.
And Alexander couldn’t stop staring at her. She wasno longer a bairn.
Tess, wrapped in a stout leather cloak, was standingby the railing and listening intently to what one of the ship’smates was telling her about the sailing vessel that was at thisminute plowing through the rolling billows northward.
“Could you possibly see fit to givemeyourattention for a moment?”
Alexander heard Colin’s low growl, but answeredwithout taking his eyes off the enchanting young woman.
