“Ican’t give up,” Margaret said. “I won’t. You and Neal are all I have.”
“Then pursue,” Harry said. “But a soldier knows when he is facing an overwhelming force.”
“Then I am fortunate tonotbe a soldier,” his sister responded.
“We also know more about Rose,” Portia said. “She was originally from Loch Awe.”
“Where is that?” Margaret asked.
“South and east of here,” Harry said. “I give you the book, Margaret, because you may be the one to see us free. The curse was placed upon us by a woman and done so to honor the spirit of a woman. Perhaps the reason we Chattan males have not been able to break it is that we are the wrong sex. We may be the weaker sex in this case.”
Margaret considered the book in her hand. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I’ve never done anything like this. I’m not strong like you and Neal.”
“If anything, Margaret, you are the strongest of the three of us. Do not be afraid of your destiny.”
The moment he spoke those words, it seemed as if the very air in the room changed.
Margaret held the book to the window’s fading light. Tears welled in her eyes, but his sister was not one to cry. True to character, she angrily wiped them away.
“I accept the challenge, she said, her voice barely a whisper. “I shall leave now—”
“No,” Harry said. “You must rest. You must letyour servants rest. Tomorrow will be time enough to begin the journey.”
Margaret hesitated as if ready to argue. She was willful. But then her shoulders slumped and Harry recognized that he had been right, his sister was exhausted.
“I fear for you and Neal. What if I fail?” she whispered.
“You won’t fail.”
His sister seemed to draw courage from his conviction. She straightened. “I will not. I will travel to Loch Awe on the morrow, and Fenella of the Macnachtan had best beware.”
For the briefest moment, the book seemed to glow in her hands. Uncertainty unsettled him.
“Perhaps I will go with you,” he said.
“No, you are correct. I must go alone,” she answered, staring at the book.
“Margaret,” he said in protest, but she shook her head.
“We are both safer with you here, Harry. Think, the curse is having its effect on you quicker than it has on Neal. Why? Is it because you are close to Loch Awe and the Macnachtans? Right now, Neal is far too weak to travel. If the same happens to you, Harry, you will become a disadvantage to me because I will worry about you.”
“True,” he admitted. A warrior had to havefocus to go into battle and right now, he realized, his sister was a warrior.
She looked to Portia. “Keep him with you.”
“I will.”
“At least take my man Rowan,” Harry protested. “He is as close as I can come to being with you myself.”
She nodded and then took her first step toward Harry since she’d arrived. He put his arms around her and hugged her close. “God be with you, Margaret,” he whispered.
“I will succeed,” she promised. “And I’m not about to fall in love. I’m sorry to say such on your wedding day, but, for me, it is a foolish emotion. Look at what it has cost so many who are close to me.” With that declaration, Margaret left the room.
Portia leaned against Harry. “Do you believe her safe?”
“I hope so,” he said. “I pray so.” He brushed his lips across her hair and held her close. “The one thing I know is that I do love you. And no witch may take that away from me.”
Margaret
