No doubt, he still patrolled the estate, looking for enemies. Could she see him from the battlements?
She climbed the spiral stairwells, opened the old wood door, and stepped out onto the ramparts. The views from here stunned her. The Highlands stretched out into the misty distance. Peaks of rugged green and gray stone mountains. In the glen below, lay a glittering loch reflecting the blue sky and mountains like a perfect mirror image. A few gray stone cottages sat along the edge of the loch. Was that the village?
She had never seen a lovelier place.
Why had she never traveled to Scotland with her father or grandma? She had always imagined it would be a gloomy, rainy place. As a teen, she had much preferred a warm beach. Either that or she had been too busy with school or work. But now she saw with her own eyes why her dad loved this land so much. In addition to the stunning beauty, the otherworldly and almost haunting atmosphere gave her tingles. "Surreal," she whispered. Was she even here? Could this be a vision or dream even more vivid than reality?
Something fluttered behind her. Startled, she swung around and gaped at the huge black bird of prey sitting on a perch near the stone wall.
"What the heck!"
Where had that hawk come from? Had it been sitting there the entire time?
She eyed the hooked beak and sharp talons clasping the perch. The glossy black feathers and contrasting pale blue eyes were striking. She frowned, having never seen a bird with blue eyes before. But then, she wasn't a bird-watcher and knew next to nothing about raptors. He seemed neither afraid of her nor aggressive; he merely observed her as if curious.
"Hi, there." She felt ridiculous talking to a wild bird, but why not? As a kid, she had talked to her pets.
The hawk tilted its head and studied her with piercing eyes.
"What are you doing hanging out up here? Are you someone's pet, or are you injured?" He didn't look injured. Maybe Gavin used the bird for falconry… to catch all those rabbits he ate. But no jesses dangled from his legs.
She inched toward him. "What's your name, huh?"
He lowered his head and scrutinized her. She had no idea why she considered the bird a "he," but it seemed masculine.
She refused to venture too close. He might attack and sink those talons into her.
He jerked to attention as if he'd heard a noise. Flapping his wings, he bounded to the stony edge of the battlements. Turning his head this way and that, he watched something on the ground. Perhaps he'd spied a rabbit. He dove off the roof and toward the courtyard.
"Yikes!" She hurried to the edge to watch him and held her breath, hoping he wouldn't crash. He zoomed over the heads of three people on horseback. A female shriek echoed up. Wow, Gavin had a guard raptor on his staff.
Who were the visitors? Curious and eager to meet someone besides the grumpy men who lived here, she ran back inside and down the stone steps toward the great hall.
"I want to see the lass!" a woman screeched, her voice echoing.
Alarmed, Dani halted in her tracks in the stairwell. Who was that?
"There is nay lass here," Ewan yelled.
"You lie, wee man. She's here! I've seen her."
Hidden, Dani shivered at the enraged female voice. What was going on? She didn't fear people based on their voices.
"Nay, Lady MacRae!" Ewan said. "Only men live here."
Wilona MacRae? Dani's mouth dropped open. She had a bone to pick with that hag for cursing Gavin and hurting Father John.
Dani ran down the stairs to confront the woman. "Are you Wilona MacRae?"
The haughty, thin woman, a few inches taller than Dani, narrowed her eyes, her gaze as sharp as a sword. The hood of a black cloak covered most of her reddish hair. "'Tis Lady MacRae to you, wench."
"I see." The negativity—or evil—this woman radiated gave Dani a twinge of nausea. "Did you assault Father John or hire someone to do it?"
"Nay! How dare you accuse me? You're naught more than a scullery maid." She reached into her cloak pocket.
"We know what you're up to," Dani said. "We're not idiots."
"Go upstairs, lass!" Ewan pushed Dani toward the steps.
