A knock sounded and a maid entered, carrying a tray of dried meats, crusty bread, and honey mead.
“Laird MacLeod has insisted that ye eat after yer long journey.” She curtsied and left the room.
As if on cue, Moira’s stomach rumbled loudly, and both girls laughed out loud.
They moved to the table and Anna poured two cups of the sweet drink.
Moira drank deeply, not realizing how thirsty she was. Then she broke off a piece of bread and slathered it with fresh-churned butter. It was divine.
“I am still amazed that ye managed to convince Errol to help ye. How did ye do it?”
“I had to promise to share half the treasure with him,” Moira grumbled.
Anna dipped her head to hide her smile. “That sounds like him.” She straightened, growing serious. “Now that ye are here, how do ye plan to treasure hunt? That map seems to take ye further away from not only Hartsmoor, but also MacLeod Keep. It goes deep into the Highlands.”
“Aye,” Moira sighed. “’Twould be so much easier if I were a man. Then I wouldnae need to explain where I was going to be for e’ery minute of the day. But alas, I dinnae have such luxury. I will figure it out, though. I must.”
“Whate’er ye need me to do, I will do it. Ye ken that, aye?”
Moira nodded thinking of how she could pull off such a feat. She was grateful to have such a good friend as Anna. There was no doubt that her friend would indeed do whatever it took so that she could go off on this adventure with Errol.
Because that’s what it was. An adventure.
One that, once solved, hopefully both lairds would understand why she’d taken such drastic measures. Though her reasoning wasn’t completely selfless. Aye, she wanted peace betwixt the clans, it would benefit all of their people. No more deaths from the fighting. Nor any more burned crofts and crops. No more stolen cattle and sheep. To have the answer from the past to whatever it was that caused the strife betwixt them solved, would be a blessing. But, selfishly, she wanted unobstructed access to her best friend.
They ate in silence for a few moments until Anna suddenly slapped her hand on the tabletop.
“I’ve got it!” She exclaimed excitedly.
Moira looked at her questioningly.
“I ken how to get ye and Errol on yer way.”
“Aye? How?”
Anna nodded. “We can travel north. The weather has started to warm. A trip to take in our lands and enjoy some fresh air.”
Moira frowned. “How does that help?”
“It gets us away from here and headed in the correct direction. Da will ne’er let ye both leave together for no reason. Howe’er, if ye and I are traveling, he will insist Errol attend to us.” She shrugged. “Probably Robbie as well.”
Moira shuddered. She wasn’t happy with the addition of Robbie. He kept it no secret that he did not appreciate her presence at MacLeod Keep. She couldn’t fathom how he would react to being forced to attend her travels.
Anna clapped her hands. “This will be such fun.”
Moira wasn’t so sure, but she was happy they had a plan.
*
Two days later,Moira was on a horse, Anna on her own horse at her side. Errol and Robbie rode ahead of them, both wearing frowns that said they would rather spend their days doing anything else than the trip that lay ahead.
Seema and Fina rode behind them, chattering away. She was glad to see that the two of them got on well together.
Moira studied Errol from behind and she wondered if he could feel the heat of her gaze on his back. His broad shoulders created an impressive visage. He sat tall atop his black horse with the perfect circle on its flank as he stared straight ahead and lead them out of the gates of the keep.
Surprisingly, it didn’t take much to convince the laird to allowthem to travel together. Moira had the suspicion that it was in the way Anna asked. Being the only lass in the family, Moira could see how all the men practically tripped over their own feet to do her bidding.
She couldn’t relate to that type of treatment. She was far from being the only woman in her family, and thankfully, her mother was still with them.
