Chapter Seven
Rory and Alanahad been walking for a few hours already. They had left just after daybreak since they’d both awakened early. The air was heavy and he kept an eye on the sky above as the fat clouds, thick with rain, moved over them, threatening them with a good drenching.
A rightdreichday it was. He quickened their pace, hoping to beat the rain and seek shelter inside an abandoned croft that he kenned wasn’t too far from here.
But his efforts were all for naught. Within minutes, the rain was coming down hard and fast, soaking them to the bone.
Rory scanned the trees. The croft was close. He could just see the outline of the thatch roof through the fat drops falling from the sky, landing in heavy plops on his head.
“This way.” He grabbed Alana’s arm and pulled her forward.
“Where are we going?”
“Someplace dry,” he roared over the loud rain.
With hurried steps they approached the croft, but as it came into view, Alana pulled on him to slow down.
“What is amiss?”
She pointed to the abandoned building and shook her head. “I am no’ going in there.”
He clenched his jaw. “’Twill keep us protected from the storm.We’ll stay dry and be warm. I can start a fire.” He opened his arms. “We can dry our clothes.”
Her eyes darted to the croft and back to his, her teeth chattering as she began to shiver.
“Ye’re freezing, lass. Ye need shelter.”
“Nay, I refuse to—”
Lightning flashed overhead and within seconds thunder boomed. Alana shrieked and grasped at his arm. He pushed her inside and she let him, but quickly turned to him, her nose wrinkled up in disgust.
He ignored how cute she looked with her face scrunched up and her wet hair hanging in strands framing her bonny face.
“’Tis freezing in here,” she declared, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to warm herself up.
Barring the door, he dropped his pack by the entry and moved to the hearth so he could build a fire. Luckily, the last person that had occupied the croft had left wood and kindling in the wire basket beside the hearth. Also, a bucket of pine needles and a hardened mound of sap. With all of those, he’d be able to build a hearty fire in no time and since the space wasn’t overly large, it should warm up quickly.
“Take yer pack off and get out of those wet clothes afore ye catch yer death. I willnae have ye die on my watch.”
“No’ only is it cold in here, it smells of must and stagnation.”
“As abandoned crofts do.”
“I cannae stay here.” Disgust dripped from her words.
Lightning crackled across the sky, lighting the space up for a brief moment and Alana jumped.
“We havenae any other choice unless ye want to be out there with the storm.”
She harrumphed but began to pull items out of her pack. Trying dry herself off with the few items that hadn’t soaked through, she continued to complain.
Frustrated, he turned his attention back to starting the fire,mumbling to himself about how ungrateful she was being. “Mayhap yer betrothed should just come and fetch ye himself.”
“Pardon?” Alana snapped.
Rory finished blowing on the small flame. “I believe ye heard me just fine.”
“Weel, we wouldnae be in this situation if ye hadnae dragged me into this disgusting place.”
