Page 32 of Highland Spirit

“Guidbye, Alana,” Ethan said softly, making her want to run and throw herself into his arms, begging him never to go. She’d played the ghost again, hoping to scare him off. But now she was frightened that she would never see Ethan again. What had she done?

“Ethan, let me walk ye down to the boat,” said Alana, wanting to spend a few more minutes with him. She took a step forward but he stopped her.

“Nay!” He held up a halting hand to keep her from going with him. “I’d really rather ye didna do that. Come, Trapper,” he said, hurrying from the room, making Alana feel as if she’d just lost her one chance to make things right and be happy again.

* * *

As soon as Ethan and Caleb left the room, Alana pushed Albert and Graeme out of the way and headed for the door. “Why did ye have to draw yer swords on Ethan?” she spat, feeling like she’d never see him again, and that truly bothered her.

“Diarmad’s ship entered the cove,” announced Gil from the bed.

“That’s right. We came here to do what we could to get rid of Ethan before Diarmad saw him. But how did ye ken Diarmad had returned?” Albert asked Gil.

“I saw Ethan’s expression as he looked out the window,” explained Alana’s father.

“So . . . he saw the ship, too?” asked Alana. This was not good at all.

“I canna be sure, but I think so.” The chain on Gil’s leg jangled as he moved. “Ethan threatened to turn me in for what I’ve done.”

“Do ye think he’ll say anythin’ when he gets back to the mainland?” asked Graeme.

“Part of me hopes he does,” Alana told them. “We canna go on livin’ this way.”

“What are ye complainin’ about now?” asked Diarmad, walking into the room with a few of his men at his heels.

“My daughter is just concerned for my health,” answered Alana’s father, coming to the rescue. If Diarmad didn’t say anything about Ethan, then Ethan must have left without being seen. She breathed a silent sigh of relief. He was safe.

“There’s nothin’ wrong with yer health,” grunted Diarmad. “All right, everyone down to the cove. Augey, unchain the auld man and bring him along, too. We’ll need him as well as the girl to deal with these smugglers since they speak French, and we dinna.”

“There are more smugglers here? Already?” asked Alana in shock. “But ye just returned from deliverin’ a shipment.”

“That’s right. And if ye werena all up here instead of watchin’ for our ship like ye’re supposed to, ye would have kent that. Now, hurry up.”

“Nay,” Alana answered boldly. “I refuse to help ye anymore.”

“Ye willna refuse me, because if ye do, yer siblin’s or mayhap that little girl of yers will suffer the consequences,” growled Diarmad. “Now, let’s go.” He grabbed Alana by the arm so tightly that she almost screamed out loud.

“Alana will help ye,” said her father from the bed. “So will I. Now get this damned chain off of my leg and leave my daughter alone.”

“Kirstine, stay with Isobel,” said Alana as Diarmad hauled her away. She grabbed a cloak from a hook on the wall while Augey unchained her father. She didn’t like the fact that they’d been chaining him up while they were gone. She also didn’t like the fact that they’d had more and more smugglers showing up in the cove lately. This life of living hell was going to have to end, and she was the only one who could do anything to stop it. Alana already missed Ethan, and felt like she’d made the wrong choice in not telling him everything while she’d had the chance. In trying to protect the others, she severed any thread of hope of ever getting back together with him. She hated herself more now than when she’d first left him at the altar.

They headed to the hidden cove, trudging through the snow. The sun was out overhead, but the cold settled in her bones, making her feel weary. She was tired of living in fear and ready to do something to change it. But to her dismay, she realized that she might have made some wrong choices concerning Ethan’s visit. And because of her mistake, it might be too late to do anything about it.

Chapter 8

Ethan felt terrible just leaving Alana on the isle, but she had told him she wanted him to leave and she never wanted him to return. There was only so much rejection a man could take from one woman.

“I’m surprised ye and Alana didna get back together,” said Caleb as they sailed the small boat to the MacKeefe shores. Caleb’s pine marten lay curled up in Caleb’s pouch while Ethan’s dog sat in the boat whimpering, looking at the box of things that were supposedly Osla’s. The dog’s tail swiped back and forth over the floor of the boat.

“It’s obvious that she really doesna want me,” he answered, still not wanting to believe it was true.

“Are ye sure?” asked Caleb, taking a swallow of wine from a bottle that Alana had sent with them. “She still looked at ye in that same way that she used to when ye were engaged to be married, if ye didna notice.”

“I think it’s just yer imagination, Caleb.” Ethan answered, looked out over the water and wishing it was so. The kiss they’d shared felt real. Or so she made it seem. All it did was stir feelings within him of wanting her back in his arms . . . back in his bed. “What we had was in the past and long gone. I can see now that it was all a lie.”

“Is that really what ye believe?”

Ethan thought about it for a moment and let out a deep sigh. “I’m no’ sure. Mayhap I’m all wrong, but it is so hard to tell. Somethin’ is no’ right there. I dinna understand it, but Alana is lyin’ to me, I ken she is.”