Page 38 of Highland Spirit

“Did ye want to talk about this?” asked Storm.

“No’ really.” Ethan would have to explain things to the clan’s chieftain now, and that was not going to be enjoyable. He sighed and started to talk. “The wee lass is Alana’s daughter,” he explained. “I found Alana livin’ in Blackbriar Castle.”

“Alana?” Storm frowned.

“Chisholm,” Hawke told his father. “Ye remember the lass Ethan was goin’ to marry five years ago.”

“Aye,” said Storm, raising his brows. “So she disappeared after leavin’ ye at the altar just to live in a haunted castle on a deserted isle?”

“It seems so,” Ethan answered, looking at the floor.

“What’s goin’ on?” asked Storm in a low voice.

“I wish I kent the answer to that,” Ethan answered. “Somethin’ was odd there. It just wasna right.”

“Ye mean, with the ghost and all?” asked Hawke with a smile.

“Nay, no’ just the ghost, although that was unsettlin’, too. It seems no one cared about the ghost or was even frightened by it.”

“Except for ye,” chuckled Hawke, getting a stern look from his father.

“Ye ken ye canna keep the child here,” said Storm. “It’s no’ right and will only cause trouble. Ye need to take her back to her mathair.”

“I ken. I will do it first thing in the mornin’.” Ethan stood, wanting more than anything to get some sleep and to think things over. “There was somethin’ else that really bothered me,” he said.

“What’s that?” Storm stood and so did Hawke.

“She said her faither was goin’ mad. They kept him chained up in his room because of it.”

“What’s odd about that?” asked Hawke. “I’d have him chained up, too, if I were in their position.”

“Was he a prisoner?” asked Storm, mimicking Ethan’s thoughts exactly.

“I think so. He must be there against his will because I doubt that Alana would do somethin’ like that to her faither even if he was goin’ mad.”

“What about the rest of her family? Were they there as well?” asked Hawke.

“Only her pregnant sister, Kirstine, and her brother, Finn. Her mathair is dead.”

“Well, mayhap we should check it out,” said Storm. “We are the closest clan to the isle.”

“Nay.” Ethan shook his head. “Alana doesna want me there.”

“Where was the faither of her baby?” asked Storm. “Who is he?”

“I believe he’s dead, and I have no idea who he was. I didna ask and I am no’ sure I really ever want to ken. Excuse me now, because I need some rest.”

Ethan left the building, heading to a small hut that he shared with his friends. It was still storming and raining relentlessly, but Ethan felt numb because of what happened. He didn’t seem to notice the weather. He was about to go inside when he thought he saw movement from down where the boat was docked. If a thief in the night were trying to steal it, he’d give them a little surprise.

Unsheathing his sword, he hurried down to the water, so upset and angry after being at the castle that whatever poor soul was there trying to steal his boat was going to end up missing a hand or perhaps his head.

* * *

Frigid, slushy rain sliced down on Alana as she rowed the small boat to the mainland shore in the choppy water. The storm was too much for the small boat. But once she started out, it was too late to turn back. It had a small sail on it that she’d used to make it halfway across. But the wind was relentless, blowing her off course, so she’d taken the sail down and opted to row instead.

Her muscles ached and she could barely feel her fingers and toes anymore because she was too cold. She wore a cloak with a hood but it did little to keep her dry. If she didn’t want to die before, she surely did now. Then again, the storm might make that decision for her.

Pushing her fears aside, she decided she didn’t care how cold she was or what she had to do to get there, it no longer mattered. All she cared about was making sure her baby was safe. Why couldn’t she spend more time with her child instead of attending to things that didn’t matter to her? If she died in this storm before she made it to shore, she’d never see Isobel again. Her heart ached to even think this way, and she decided to focus on the shoreline and row faster.