Page 58 of Highland Spirit

“I’ll keep this for now,” said Ethan, looking at the key that had a small Templar cross engraved in the center. “First thing in the mornin’, I’ll start lookin’ for the treasure with yer faither while Caleb takes the rest of ye back to the MacKeefe camp.”

“I’m no’ goin’,” said Alana stubbornly. “The treasure has been guarded by my family for generations and I’ll be the one to find it or it’ll no’ be found at all.” She snatched the key away from him and left the room with her daughter, followed by Kirstine waddling behind her.

“Here’s Slink,” said Finn, handing Caleb the pine marten and rushing out of the room after them.

“What just happened?” asked Ethan, feeling very confused.

Gil started laughing. “Ye have a lot to learn about bein’ married to my daughter, MacKeefe. But I’ll tell ye right now that no Chisholm, laddie or lassie, is ever goin’ to want to be told what to do.”

Chapter 15

“So when, exactly, will Diarmad and the others return?” Ethan asked in a low voice as they ate their meal in the great hall. The only two guards that had been left behind, Albert and Graeme, were eating near the fire with the servants, far from the dais.

“It willna be for a day or two yet, I’m guessin’,” said Alana, balancing Isobel on her lap as they ate. “No one kens for sure. Still, ye will need to be gone before they arrive or there is no tellin’ what Diarmad and the others will do to ye.”

“Alana,” said Kirstine from next to her. “The guards are askin’ when Ethan and Caleb will leave. Graeme wants to kill them now, but I’ve convinced him that they dinna want to harm us but help us instead.”

“I understand their concern. It wouldna fare well for them if the men came back to find Ethan and Caleb here. I’m sure they are gettin’ anxious.”

“I’m surprised they havena already tried to kill us,” said Ethan, taking a bite of food.

“Albert and Graeme will listen to me,” said Gil, happy to be sitting at the dais instead of being chained to the bed. “Dinna worry about them. I’ll handle it.”

Caleb loaded a heaping helping of fish on his trencher and handed the platter to Ethan. “Here ye go, Ethan. I saved some for ye,” he said.

Ethan’s stomach turned just smelling the fish. “Ye ken I dinna eat fish. I hate it. Save me some of the food I like and get that stinkin’ mess away from me.” Ethan pushed Caleb’s hand away.

“Well, if ye dinna want yer share, I’ll give it to Slink.” He started to give it to his pet that was sitting on the table, but Ethan grabbed the platter and put it on the floor instead.

“Trapper can have my share,” he said.

“Yer dog eats fish?” asked Alana in surprise.

“In case ye havena noticed, my dog is huge,” answered Ethan. “He’d eat one of those guards if I told him to.”

“Dinna let yer doggy eat my dolly,” said Isobel, looking at the dog right below her with frightened eyes.

“Dinna worry, Isobel. Trapper would never harm ye.” Ethan reached out and ran his finger along the girl’s cheek. Such a gentle, caring motion made Alana realize that she had done the right thing in telling Ethan about Isobel. He would do anything to protect his daughter and that made her sigh in relief.

“So what’s the plan?” asked Caleb, ripping off a hunk of his trencher and gnawing on it.

“The plan stays the same,” said Ethan, finding meat and root vegetables on another platter and loading them onto his trencher. “Gil and I will search for the treasure and wait for Diarmad and the others to return.”

“I’ll talk to Albert, Graeme, and the servants,” Gil told Ethan and Caleb. “I’m sure I can convince them to work with us against Diarmad now that ye two are here.”

“Caleb will be leavin’ with the lassies and the children at dawn,” Ethan reminded him, biting into his food.

“Och, Ethan, I want to stay and help look for treasure,” said Caleb.

“Nay. I need ye to protect the lassies and Finn and bring back some of the MacKeefes with ye. We are goin’ to put an end to all this.”

“I dinna want to go back with the lassies,” protested Finn, overhearing them as he walked by. “I’m a man now and want to help with findin’ treasure and fightin’ off smugglers.”

“Finn, ye need to listen to Ethan,” said Alana. “Besides, Isobel will feel more at ease if ye are with her since I’ll be here.”

Ethan groaned. He could see there was no use telling Alana she wasn’t staying. Like Gil said, she didn’t like to be told what to do. He supposed he shouldn’t try to fight it.

“If ye insist on stayin’ then we’ll start searchin’ for the treasure as soon as we are finished with the meal,” Ethan told her.