Page 68 of Highland Flame

Chapter Eighteen

“Here she comes,” said Davita, peeking out the door of the chandlery, seeing Sister Edna heading up the stairs toward her. “I hope she cooperates,” whispered Davita, talking to Yvaine who was in the room.

“She will,” said Yvaine. “Just give me a few minutes alone with her and be sure to distract anyone who might interrupt us. Cam is already keepin’ my brathair busy.”

“How is he doin’ that?” whispered Davita.

“He is makin’ sure Gillies stays in church, by bein’ there with him. He is apologizin’ to him.”

“Oh, now that I’d love to see,” said Davita with a giggle. “Sister Edna,” she said, throwing the door wide open. “It’s so nice of ye to come help Yvaine pack up her candles.”

“I’ll do what I can to help,” said the nun. “But I don’t understand why Cam and his friends don’t help her.”

“Cam and I had a little spat, and I didna want to ask him,” said Yvaine, already feeling guilty for lying to a nun. It didn’t matter, she told herself. She had to do whatever it took to help Cam get his daughter back. “Oh, Davita, I seem to have forgotten some of my packin’ material down in the wagon. Would ye be kind enough to fetch it for me?”

“I’ll do it,” said the nun, but Davita was already halfway out the door.

“I’ve got it,” said Davita, closing the door behind her.

“What is it you want me to do?” asked Sister Edna, seeming very uncomfortable. “I’m afraid Brother Gillies won’t be happy if he finds me up here with you.”

“We’ll be finished before the prayers are over, dinna worry about that. Now, if ye can hand me those candles, I need to wrap them all and stack them safely together in a box.”

The nun turned to do so.

“Avianca usually helps me, but now that she’s gone . . .” Yvaine sniffled and turned around, pretending to wipe her eyes.

“I can see ye miss the lass. She was cute,” said the nun.

“I wish I could have at least told her guidbye. She must be so frightened.” Yvaine took the candles from the nun and wrapped them carefully together.

“Yes, she did seem scared when Brother Gillies took her from me. I really didn’t want to see her go either.”’

“It’s probably for the best,” said Yvaine, just to throw the nun off the track. “It just amazes me how my brathair was able to find a guid family for her so quickly.”

“Humph,” snorted the nun, picking up more candles. “If you can call them good.”

“So, ye dinna approve of Avianca’s new family?” asked Yvaine, fishing for information.

“They are peasants, and I don’t even know why they’d want another child when they already have six of their own to feed.”

“Peasants?” asked Yvaine. “Nay, I’m sure ye’re mistaken. I ken my brathair. He wouldna bring the lass to anyone unless they were noble. They must be nobles, I’m sure of it.”

“Nobles? If Elenor and Abe Woods are nobles, then I’m the Queen of England.”

Now Yvaine was getting somewhere. She smiled inwardly. “Well, I’m sure they work for nobles then, and are very respectable.”

“I wish that were true.” The nun ran her fingers along the tapered candle in thought. “I hate to say anything bad about anyone, but they’ve been stealing wood from Lord Rook’s forest for quite some time now. I know, because they tried selling me some the last time I went to Naward’s market. It was cold and I was covered in a cloak and they didn’t know I was a nun.”

“Oh, that’s no’ guid. And yet, Lord Rook lets them live in the village?” She thought they might live there, and was just guessing at it.

“Lord Rook only lets them stay because Abe’s late grandmother was somehow related to Lord Clifton.”

“Lord Clifton? Who is he?” asked Yvaine, taking the candles from her and wrapping paper around them. “I’ve never heard of him before.”

“I don’t know much about him, but I think his wife died young and he never remarried.”

“Where is he from?” asked Yvaine curiously.