Page 55 of Highlander’s Forbidden Fruit

“And why are ye here, Vano?” Evanna asked. “Should ye nae be at the castle?”

Vano did not reply. He wore a cautious smirk on his face, assessing the situation and how much he was willing to say. A cold wind began to blow. As if the weather was channeling Evanna’s mood, the sunshine dimmed, and clouds began to converge on the horizon. A storm was coming, and, like Evanna, it had very little patience.

“What’s happened, Sarah?” Evanna asked the distraught girl, but Sarah would only sob and cry, her entire body shaking.

“They’re giving her away!” A shrill cry came from the house, and the redheaded Tilda came running out on her squat, chubby legs. “Da said this man could marry Sarah for ₤3. I swear I didnae ken they’d really send her away if I told them she’d eaten one of the bread buns from the castle. I didnae ken!” the little girl yelled, tears streaming down her face. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m sorry.”

Tilda’s brothers and sister started wailing too. Mrs. Creed’s mouth puckered in a sour disapproving pout. She yanked Tilda by the arm and pulled her back in the house. “Ye’ll be seeing the back of me wooden spoon for this.”

“How could ye?” Aleck roared. “She’s naught but a child!”

“And what of it, eh?’ Mrs. Creed sneered. “She’s thirteen. Nae longer a bairn. And if she willnae do her part around the house, she can go and have bairns of her own to care for. I will nae have an extra mouth to feed in me house.”

“Tis not yer house, madam!” Aleck said. “Tis the house that Laird MacLeod lets ye rent. Did ye nae think what the Laird would say when ye agreed upon it? Are ye willing to risk the roof over yer head just to be rid of yer husband’s first child?”

Mrs. Creed’s mouth worked but no words came out. Her eyes were darting from Evanna to Aleck in a dazed shock. She had obviously not thought through the larger ramifications of her plan. Her main objective was to get rid of Sarah at any cost. A feeling deeper than loathing for the woman infused Evanna’s heart.

But instead of giving her a piece of her mind, Evanna ignored her. Evanna was not interested in that woman’s story or what she had to say. The blame lay with Sarah’s father who had allowed his wife to take such liberties with his daughter and gone ahead with every suggestion she made. And she was also wary of Vano. He had mentioned settling down in Glenlivet. Had this been his plan all along? She could see why he saw the appeal in marrying Sarah. She was a local Scottish girl, young enough to bend to his will, and known to have a special bond with Evanna, the lady of the castle. She would make his acceptance into society easier for the locals.

It made her sick. Were women just pieces of a puzzle, another rung on the ladder to where men needed to get?

“Nae one is being evicted. But there will be nae wedding. Sarah will be installed at the castle as my personal maid. Tilda,” Evanna addressed the little girl. “Be a dear and pick up Sarah’s belongings and take them inside. A storm’s coming, and I don’t want her things getting wet.”

Tilda wiped the tears from her cheeks and did as she was told.

Evanna turned to Donald Creed. “Ye’ve nae done yer duty by yer daughter, but I promise ye she’ll do her duty by ye. I will pay her ₤5 per month, half of which will be sent to ye. Ye can see how this is more profitable to ye than having her marry a cur like this man. Do ye agree?”

Donald Creed looked at his wife for approval, which was readily given. It turned Evanna’s stomach to see a father like Donald Creed who had such little regard for his flesh and blood. It made her grateful for her own father who would move heaven and earth for her.

“Then I shall ask one favor,” Evanna said. “Keep her this one night to allow her to say a proper goodbye to her home and her siblings. Send her and her belongings to the castle first things in the morning.” She lifted Sarah off of her shoulder and looked the weeping girl in the eyes. “Is this fine with ye? Would ye like to come live at the castle and work for me?”

Sarah nodded, her lips still trembling.

“I cannae take ye with me right now,” Evanna explained. “I wish I could, but I have to rejoin the hunt. I’ve left our guest alone, and that will nae do. Do ye understand?”

“I… do…” Sarah hiccuped. Color was returning to her cheeks, and she was calming down. Evanna was heartened to hear her voice.

“Good lass!” Evanna squeezed her shoulders. “I’ll see ye in the morning. Get inside now before ye catch a cold.”

She waited long enough to see Tilda embrace her sister and take her inside. She didn’t waste a glance for the adults. Turning, she mounted her horse again. She was about to pull the reins when they were snatched out of her hands. She hissed as the leather scraped against her palm, leaving a sting.

“You owe me a bride,” Vano snarled.

“I owe ye nothing.” Evanna tapped her feet against the side of her horse to make it walk. Vano kept pace with her, tugging the reins to make the horse stop.

“You’ll pay for this. One way or another, I will make you pay.”

“Get off!” Aleck took the reins from Vano’s hands and pushed him away.

Vano fell in the dirt, his swarthy face a mask of hatred. “I’ll see to you both! No one crosses Vano and lives to tell the tale.”

Evanna was not perturbed by his threats. He was a little man with little influence. One good thing had come of all of this - Vano would no longer be welcome in the castle.

With that sweet note playing in her head, Evanna urged the horse to gallop forward, Aleck following close behind. The storm was fast approaching, and if they wanted to reach safety before it broke, they needed to get away as fast as they could. Evanna hadn’t brought a cloak; there was no point wearing one to a hunt. It would just get in the way. Now she regretted having no oil-slicked barrier to the rain. She hoped Lockard had spied the storm clouds and had taken John back to the castle.

John… She was not looking forward to seeing him. He had been offensive, unpleasant, and rude to the staff. It was just her luck to give her what she’d worked for and then twist it, so it was no longer a source of happiness.

Aleck rode beside her, oblivious to her thoughts. She felt an irrational hatred for him in that moment. The wind swept her hair in her eyes and thunder boomed loud. It was suddenly no longer cold but frigid. The clothes which had felt overly warm this morning were now inadequate to keep the chill out of her bones.