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“I will protect both of you with my life,” Lachlan said.
The little girl threw herself into his arms and wept.
Lachlan wrapped a firm arm around her, stood and held out his hand to the lad.
“We are grateful, sir,” the lad said then took his hand.
Piper sniffed back tears, Rowena let hers fall, and Hester smiled through tear-stained eyes. Megan remained her stoic self and they all walked to the common shelter.
“Food,” the lad said with desperation when he spied the table with nearly empty platters.
“I think it would do well if we feed them all before seeing to their care,” Terese said and nodded to Hester and Rowena to bring more food.
As they settled the four at the table, Terese heard Lachlan whisper orders to Boyd.
“Take some men and check the area for others or for trouble,” he ordered, sending Evan as well.
Terese looked to Piper and she took off, though not in the same direction as Evan.
The little girl sat on Lachlan’s lap while she ate; grabbing hold of his hand every now and again as if to make certain he was still there.
While the children and two adults ate their fill, Terese and Lachlan talked with them. The other women prepared to tend them and provide them with fresh clothes.
“I am Beatrice and my brother is Harry,” the little girl informed them.
The older woman was Frances and the man Henry.
Beatrice glowed when Megan handed her a sweet cake. She was about to tear it in two to share with her brother when Megan handed him one.
“All for me?” Beatrice asked with wide eyes.
“All for you,” Megan assured her.
Beatrice said no more, too busy enjoying her treat.
It wasn’t until the children went inside the common shelter, Lachlan having had to walk Beatrice in and promise her she would be safe, and that he would be right outside, that Terese and he spoke freely with Frances and Henry.
“Once the sisters are done with the children, they will tend you both,” Terese said. “At the moment, however, we’d like to know what happened to all of you?”
Henry explained. “Frances and I found each other along the road in the wake of two warring clans. They’re taking food and whatever else they need from the farmers while they wage their war.” He wiped tears from his eyes. “I lost my wife.”
“I, my husband of thirty years,” Frances said sorrowfully.
“I’m so sorry for your losses, but I must ask, does the fighting spill past the boundaries?” Lachlan asked.
Henry shrugged. “They’d have to make it past the mercenaries.”
Lachlan leaned forward. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a band of mercenaries who are making their presence known in the area,” Henry said. “From what’s been heard they’re fierce warriors and claim what they will. It’s really what started the clans to warring.”
“How so?” Lachlan asked.
“One thought the other hired the violent band to help conquer.” Henry shook his head. “But it was the clan leaders’ fears and hatred for each other that provoked the start of it all and then…” He shrugged again.
“It escalated out of control,” Lachlan said knowingly.
“Now the mercenaries sit by and wait,” Henry said.
Frances nodded in agreement. “And then they will finish it all and our lands will be forever lost to us.”
Night settled over the land. The children had long fallen asleep, exhausted from their ordeal. Frances and Henry had also dropped into a dead sleep after the sisters had seen to their care, offering baths and clean garments. Lachlan’s warriors had found nothing, and Evan confirmed the same when he returned. Not a trace of anyone in sight.
Still Lachlan could not sleep. He felt unsettled, as if there was something he should know, but could not grasp. He sat by the campfire warmed by its flames, the night having chilled considerably. His men slept around him, with a few standing sentry around the convent.
He caught the moving shadow out of the corner of his eye, and it took him a moment to realize that it was Sister Terese. She blended with the night shadows to slip silently along the edge of the woods.
Lachlan didn’t give it a thought; he followed her. It was much too late for her to be up and about, especially going off alone. He worried over her safety, but more he wondered where she was going and why.
He came upon her sitting on a boulder looking over the entrance of the woods and what he imagined would be a perfect spot to be at sunrise. But it was far from sunrise, so why was she here?
She sat with arms wrapped around raised knees, a dark green wool shawl draped around her and her hair was free of the usual braid she wore. It fell to her waist and glistened like strands of shimmering silk in the full moon’s light.
