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Chapter 1
SCOTLAND HIGHLANDS, 1707
Megan
The semi-dark room seems pleasant, as I sit here, hand-knitting a shawl in the dim light of the lantern that is fastened on the wall. A few hours of the early morning to myself feel really good, especially that I do not want to see Uncle Murgan. The less of his fat and ugly face, the better.
I brush my long brown hair away from my chest and readjust my brown earasaid, taking an extra moment to admire the small wrinkles in the expensive fabric, which is rather new. I wonder if Elsie is sleeping in today, but I will check it later. Staying alone inside my comfortable bedroom for a couple of more hours is all I want now.
About two years ago my father died from illness, leaving me and my younger sister Elsie orphans. I was about sixteen then, and Elsie was fifteen. Our mother had died a year earlier than our father, so after father died, I and Elsie were left completely alone. When our father was in his deathbed, he asked his brother, our Uncle Murgan, to take care of me and Elsie. I had never met him before, and it was the first time that I saw him. He was never a proper uncle for us, never coming to visit us or play with us, and we did not even know how he looked. We only knew that he existed, that we had an uncle somewhere on the Earth, and that was all that we knew about him.
When he arrived, I instantly knew that I did not like him at all. He did not look trustworthy enough, but I and my sister had no other choice. So, when our father died, our Uncle Murgan McLeold moved into our big house and started ruling around, pretending to be the owner of our lands and our servants. He was always angry and shouting, spying on me and my sister whenever we wanted to spend time with each other and talk. He was always in charge of everything at the house, always making sure that everyone asked for permission from him to do something, and sometimes he did not even give that much needed permission. I and Elsie also had to obey him, even though the house belonged to us – to me, more precisely, as I was the eldest daughter. But we were children and he took his chance to rule around.
As we grew up, Uncle Murgan became worse and worse, thinking of ways to keep our property to himself. He knew that once I became eighteen - which will be in a couple of months - I could make him get out of my house and go away, as I would be old enough. And I cannot wait for that day to arrive. I think he also knows about it, as he is doing anything he can think of to get hold of the property. During those two years, Uncle Murgan has tried to persuade me to sign papers that would make him the owner of the lands, but I refused, of course. I am clever enough to refuse that stupid offer. Signing those papers would certainly mean that I and Elsie would not have a home.
I am full of hatred towards that man, and I cannot wait until I am eighteen, so that I can push him away from our house.
I sigh, as I continue the hand-knitting. During those two years, I have found my inner peace by staying in my bedroom, sometimes in Elsie's bedroom, just to avoid seeing that man. I hope this will end soon, as I do not like solitary. What has a beginning also has an end. This will end soon.
There comes a knock on the door.
'Yes?' I call and turn towards the wooden door to see who has visited me in this early hour of dawn.
The door opens. It is Ainslee, one of our maids. The old lady smiles, as she comes in timidly. I smile back. I like her a lot – after mother's death she has been like a mother to me and Elsie. She has always been kind to us, and whenever we needed a shoulder to cry on, she was always there for us. Ainslee always knew when to shut her mouth and when to talk. She even tried to protect us once or twice when our uncle was angry, and got threatened to be thrown out of the house. Of course, I stepped in and said that she is my own servant, and no one can throw her out, ever. Uncle Murgan growled angrily but knew that I was right.
'Good morning, Megan,' she says in a small voice. 'Your Uncle Murgan wants to see you. He is in the main hall.'
I scowl upon hearing his name. I always do. Why would he want to see me so early in the morning? Ainslee notices my discontent face and shrugs.
