Highlander's Winter Tale (8 page)

Four days later...

“I feel fine. I am going home,” Old Mary insisted as she reached for her cloak on the bed.

Dawn quickly snatched it up and draped it around the old woman’s shoulders. She knew there was no arguing with her and she truly was doing well. Everyone struck by the strange illness had begun to get better after the stone had broken Alexander’s powers.

“Walk me home,” Old Mary said, “since I know you will anyway.”

Dawn smiled and nodded and took Old Mary’s arm as they left the room that Dawn had feared would not only be the old woman’s death chamber, but Elsa’s as well. Elsa had improved quickly and as soon as she was on her feet, she was helping others to recover. Neil was happy when she did, since it proved to him that she was herself once again.

The Great Hall was empty when they entered it. Those who had taken ill there, having returned home two days ago. Life was returning to normal once again.

“Your cloak,” Flanna said, rushing over to Dawn to help her on with it. “It is good the snow has stopped and it is no longer bitter cold, though some insist we will have more snow before this winter ends. At least, there will be no more Winter Tale to tell.”

“The tale will be told again,” Old Mary said and Flanna and Dawn looked startled. “Tongues have already started speaking about it and merchants that pass through here will hear of it and spread the word how the Winter Tale is no longer to be feared thanks to the mighty Cree and his fearless clan.” Old Mary patted Flanna on the shoulder. “Dawn told me all about how you bravely disobeyed Cree’s order to keep from his sight to save not only Dawn but the whole clan.”

Flanna’s cheeks reddened. “It is a small brave act compared to what Lady Dawn has done for all of us here in Dowell.”

A crash in the hall had Flanna turning around abruptly and hurrying off, yelling at the poor servant who had dropped something.

Dawn held firmly onto Old Mary once outside, not wanting her to slip and fall. It was obvious after a few steps that the old woman had gotten her strength back and that pleased Dawn.

“A winter cloak, that is what the snow looks like upon the land,” Old Mary said. “I hear that Sloan is enjoying the attention from many lasses for being so heroic, but tell me how did he come by the stone with the hole through it?”

Old Mary spoke aloud Dawn’s gesture. “He came across it before going into a battle that he did not think he would survive. He believed it was a special stone and kept it close always, though told no one but Cree about it.” Old Mary smiled. “He was right about it being special and it not only saved him that day he went into battle, but it saved all of us from Alexander.”

Dawn pointed to her eyes, then shaded them as she looked around as if searching.

Old Mary laughed. “He looks for another one now.”

Dawn nodded and banged a fisted hand against the palm of her other hand.

“His is that adamant about it?”

Dawn shook her finger and her head and spread her arms.

“I do not blame him for never wanting to be without one again. I am sure Elsa would have gladly used hers if she had been able to and it is probably why Alexander made sure she was struck with the illness.”

Dawn stopped and gestured quickly.

“How did he know she possessed one?” Mary continued after Dawn nodded. “Many healers look for such a stone and if lucky enough to find one, keep it a secret. Alexander probably did not want to take a chance that Elsa had one, so he struck her with the fever. He did the same to me, though it was my knowing things that he could not take a chance with. I knew something was not right, so I fought as hard as I could, though I remained much too confused to be of any help.”

Dawn disagreed, letting Old Mary know she was of great help, fever or no fever.

Old Mary brushed the compliment off and gave a nod toward the storehouse. “I see Alexander’s punishment is going well.”

Dawn looked over at Alexander, gagging as he cleaned the rotted food from the storehouse.

“Cree was wise in not simply killing the man. It is better the clan sees that there is no longer any reason to fear him. I hear Alexander is also being made to tend the cow he turned ill.”

Dawn pressed her hands together and pressed them to the side of her head.

“He has been made to sleep in the barn with the cow as well?”

Dawn nodded.

“What will Cree eventually do with him?”

“My wife encourages me to set him free and let fate seal his destiny. She feels it is what Glenna, the woman who cursed him, intended,” Cree said, joining them and taking Old Mary’s arm to help her along as they walked.

“And how do you feel?” Old Mary asked.

“I prefer to hang him, then burn him and be done with it.”

“Would he not suffer far more if he was made to live without his powers?” Old Mary asked.

“You think like my wife.”

“I take that as a compliment.”

Cree scowled when he saw that Lila and Dorrie were waiting at Old Mary’s door. He had hoped to have some time alone with his wife, the last few days having kept them too busy to spend barely any time together. Dawn also had little time to spend with friends and he did not want to deprive her of that after all that had happened.

“Stay well,” he said to Old Mary and turned to his wife. “I will see you when you finish here,” he said gruffly and walked away annoyed. He scowled and mumbled growing more irritated with each step. People hurried out of his way, though he took no notice of them. His thoughts were on his wife.

He turned, deciding to remind her that he was not a patient man and was met with a snowball to his chest. Another one followed catching him in the shoulder. Gasps mingled with chuckles around him as he swatted away a third snowball that nearly caught him in the face.

“You are asking for trouble, wife,” he said as he advanced on her slowly.

Dawn grinned and danced around like a child thrilled with her actions as she packed another snowball and threw it at her husband. It caught his leg and she was quick to make another and this time she got him in the face.

Dawn’s mouth dropped open in shock as he stopped abruptly and slowly wiped the snow off his face.

“You will pay for that, wife,” Cree said.

She did not wait to see exactly what it would cost her, she took off running. She heard his heavy footfalls not that far behind her and she hurried toward the woods, not an easy task with all the snow.

She got only a short distance into the woods when her husband pounced on her, sending them both tumbling into the snow. She soon found herself flat on her back, her husband straddling her.

“Now I have you where I want you,” he said, a rare smile surfacing on his handsome face.

She shook her head and gestured.

“You have me where you want me?”

She patted the snow, then slipped her hand beneath his plaid and caressed him.

He groaned and reluctantly grabbed her hand. “It is a romp in the snow you intended?”

She smiled softly as she gestured.

“You want to make memories with me?’

She nodded.

He leaned down, kissed her, and whispered, “We shall make a memory neither of us will ever forget.”

And they did.

The End... for now!

Look for more adventures of Cree & Dawn coming your way!

An interesting side note... a hole that is created by nature in a stone is known by some as a Hag stone, warding off witches, and to others a Holey stone that protects. It’s rare to find them and luckily I have found not only one but two. So keep an eye out for your very own Holey stone.

If you want to make certain you don’t miss any of Donna’s books subscribe to her Book Alerts on her website
www.donnafletcher.com
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Series Books

Highlander Trilogy

Highlander Unchained

Forbidden Highlander

Highlander’s Captive

Highlander’s True Love
A Cree & Dawn Short Story #1

Highlander’s Promise A Cree & Dawn Short Story #2

Highlander’s Winter Tale
A Cree & Dawn Shor Story #3

Macinnes Sisters Trilogy

The Highlander’s Stolen Heart

Highlander’s Rebellious Love

Highlander The Dark Dragon

To see a listing of all Donna’s available books and purchase links go to her Bookshelf on her website at
http://www.donnafletcher.com
.

Donna Fletcher is a
USA Today
bestselling author of historical and paranormal romances. Her books are sold worldwide. She started her career selling short stories and winning reader contests. She soon expanded her writing to her love of romance novels and sold her first book SAN FRANCISCO SURRENDER the year she became president of New Jersey Romance Writers.

Drop by Donna’s website
www.donnafletcher.com
where you can learn more about her, peruse her bookshelf, sign up for her Book Alerts, and read her blog where she keeps her readers updated on what’s next.