THE GIFT: A Highland Novella (10 page)

“
If the London rabble knew that,
”
she said with a relieved laugh,
“
I could have worn holly and saved myself a long journey.
”

His expression turned serious again, and he took her hand.
“
What happened in London that made ye leave?
”

She trusted him enough now to tell him. Roderick was a good man, and he would not turn on her.

“
Witch fever was at a high pitch, and mobs were roaming the streets,
”
she said.
“
I knew they would burn innocent women like me next. My heart told me I must leave, so I did.
”

“
Ye need have no fear of that here,
”
he said, and put his arms around her.
“
Women with your gift
—
healers
—
are valued by us Highlanders.
”

He stood in the middle of the path holding her and murmuring soothing Gaelic into her hair for a long time. Heaven help her, but she would miss him.

They held hands as they resumed their walk. Eventually, they crested a hill, and a large inland loch appeared nestled in the valley below. The village along the shore seemed to be a hive of activity, with people, carts, and horses. That looked promising. She should be able to ply her trade here.

Roderick drew her attention to the two islands in the loch. The larger one was connected to the shore by a narrow causeway and to the smaller island by a bridge.

“
The small island farther from shore is
Eilean na Comhairle
, The Council Island,
”
Roderick explained.
“
The single stone building on it is the meeting place for the Council of the Isles, which is comprised of the chieftains from the branches of the MacDonald clan and chieftains from the clan
’
s vassals, including the MacLeods, Mackenzies, MacNeils, Macleans.
”

The Lord of the Isles apparently was a far grander person than she had reckoned. Roderick had not exaggerated when he said this chieftain of chieftains was like a king.

“
I have business to attend to on the large island, Eilean Mor,
”
he said.
“
It houses the Lord of the Isles
’
Great Hall, his family living quarters, guest quarters, and a chapel. The smaller buildings ye see with thatched roofs are for storage, workshops, and the like.
”

Lily
’
s heart began to race as they walked along the shore of the loch toward the village. She tried to steel herself to part ways with Roderick. When they reached the causeway to the island, just outside the village, she halted.

“
Before we say farewell, I want to tell you how grateful I am for all you
’
ve done for me.
”
She had to pause to fight the tears stinging the back of her eyes.
“
You saved my life.
”

“
Lily
—”
He started to speak but stepped when she held up her hand.

“
I am grateful for the kindness you showed me and
…
for what we did last night.
”
She dropped her gaze to her ugly boots and spat out the rest quickly.
“
You mentioned I might stay with your grandmother. Will I find her in the village? If not, I
’
m sure I can manage on my own here. Just as you said, this is a good place.
”

“
I
’
m not leaving for Skye for a few days,
”
he said, lifting her chin with his finger.
“
Are ye that anxious to be rid of me?
”

She shook her head.

“
We can explore the village later,
”
he said,
“
but now we
’
re going to have a fine meal in the Great Hall while I wait to speak with my chieftain.
”

“
Me? Eat in the Great Hall?
”
She was just a lowly shopkeeper.

He looked her up and down.
“
Aye, we must find ye a gown in the village first.
”

Roderick proved as efficient at this as he was at everything else. When he saw a woman beating a rug outside her cottage, he asked her if she had a second gown she would sell for a silver coin. The woman recognized a good bargain when she heard one, and she proved to be both kind and Lily
’
s size. A short time later, Lily emerged from the cottage wearing a faded but clean blue gown. She had also washed her face and attempted to tidy her unruly hair.

“
Ach, ye look lovely,
”
Roderick said, taking her in from head to toe and back again.

Another lie, to be sure, but she did feel less conspicuous out of the breeches.

The sun was low in the winter sky by the time they crossed the causeway and reached the island, which was overflowing with people and activity. They had to step aside to make way for several carts and horses.

“
Is it always like this?
”
she asked.

“
It is whenever the Lord of the Isles is in residence,
”
he said.
“
Alexander is celebrating the Yuletide here.
”

The guards who stood outside the doors of the Great Hall greeted Roderick with deference, confirming her growing suspicion that this Highlander, whom she had first taken for a wild heathen, was highborn and far above her station. It made her uneasy.

They entered a huge room that must be thirty by sixty feet long, with a roaring fire in a massive stone hearth. She tilted her head back to take in the high ceiling
—
then belatedly closed her gaping mouth. Despite what Roderick had told her about the Lord of Isles, she had expected his Great Hall to be more on a par with a well-to-do cloth merchant
’
s home in London. She had never seen such fine furnishings and rich tapestries.

The meal had already begun, and the room was noisy with a hundred conversations. The long tables were loaded with platters of food of all sorts, and servants were still bringing more.

Jewels sparkled on both men and women. Most of the men wore Highland garb like Roderick
’
s, but there was a sprinkling who looked to be wealthy Flemish, French, and English merchants. The women, except for those who were obviously servants, were dressed like English noblewomen in elaborate headdresses and fine velvet and linen gowns.

Lily
’
s eyes were drawn to the high table and a tall, golden-haired man with a hawk nose and commanding presence who sat at the center seat. This must be Alexander, the Lord of the Isles, himself. Her imagination got the better of her. Despite the distance and the noisy roomful of people between them, she felt for a moment as if his piercing eyes were fixed on her.

She held fast to Roderick
’
s arm. As they passed one of the long trestle tables, men nodded or called out to him and women followed him with their eyes. He found room for them at the end of another table, but before they could sit, one of the guards tapped Roderick on the shoulder and spoke to him in Gaelic.

Lily assumed the guard was telling him the seats were taken and they must leave. Closing her eyes, she breathed in the delicious aromas from the heaping platters of food. She would feel more comfortable eating with the servants in the kitchen, if that were permitted, but she dearly wanted to eat.

“
We
’
re invited to sup at the high table,
”
Roderick said, leaning down so she could hear him over the voices and clatter.

Lily
’
s pulse leaped. Nobles occasionally came to her shop when they had ailments they did not wish to disclose even to their servants, but she had never been inside such a fine hall before, let alone eaten at a high table.

“
Must we?
”
she asked.

“
Aye,
”
he said, and squeezed her hand.
“
This is my clan. You
’
ve nothing to fear here.
”

Lily took a deep breath and let Roderick lead her past all the other tables. He held her hand, which made her heart flutter and earned her more than a few frowns and arched brows.

She had expected him to treat her as a mere fellow traveler. After all, they were parting ways here on the Isle of Islay. Instead, he appeared to be proclaiming to his kin that she was something more to him. He glared at the men who stared at them, as if in warning. Why was he sending them the message that she belonged to him? Was it simply to protect her?

Once they were settled near the end of the high table, Lily glanced around at the elaborate dishes and delicacies. She did not know what half of them were. The one with the pig
’
s head was obviously pork, and she recognized the oysters, beef, lamb, honeyed nuts, and cheeses, but none of those were within reach.

The platter closest to her had some sort of roasted meat decorated with a splay of feathers in dazzling colors.

“
What is that?
”
she whispered to Roderick.

“
You
’
ve never eaten peacock?
”
he asked with a wink, and dished a large helping onto the trencher they shared.
“’
Tis verra tasty.
”

As she stuffed herself with one new delicious dish after another and shared a cup with Roderick, she surreptitiously examined the wicked-looking weapons on the walls and her dinner companions at the table. These Highlanders were not primitive heathens, as she had heard back in London. And yet there was a wildness about them, to be sure. Roderick looked as intimidating as any of them, but she had grown accustomed to him.

And seen him naked. She blushed and took another gulp of wine to hide her smile. Luckily, Roderick had been drawn into conversation
—
in Gaelic
—
with some of the other men at the table.

When the man on her other side cleared his throat, she turned and gave him a polite smile. He had a touch of gray in his hair, flashing dark eyes, and he wore the most beautifully made tunic she had ever seen. It even had tiny jewels sewn onto it.

“
Parlez-vous Fran
ç
ais?
”
he asked.
“
Or English, perhaps?
”

“
I do!
”
she said.
“
I
’
m a Londoner.
”

She was relieved to have someone she could speak with at the table. When she found out he was a merchant who had come to Islay in his own ship, her heart beat fast. Perhaps she would not have to wait here through the long winter after all.

“
I should have sailed home to Spain already,
”
he said, and sipped his wine.
“
The winter here is beastly. I intend to set sail on the morrow.
”

“
How far is Spain from London?
”

“
A very long way, my dear,
”
he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
“
But I
’
m stopping in London on my way. I have business in that dreary city before I return home to Spain.
”

By the time his ship reached London, it should be safe for her to return. She looked at Roderick, who was in deep discussion with his clansmen. If she left tomorrow, she would miss a day or two with him before his own departure. But it would be nothing like when they traveled alone. Roderick was an important man here and would have little time for her.

“
What about the winter storms?
”
she asked.

“
I have a large, sturdy ship,
”
he said.
“
I
’
ve made the trip with her many a time.
”

“
Could you take me with you?
”
she asked.
“
I have coin to pay my way.
”

“
I don
’
t need your coin, but I
’
d be delighted to have your company.
”
He raised his eyebrows and nodded toward Roderick.
“
Provided your Highlander has no objection
…”

“
He
’
s not my Highlander,
”
she said.
“
And he
’
s leaving here soon himself.
”

“
All the same, I suspect he wouldn
’
t take it well,
”
he said with another glance at Roderick. Then he waggled his eyebrows and added,
“
But if you wish to come, I sail at daybreak.
”

CHAPTER 9

Where was his grandmother? As clan seer, she held a revered position and would be seated at the high table if she were in the hall. Most likely she had simply retired early, but Roderick was anxious about her. Fortunately, his twin cousins, Angus and Ian, who were tasked with bringing her to Islay, were seated next to him.

“
Who
’
s the bonny Sassenach?
”
Angus asked as he leaned forward and tried to catch Lily
’
s eye.

“
Ach, I like a fiery redhead,
”
Ian said.
“
Aren
’
t ye going to introduce us?
”

The twins were nineteen, an age when they were full of themselves, and they received far too much encouragement from the lasses.

“
Nay, I
’
ll not introduce ye. And you
’
re not to go near her.
”
Roderick glared at them until they nodded.
“
Now tell me, is Seanmhair well?
”