The Silent Highlander by Donna Fletcher

Chapter 25

Bram’s departure had gone without incidence, Odran having ordered an early departure so no one would be about to see it or remark on it. It was done. The problem solved. Lendra had shed a few tears to Elysia but nothing more, content enough that she would see Bram in six months.

“You need to tell him, my lady,” Lendra urged quietly. “A slight bump to your stomach begins to show, not that many would notice, though your husband might. But the growth will grow stronger and with you being slim it will show soon enough.”

Elysia’s hand went to her stomach and she was startled to feel an ever so slight roundness there. How could it have appeared so suddenly? Or hadn’t she noticed? Had Odran noticed? Was that why he had asked her about the brew last night? Had he suspected something? Time was running out for her. She had to tell him.

“It’s a poor day out there today, my lady, the rain never ending,” Lendra said.

“I planned on spending some time with Lady Margaret today. I haven’t been able to share my stitching with her the last few days and after yesterday’s events I believe some time spent with her would serve both of us well.”

“She was rather upset with all the trouble going on, but she has improved greatly. Though, I do think she fears leaving her bedchamber.”

“I thought the same myself, Lendra.”

“It’s the curse.” Lendra shook her head. “She has a dreadful fear of it and I cannot blame her. It has caused her family endless heartache and pain.”

“Have you heard any word on how Crissa does this morning?”

“Finch let Dorrit know that Crissa sleeps after a fitful night and is not to be disturbed,” Lendra said, handing Elysia a shawl. “The keep holds a chill today.”

“Thank you,” Elysia said and took the shawl. “I will look in on Crissa later.”

Elysia took the stairs to Lady Margaret’s room with her basket of stitching in hand. Her husband left their bedchamber early and though she had heard him moving about, she pretended to be asleep still concerned he would ask her if she was taking the brew. She felt worse about her deceit when he kissed her cheek and whispered I love you before leaving. She’d come to the conclusion that she was a coward and the longer her deceit went on, the more she feared telling him.

“Elysia, I have missed seeing you,” Lady Margaret said, her eyes sparking with delight as soon as Elysia entered the room.

The older woman was looking better every day. There was a rosy color to her face, a shine in her eyes, and she even looked to have gained a bit of weight. There was no reason for her to remain in her room. It was something Elysia intended to work on.

“Come sit and we’ll stitch,” Lady Margaret said, pointing to the chair near hers by the hearth.

Elysia placed her basket of stitching beside the chair and picked up a piece from Lady Margaret’s basket to hand her before sitting and reaching for a shawl that needed mending. She quickly tucked the garment she had secretly been working on for the bairn down in the basket, worried Lady Margaret would see it.

Her stitches flowed smoothly as did her thoughts. There were things she wanted to ask of Lady Margaret, but she kept the conversation light and waited for the right moment.

“I don’t know why but I have always loved the harvest season in the Highlands. The color and beauty of the land getting ready for winter’s rest somehow manages to soothe my soul,” Lady Margaret said wistfully.

“We should go for a walk one day,” Elysia suggested.

Lady Margaret shook her head. “No. No. I’m not up to a walk outside yet.”

“A walk in the brisk air will bring you more good health,” Elysia encouraged.

“No. No. I cannot,” Lady Margaret argued, continuing to shake her head.

Elysia laid her stitching in her lap and reached out to lay a gentle hand on Lady Margaret’s arm. “What frightens you so?”

Lady Margaret’s eyes danced around the room from wall to wall, corner to corner as if she expected someone or something to be there. She bent her head toward Elysia and whispered, “The curse waits to get me.”

This was her chance, and Elysia asked, “Tell me about the curse.”

“I shouldn’t speak of it,” Lady Margaret said softly.

Elysia kept her voice low, as if they were about to share a secret. “It would help me to know now that I am part of the family.”

Lady Margaret’s shoulders sagged. “I suppose you’re right. You should be aware of what to expect.” She turned tearful eyes on Elysia. “But please, please don’t abandon my son Odran. He needs your strength and love.”

“I love Odran far too much to ever abandon him.” She smiled wide. “He is stuck with me.”

Lady Margaret rested her hand to her chest. “That does my heart good to hear.” She took a fortifying breath and squared her shoulders. “It is not an easy tale to tell. I try not to recall that horrible day. Fergus had wanted no part of it, but he feared for our two sons. Odran was five years and Tynan barely three years. If he didn’t comply,”—she shook her head— “our sons could have met the same fate as the poor MacWilliam bairn.”

Elysia remained silent when Lady Margaret stopped speaking, her eyes drifting off as if lost in the memory, and she waited for her to continue.

“My heart broke for Aila. She and Brochan had wanted a child. Finally, after eight years of marriage and I believe it was two or three miscarriages, Aila gave birth to Wynda. She was only two days old when she, along with any MacWilliam heir, was condemned to death. I don’t blame Aila for protecting her child, but when Fergus told me about how she cursed him, Balloch, and Lochlann,” —she shook her head again— “none of them, not one realized the power of that curse.”

Lady Margaret stopped speaking again, and again Elysia remained silent and waited.

After a few moments, Lady Margaret continued. “Many believe Aila spoke with a wise woman days before she gave birth and asked for help in keeping her child safe and making those suffer who did wrong against her family. The wise woman imbued Aila with the power to cast a spell.” Tears filled her eyes. “It worked. The spell was cast and the suffering began and is never-ending.”

“There must be some way to break the spell,” Elysia said.

“The spell cannot be broken only fulfilled and that is not possible with the MacWilliam lass dead. If she lived, then those who did her family wrong could make it right and the spell would be fulfilled.”

“How would it be made right?”

“I’m not sure, but it matters not. Lochlann had the chance to see Wynda kept safe when he found her and instead he condemned us all,” Lady Margaret said, sadness filling her every word.

“This wise woman you mentioned Aila asked for help, was she the woman they call the witch in the hills?”

“I don’t know. I suppose it’s possible since the woman vanished after that. Many had called for her to be hung or burned so she couldn’t hurt others with her evil.”

“And none believed it evil to kill an innocent bairn?” Elysia asked, heartbroken that anyone would even think of doing such a horrendous thing.

“It is a thought that has often troubled me. Fate must have spared the bairn for a reason, though why when she lost her life not long after?” Lady Margaret sighed. “I’ve tried to make sense of it all these years but realized it makes no sense. There are days I curse Aila for what she did to my family, but then I realize her family suffered as well. And wouldn’t I have done the same to keep my sons from being killed?” She took hold of Elysia’s arm. “It’s a fate no mother should be forced to face.”

A rapid knock at the door sounded before it swung open.

“You are needed, Lady Elysia,” Dorrit said, a look of alarm on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Lady Margaret asked, leaning forward in her chair.

“Deara is in need of healing,” Dorrit said.

“Hurry and help her, Elysia,” Lady Margaret said with a wave of her hand. “Deara is such a sweet lass. I wouldn’t want her struck down by the curse.”

Elysia dropped her stitching in her basket after standing, then looked to Lady Margaret. “I’m sure it is nothing to fear.” Though, the distress in Dorrit’s eyes warned otherwise.

Lady Margaret stretched her hand out to grab Elysia’s hand. “You must take the curse seriously or it will strike at you.”

Elysia patted the woman’s hand. “I take the curse more seriously than you know, Lady Margaret. I will see that a soothing brew is brought to you. Worry not, all will be fine.”

Any hope her words rang true were dashed when Dorrit whispered to her after leaving the room.

“Deara is dead, stabbed like Glenis.”

“Good God,” Elysia said, keeping her voice low, fearful her words would carry to Lady Margaret’s room. Questions were on her tongue to ask, but a glance at Dorrit told her that wasn’t the whole of it. She waited until they were taking the stairs down to ask, “What aren’t you telling me, Dorrit?”

Dorrit slowed her steps bringing Elysia to a stop. “Deara was found barely alive. She struggled to speak, to beg for help and when asked who did this to her—” She tightened her lips afraid to say.

Elysia’s stomach twisted in fear as she urged, “Tell me, Dorrit.”

“Lendra. She said that Lendra did it.”

Elysia shook her head. “That’s impossible. What possible reason could Lendra have for killing Deara?” She didn’t wait for a response, she hurried down the stairs and into the Great Hall where she found Lord Fergus and Finch talking.

“Where is Lendra?” Elysia demanded.

“Locked away in a hut where she belongs so she doesn’t hurt anyone else and where she will stay until she hangs,” Fergus said, having the authority to see it done.

“Lendra would never do such a thing,” Elysia argued.

“Deara declared it with her dying breath,” Fergus snapped. “She is guilty and she will hang for it.”

Elysia saw that there was no talking to Fergus. His mind was made up, but she would not let Lendra die for something she knew the woman was not capable of doing. “Who found Deara and heard this accusation?”

“Stiles did,” Finch said, “It has been suggested that Lendra probably killed Deara to make it look like Bram was innocent of killing Glenis in hopes perhaps of Bram being returned here.”

“You’re wrong,” Elysia continued to argue. “Lendra may foolishly love Bram but she would never be foolish enough to kill in hopes of having him returned here.”

“Desperate women do desperate things,” Fergus said annoyed at being questioned.

“Like Lady Aila did the day you and the two other lords arrived at her home to kill her two-day-old daughter?” Elysia asked, anger sparking her every word.

“You forget who you speak to,” Lord Fergus reprimanded.

Elysia did not hold her tongue. “And you forget what it is to be a wise leader?”

“Your husband will hear of your impertinence,” Fergus warned.

“Aye, he will, for I will tell him,” Elysia said and turned with a flourish, grabbed one of the cloaks off one of the pegs near the door and hurried out of the keep.

The heavy rain quickly soaked Elysia as she hurried toward the hut where Bram had been held, assuming Lendra would be held there as well.

“My lady!”

Elysia stopped and turned to see Stiles rushing toward her.

“You should not be out in this weather, Lady Elysia,” Stiles said. “Let me escort you back to the keep.”

“Not until I speak with Lendra,” Elysia said, wiping the rain from her face.

“Lord Fergus ordered that no one is to speak with her,” Stiles said. “Please let me get you back to the keep.”

Elysia shook her head and hurried off, not caring if Stiles followed and not caring what Lord Fergus said. She intended to speak with Lendra and she intended to let no one stop her.

A warrior stood guard in front of the hut and she marched right up to him. “I will see Lendra.” His eyes darted to Stiles behind her and she turned to him. “Order him to move.”

“I can’t do that, my lady. It is best you return to the keep.”

She turned back to the guard. “Get out of my way now.” The guard turned pleading eyes on Stiles for help and Elysia went to dart quickly around him, but he shifted his thick body just as she did and she bumped into him. “You dare to press against me!” The warrior paled and Elysia took advantage of the fear that froze him and hurried around him and into the hut.

“Elysia!” Lendra cried and dropped into her arms.

Elysia hugged her tight and her anger soared seeing the poor conditions she was being kept in. Rain fell through the wood structure and the pallet on the earth floor was soaked from the steady rain. There was no fire for warmth or anything that would keep a chill off Lendra.

“I did not kill Deara,” Lendra said as she continued to weep. “Why would I kill her? She was a sweet lass. We got along well. I had no reason to see her dead.”

“I know you would never do such a terrible thing,” Elysia assured her. “It is being said that you killed her to prove Bram innocent of Glenis’s murder in hopes he would be returned here.”

“That is ridiculous,” Lendra said, sniffling back her tears. “I may be a fool when it comes to loving Bram but I would never kill an innocent lass to see him proven innocent. Glenis’s death made no sense and either does Deara’s death. It must be the curse. The curse wants its due and Bram and I don’t belong here. It wanted us gone. Bram will surely die serving Lord Rannick and now I will hang.” She gasped. “You’re next, Elysia. You don’t belong here. The curse doesn’t want you here. You need to leave. Run. Save yourself.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Save the bairn.”

“I’m not leaving you, Lendra, and I’m certainly not going to let them hang you,” Elysia assured her. “I’m going to find out who killed Glenis and Deara. In the meantime, I’m going to get you moved to someplace warmer.”

“You need to get someplace warm, the rain has soaked you,” Lendra said.

The frail door of the hut opened and Odran entered, bowing his head as he did to fit through the door. He stood, rainwater dripping from the hood of his cloak that hung down to just above his eyes that looked none too happy. “Lendra is right, you need to get dry and warm.”

“Not until the same is done for Lendra,” Elysia said, lifting her chin to show she meant it.

“Lendra remains where prisoners remain in this hut,” Odran said.

“Then I stay with her,” Elysia said.

Odran shook his head. “You do realize I can easily carry you out of here?”

“And you do realize that I can return here again and again?”

“Not if I lock you in our bedchamber,” Odran said and the shock on his wife’s face felt like a stab to his heart that he would even threaten such a terrible thing. He reached out his hand to her. “Come and we will discuss this.”

Elysia’s chin went up another notch. “Not until Lendra is removed from this hellish place and allowed to be held in her cottage until this thing can be sorted out.” Words hurried from her mouth before her husband had a chance to respond. “And do not bother to tell me that’s not possible. What difference does it make where she is held as long as she remains a prisoner?”

“I will talk with my da about it and hopefully get her moved,” Odran offered.

“I will wait here while you see to that,” Elysia said.

“You should go, my lady,” Lendra urged.

Lendra had not stopped shivering against Elysia since she fell into her arms. Whether out of fear or cold, she didn’t know. She only knew she would not desert her friend to languish in this horrible hut.

Odran didn’t need to hear her response, the stubborn set of her lifted chin let him know that she wouldn’t budge on the matter. He had no choice.

Lendra scurried out of Elysia’s arms as soon as Odran stepped forward, seeing his intent in his scowl and his striking green eyes.

Elysia held her hand out to stop her husband, with what little good it would do. She was up in his arms before she could protest and out the door before she could say another word to Lendra, though she shouted out to her. “I WILL RETURN!

Her husband didn’t shout when he said, “No, you will not!”