Page 34 of Enchanted

Chapter Thirteen

For the next three days, Keiran and Rosalyn met at sunrise to continue his lessons. Not only was he starting to read all about Gulliver and his travels, with her assistance, but Keiran had also learned to write his name, and the names of the members of his family, Dunvegan Castle, Dunvegan village, and all the surrounding towns nearby. If Alastair presented him with the map Keiran had acquired from the Nicolsons again, he would now be able to read it. That thought brought a renewed sense of purpose to his soul.

At mid-afternoon every day, Rosalyn disappeared with all the other women of the family for an hour or two, then when she returned, she and Keiran spent the rest of the day either learning about Scotland’s history, all the things the Scots had invented, or with him trying to convince her to embrace her Scottish half with food, music, walks along the shores of the loch, or teaching her about her mother’s clan.

Today, he and Rosalyn would break their usual pattern because he had something different in mind. He had sent a note to her chamber for her to meet him in the front courtyard after she broke her fast.

He’d had her brown and white horse, Petunia, saddled as well as one of Alastair’s dappled grey Andalusians. The breed was not only strong and steady, but courageous in the heat of battle. Not that Keiran expected trouble on their journey today, but it was best to be prepared. Aria and Graeme sat atop their own horses near the gate, ready to accompany him and Rosalyn. Alastair would not agree to Keiran leaving the safety of the castle any other way.

They did not have to wait long for Rosalyn to emerge from the keep. “What is all this?” she asked, coming over to Petunia and reaching up to scratch behind her ears. The mare whuffled at her, then gave her a friendly headbutt. Rosalyn laughed. “She seems to be adjusting very well to the Dunvegan stables. Your stableboys should be commended.”

“I will inform them of your praise,” Keiran said, moving to Rosalyn’s side. He placed his hands to help her up. She set her booted left foot in his hands, and he tossed her up into the saddle. She landed as gracefully as thistledown. She grinned down at him as she adjusted her full skirts to fall over her legs. Bathed in the morning sun, Rosalyn looked enchanting atop her white horse in her new dark green riding habit. It was a perfect foil for her creamy complexion with a light smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, brown hair, and hazel eyes.

Keiran moved to his horse, checked the tack, then mounted. In the distance, Graeme signalled for the gate to open. Before they set into motion, a familiar mist gathered in the courtyard as the Grey Lady took form. She remained at a distance, but even so the animals skittered and pranced.

“Good morning, Mother,” Keiran said, trying to keep his horse calm. Rosalyn had already soothed Petunia now standing at attention, watching the mist instead of reacting to it.

Before you leave, I had to see you and to warn you that I have had an odd feeling since dawn. I fear if the four of you leave the castle’s protection today something terrible might happen.

“All will be well, Mother,” Keiran assured her as warmth blossomed in his chest. He had never had anyone worry about him before. “We are taking precautions to keep ourselves safe by travelling on the open roads. Three of us are well armed and are perfectly able to protect ourselves. Though if it will make you feel more comfortable, we will stay close to Dunvegan and if we encounter trouble, we will return immediately.”

Lady Janet smiled. Forgive your mother for being overly cautious. You have only just returned to me, and I do not wish to lose you again.

Despite her fear, she would allow him to go, a bittersweet expression of her unconditional love. Keiran returned her smile as the warmth in his chest became a tightness. Every day he discovered new things about his family and himself that he had truly missed over the last nine years. “All will be well, Mother. We will return shortly. And when we do, we will call you forth so that you may see we are unharmed.”

Keiran turned and headed for the gate. Rosalyn followed as their horses still pranced with residual fear, but once they were clear of the gate they settled into a regular gait.

“We will travel to the north-east, along the coastline that is open and clear of brush as I promised my mother. The clear path will be good for a gallop when you are ready.”

“I am ready.” She set off at a canter in the direction he indicated.

By the time they were on the trail, she and her mare were flying. He kept pace behind her, enjoying the speed and watching her ride. He had no idea she was such a talented horsewoman. Eventually, she slowed her mount to a trot as the trail turned to the north.

She twisted to look at him, her face flushed with pleasure. “It feels wonderful to be out in the open. I have not felt such freedom in a very long while.” As he came alongside her, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“To a place where you can feel your Scottish roots more fully. I have never been there, but Alastair assured me it is a magical place where anyone with Scottish roots can become one with the land and the sea.”

“Then I am excited to see this place. I must admit Scotland and her people are starting to work their way into my heart,” she said, turning back to the path ahead, hiding her face from him.

Even so, Keiran latched on to her words as a thread of hope that he might win the competition they had agreed upon. Was he more excited that she might stay at Dunvegan, or that he might win a kiss from Rosalyn?

*

As dawn turnedinto morning, Lieutenant James Long paced restlessly outside his tent. He had been waiting three days for the two noddies he had sent to Dunvegan Castle to return with information about his betrothed. With every step, the lieutenant knew with more certainty that his men were not coming back. But did that mean they were captured, or had they seen an opportunity to escape him and his regiment and taken it?

The lieutenant drew his sword, displacing a whisper of air as it cut through his disappointment and his growing anger. In all the battles he had fought abroad and here in this godforsaken land, men had fallen at his feet, feeling the bite of his sword. The MacLeods would be no different. They would be easy prey for his well-armed and finely trained regiment. The trick would be to lure them out of their castle, past the woods surrounding Dunvegan, and into the open where his men excelled in fighting.

The question was, how would he lure the MacLeods out? He couldn’t capture one of them and hold them for ransom since they were holed up in their fortress. Perhaps he could do the next best thing and attack the village of Dunvegan, light it on fire, and force the MacLeods to come defend their people.

A smile pulled up one corner of his mouth. If a single MacLeod had saved his betrothed in the woods, then what would the MacLeod clan do when he threatened a whole village of people? With possibilities swirling through his mind, the lieutenant sheathed his sword, then headed for his regiment to inform them they would break camp immediately. The MacLeods could not take his betrothed from him and not feel the bite of his anger.

*

The sun wasalmost at its zenith when Keiran and Rosalyn reached the Fairy Glen. A dramatic scene lay before them with small, grassy hills, craggy rock formations, and ponds in between. Rosalyn had no idea what Fairyland was like, but she imagined it appeared something like the landscape in front of her. “I have never seen anything so beautiful. The land feels infused with magic. Are all areas of Scotland like this?”

“There are other areas that are beautiful, I am certain, but my family tells me the Isle of Skye is the land of our people. The connection to the land is as important to us as is the air we breathe and the blood that flows through our veins. And when I explore, I find their words to be more and more true.” He stopped his horse beside hers and instead of looking at the scenery, he watched her. “It could mean all that to you as well, if you let it inside your heart.”

Rosalyn swallowed roughly as tenderness flared in his eyes. As heat rose to her cheeks, she was grateful for the soft breeze that brushed against her face and tugged at the loose tendrils of hair that had escaped her plait.