Page 33 of Highland Spirit

“Oh, ye mean about her faither? Or about the ghost?”

“About everythin’. Caleb, she just wasna herself. She seemed so cold and . . . worried.”

“Time changes everyone, Ethan. Even ye.”

“Aye, I suppose so. I guess I just need to let it go.”

When they got to the shore, Hawke and Logan were there to greet them.

“We wondered what happened to ye,” said Hawke. His bird cried out from the sky, making lazy circles in the air above them.

“We were just gettin’ ready to come lookin’ for ye two,” added Logan. His wolf, Jack, watched them from atop a rock.

“We only stayed overnight because of the storm,” said Caleb, jumping over the side of the boat into the water to help pull it to shore.

“And because Caleb likes to eat,” grunted Ethan.

“Ethan, Ethan! Did ye find my doll?” Sophie came running down to the water with her brother following. “Where is Annabelle? Do ye have her?” she asked anxiously.

“We did have it, but we dinna have it now,” said Caleb, making Ethan want to box his friend’s ears.

“Ye found her and left her on the isle?” Sophie started wailing and all the men groaned.

Trapper barked from the boat, adding to the noise and commotion.

“Home sweet home,” Ethan muttered. “Get out of the boat, Trapper,” commanded Ethan, but the dog stayed there barking at the covered box of things they’d brought back for the children.

“What’s that?” Oliver pointed at the box.

“Those are some of yer mathair’s things,” said Ethan. “Kirstine and Alana thought ye might want them.”

Trapper whined and wagged his tail as Oliver jumped into the boat to eagerly look in the large box. Sophie, on the other hand, continued to cry.

“Losh me!” cried Oliver, jumping back in surprise. He knocked into Trapper and both he and the dog fell over the side of the boat and into the water.

“What are ye doin’, lad?” called out Hawke, rushing over to the boat as the rest of the men laughed.

“Look,” said Oliver, standing up in the water and pointing toward the box.

“Uh, Ethan,” said Hawke in a solemn voice. “Ye might want to come over here and see this for yerself.”

“What for?” asked Ethan. “If my hound falls in the water then he deserves to be cold and wet. He can dry off by the fire with the boy. They need to be more careful.”

“Just get over here. Now,” said Hawke, sounding as if it were something important.

“Sophie, come here,” said Logan, picking up the crying girl. All the men walked down to the boat to see what Hawke wanted.

“All right, I’m here. What is it?” asked Ethan impatiently, eager to get to camp and out of the cold weather.

“Take that box out of the boat,” said Hawke, his eyes still fastened to it.

“Egads, is that all? Couldna Oliver have taken it? I’m sure it’s no’ that heavy.” Ethan reached over the side of the boat for the box, jumping back in surprise as something moved inside. “God’s eyes, nay,” he ground out. “It canna be!”

“What is it?” asked Caleb, holding his pine marten and petting it. “Did a rat get into the box?”

“I guess ye could say that,” said Ethan, flipping the blanket off the top of the box. “A big rat.”

When he pulled the blanket away, Isobel sat up with the doll clutched to her chest.