Page 34 of Highland Spirit

Sophie immediately stopped crying. “Isobel! And Annabelle!” she cried out. “Put me down, Logan. Put me down, I want to play with Isobel.”

“All right, but wait until Ethan brings her to shore,” instructed Logan. “We dinna want all of ye endin’ up in the water.”

Ethan picked up Isobel, holding her tightly as he carried her through the water to the shore. She was cold and shaking and not even wearing a cloak. “What are ye doin’ on my boat?” he growled. “Yer mathair is goin’ to have my head.”

“I wanted to play with Sophie,” said the girl. “And Annabelle was afraid and wanted to get away from that scary man.”

Ethan didn’t know what the little girl was talking about and, right now, neither did he care. Now he had one more problem on his hands. What was he supposed to do with Alana’s daughter?

“Annabelle,” said Sophie, running over, holding out her arms. Isobel handed the doll to her. Sophie smiled for the first time ever, hugging the doll to her chest. “I’m glad ye came, Isobel. And I’m glad ye protected Annabelle.”

“Well, I’m no’ glad about this,” said Ethan. “Now I have to go back to the isle, and I had hoped to never have to return there again. Especially since I’m no’ welcome.”

“Well, it’s goin’ to have to wait,” said Hawke, looking up at the sky. “I think we’re in for a storm worse than the last one.”

This time, thunder rumbled loudly and lightning slashed a jagged streak across the darkening sky.

“I’d suggest we all head back to camp quickly or we’re goin’ to get wet,” said Logan. “Come on, Sophie.” He scooped the girl up in one arm.

“Take Isobel, too,” said Ethan, handing the girl over to him. “I’ll help the others secure the boat.”

This time, Isobel started wailing. “I want ye to take me, Ethan.” She cried and clung to Ethan’s neck.

“Go on,” Hawke said from the shore. “Take Oliver with ye so he can dry off. Caleb and I will secure the boat and bring the box back to camp.”

Trapper barked and ran up the shore, shaking and getting the girls wet, making them both scream.

“Let’s go, lassies,” Ethan told the girls. “And someone find me some wool.”

“What for?” asked Logan, speaking loudly to be heard over the sound of more crying.

“To plug my ears. I dinna ken how much more of this I can take.”

* * *

As soon as Alana got back to the castle, she headed straight to the fire in the great hall to get warm. It was a nasty, cold day out there. Things just got worse when the head smuggler, Rock, and his smuggling friends decided to bed down at Blackbriar. She didn’t want them here. It was bad enough having Diarmad and his smuggler friends who lived here. Alana was starting to really hate her life.

After seeing Ethan again and being held in his arms, it brought to life all those feelings she had for him that she’d tried to suppress these past five years. Her heart ached for him. All she could think about since she saw him was kissing him once again.

This was no way to raise her daughter. She needed to do something about it soon. It ate away at her every day that she couldn’t give her daughter a better life. It made her feel like a bad mother. Especially when she’d never even allowed little Isobel to play with Sophie when she lived on the isle. It wasn’t her choice, but she’d had to do it. Diarmad and his men were always watching them, making sure they said nothing about his operation to anyone.

Diarmad. That made her think about her poor sister, Kirstine, and how she was once again carrying the cur’s baby. She couldn’t even imagine how awful it was for her sister to have to lay with the man and be his wife.

Alana and her siblings hadn’t even left the isle since they’d moved here. She longed to see other people, have friends . . . have a life again.

The smugglers moved into the great hall making themselves at home. Alana was so cold her body trembled. Or mayhap it trembled because sending Ethan away and pretending she didn’t care about him were the hardest things she’d had to do since leaving him at the altar.

As she held her hands out over the fire to warm herself, thunder rumbled the walls and rain pelted down outside. From the corners of her eyes, she saw Kirstine rushing toward her with Finn following on her heels.

“Alana,” cried Kirstine, hurrying to her side. “Alana, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s no’ yer fault these wretched thieves decided to stay the night,” said Alana, still shivering. “But I dinna want them anywhere near Isobel. We need to keep her safe.”

Suddenly, Alana realized that Isobel was not with her sister.

“Kirstine, where is Isobel?” she asked cautiously, not wanting to hear any further bad news. “Is she sleepin’ in our chamber? Ye really shouldna have left her there alone. Ye ken how frightened she’s been lately of some imaginary ghost or monster she says she saw”

“Nay, she’s no’ there,” said Kirstine, wringing her hands in worry. Her face became pale and she swayed back and forth. “I’m sorry,” she said again, making Alana’s gut twist.