Marti Talbott's Highlander Omnibus, Books 1--3 by Marti Talbott

Author:Marti Talbott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: laird, Scottish, collection, family saga, sampler, box set, Young Adult
Publisher: MT Creations
Published: 2015-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 39

SEVEN MACGREAGOR MEN died that day and their bodies were taken to their families. But all the women and children were now safe and for that, everyone was grateful.

Neil slept in the forest the night his brother died and tried not to be too hard on himself. He had not killed his brother and he had to keep reminding himself of that. It was the first night in eight days he managed to sleep soundly through the night.

Farmers and herdsmen brought their carts and hauled Sween’s men up to the top of the hill beyond the meadow. The few that remained alive were quickly executed and their bodies were thrown into the fire with the others. The stench of burning flesh filled the air for miles around and word of the war and the outcome spread quickly to all the clans across the Highlands.

Neil worked as hard as the rest of them, cleaning and clearing away the awfulness of the invaders. He started at the top of the paths and worked his way down, hugging the children, helping men change the straw in the beds and even sweeping floors.

He did not go inside the Keep and would not let the women clean it for him. They needed their lives set right first—he insisted and they obeyed. So he spent more nights in the forest. The peace of the trees and the stars helped calm him.

For Neil’s sake, his brother’s body was also respected and laid out on the table in their grandmother’s cottage. No one came to wash or see the body, not even Neil and when the wooden box was ready, Sween was put inside and the lid was sealed with tree sap.

On the third morning, the priest led the procession and all the MacGreagor dead were put in the ground, in the peaceful graveyard where flowers grew wild, the wind whistled through the trees and the small fence needed to be extended.

Neil did not cry, but he stayed after the others left. He sat on a log he had placed there when he was fifteen and remembered the happy days when he still had a family. He stayed for an hour and then another before he was ready to go back. Then he walked the short path through the trees, crossed the meadow and went over the bridge. When he entered the courtyard, several women were gathered. He returned their smiles and wanted to hug them all. But they giggled and didn’t seem to want to be hugged. “What?” he asked finally.

Mayze grabbed hold of his hand. “You will see. Come.” She practically had to pull him up the steps of the Keep and when they reached the landing, she opened the door.

Neil stepped inside and was astounded. Everything was spotless. His mother’s tapestries were on the wall again. Some of his father’s weapons were missing and a few of the candle holders still needed to be repaired, but the filth was gone and there were fresh flowers once more on the tables.

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