The Scot's Destiny by Keira Montclair

Author:Keira Montclair [Montclair, Keira]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Keira Montclair
Published: 2023-11-11T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

The lass appeared in the doorway and waved them inside. “Hurry, ye’re both getting soaked.”

Maeve rushed inside while Maitland shielded her from the weather with his body. She appreciated his chivalry, but pulled him inside immediately behind her.

“Here,” the lass said, “hang yer mantles by the hearth.”

Once they removed their outer clothing, Maeve said, “Greetings to you. My name is Maeve and this is Maitland. Lass, what is your name? I’ve never seen you before on Grant land.”

“Callie. My name is Callie. We just moved here.” She helped them hang their coats and scarves on pegs near the hearth.

Maitland stomped his feet to remove as much water as he could, then moved to the hearth. He took firewood from a nearby box and arranged it carefully inside the arching stone fireplace.

Maeve glanced around. The cottage was old but clean. She could tell someone had fussed over the old stone and wood surfaces, clearing whatever dust and cobwebs might have accumulated over the years and polishing everything possible to a shine.

“This is a fine place ye live in, Callie.”

Maitland lay tinder then struck his flint and steel, throwing sparks into a bit of char cloth. The golden glow in his tinder became flames on the hearth in no time at all.

“’Tis no’ much, but we are happy here.” The girl nodded her red mop of curls as if to confirm she was telling the truth.

The small hut was empty save for the three of them. “Where are your mama and papa?”

“They dinnae live here. I live with the sisters. They adopted me when I lost my parents to the fever a long time ago. I’ve always lived here with them.”

Maeve thought her heart would burst open and ache for days. She identified with the lass so much. Maitland stepped up when he finished bringing the fire to life, then set his hand at the curve of Maeve’s back. His support gave her the courage to continue.

“I lost my parents when I was young also.” She sank into one of the two chairs by the fire, glad of its warmth.

“What happened to them?” Callie asked, fetching a blanket from a basket and handing it to Maeve. The flames cast an odd glow around her red hair.

“I do not truly know. I was taken in by a verra mean man, but if they died before that or if he killed them or simply stole me away, I cannot say. I was rescued by two angels from Heaven, Alex and Maddie Grant, and they loved and raised me as their own.”

“Do they live in that big castle?” Callie pulled a stool over and sat down in front of Maeve while Maitland took the other chair.

Maeve rubbed her hands together, thinking that she wasn’t as upset being in a strange place as she would have thought. “They have both passed on, but aye, they were from Clan Grant. He was the laird. Maddie left us many years ago, but we lost Alex just last Yuletide.

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