The Tacksman's Daughter by Donna Scott

Author:Donna Scott
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical fiction, scottish history, scottish clans, 17th century Scotland, historical women's fiction, Scottish heroines, Glencoe massacre
Publisher: Atlantic Publishing
Published: 2022-01-03T00:00:00+00:00

It was midafternoon when they reached Stirling, the sun making only brief appearances between showers the entire journey, leaving them cold and damp most of the time. It was almost June, but summer weather hadn’t seemed to find its way into Scotland.

They tied the horses to a hitching post in a small village at the base of Stirling Castle, which sat perched high above them on a rocky bluff in the distance. Edward had been there only once before, when he and Alexander had lived in the barracks awaiting orders from their senior commanders. Neither the castle nor the village had changed much since then. It was still a market town bustling with merchants selling their wares, costermongers and victualers shouting from the back of wagons or inside tents, their colourful displays of fruit and vegetables piled artistically behind them.

Except for the occasional rabbit or grouse, they hadn’t eaten anything in the last couple of weeks besides fish. And then once, just outside of Tyndrum, they’d found raspberry bushes laden with fruit, some already ripe enough to eat. Edward remembered that day fondly. Cait had made a game of feeding him, tossing berries at his mouth for him to catch. On occasion, he would miss purposely just to hear her laugh.

Taran elbowed him, joyous wonder in his face. “I smell gooseberries.”

Edward rested his hand on Taran’s shoulder. He didn’t have a single coin to purchase anything. His pouch with his winnings from playing cards had burned in the fire at Alt Na Munde. “I have no coin to offer you, lad.”

“No need to fash.” Taran moved into an empty spot between two merchants. “Sometimes when Grandda and I traveled, we’d go to villages where no one knew us, and he’d let me tell fortunes for a penny.”

“You tell fortunes?”

“Well, no exactly fortunes. I use my ability as a seer.”

Ever since Taran had confessed he had the sight, a hint of discomfort remained in Edward’s shoulders. “I’m not certain I want you to do this.”

He waved his hand at him, unconcerned. “Some of the time, I dinnae see anything, but sometimes I do. If I see misfortune, I dinnae tell them. I’ll tell a wee whid instead. A good one, though.”

“It could bring trouble.” He leaned down to Taran. “If someone should catch onto your game—”

“Och. Most of the time, what I say is true. And forbye, everyone believes a blind lad. Especially one as braw as me.” He flashed a dimpled smile, his grey eyes staring straight ahead.

Edward turned to discuss Taran’s idea with Cait, but she was on the far side of the square, watching a juggler entertain a small crowd of people.

“Fortunes! Have yer fortunes told!” Taran shouted in a practiced voice. “A penny for yer fortune!”

Edward stood back and watched as Taran attracted one person and then another wishing to have their fortunes told. Some left smiling and others left praying, their gazes lifted to the heavens, but everyone seemed to leave happy.

Satisfied the lad knew what he was doing, he wandered over to a weaver’s tent where tartans of all patterns were displayed.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.