When Fate Dictates by Elizabeth Marshall

Author:Elizabeth Marshall
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781476144108
Publisher: Elizabeth Marshall

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CHAPTER 19

The moon partially lit the winding road, through small wooded valleys and up rolling hills. I had no idea how he would know the land when we came upon it but he seemed confident of our tracks so I did not doubt that before sunrise, we would arrive at our new home.

“It is not too far now, Corran, is the wee lad alright?” Simon asked, taking his eyes off the winding road for a moment to glance down at Duncan.

“He is fine,” I replied, pulling the shawl higher around the little boy’s chin. He was sandwiched between us, his head resting gently on my lap.

“I wonder what he will think of his new home,” I said.

“I rather hope he will like it,” replied Simon, pulling on the reins to slow the horse.

“He will have forgotten the house in York by now,” I said reflectively.

“Aye, I should think he will have. We are here,” he said, lifting one hand off the reins and pointing to his right. All I could see was black, with the odd shadow of light cast from the moon.

“How can you know that?” I asked.

“Because I know where I am going. I have been through here many times before, when I was a soldier. We are very close to the border and the army uses this road when traveling from Edinburgh to England.”

“Are you not worried that the Red Coats will come this way again then?”

He shook his head. “No, I am not worried. I don’t expect they will come looking for me now. They think I’m dead, and if they do come, it will be for cattle, not me. But that doesn’t mean I will be unprepared for them.”

We were moving slowly, up a small hill, the cart bumping and banging nosily behind us.

“That cart sounds as though it’s about to fall apart,” I said, my voice wobbling with every bump we jolted over.

“It doesn’t matter now, Corran. We are here. The cart can collapse for all I care, it doesn’t owe us anything.” I could hear the smile in his voice and knew he felt as relieved as I was that our journey was at a safe end.

He pulled the horse to a stop. In the moonlight I could just about make out the faint outline of a small stone-built cottage, rather like the houses in the glen.

“Let’s get Duncan into the cottage and a bed made up for him, and then we can set about unpacking the cart.”

I nodded, lifted the little boy into my arms and passed him down to Simon, who was now standing beside me. I climbed down from the cart and followed him toward the cottage. The door was ajar, so Simon lifted his elbow and gave it a gentle push. It creaked open and a bat flew out above our heads. I gasped, not having expected any nocturnal visitors and then reminded myself that we were the strangers, not the bat.

“Simon, this place is crawling with creatures,” I said gasping again as a mouse scurried across the floor and over my foot.

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