Chapter 15 #2
Madison laughed as she watched Theodore pretend to fear Sister Marget.
It was as if she were watching a brother and sister interact.
The very sight of them was bitter sweet.
How she missed Hallie and her family. Images of their faces flashed before her eyes.
And before she could be swallowed by their memory, a small hand slipped into hers.
Madison laughed also, watching their exchange.
It struck her as less friendly banter and more like two old adversaries who’d fought alongside and against one another in the past. It reminded her of the kind of tension she had always seen between family—familiar but still sharp.
A pang of longing shot through her chest. How she missed Hallie and the rest of her family.
Their faces flickered in her mind, and for a brief moment, she was lost in their memory.
Before she could fall too far into that ache, a small hand slipped into hers, grounding her once more.
“I’ll show ye the best spot to fish,” a young lad said, his voice earnest as he tightened his grip on her head. “And daenae worry, I’ll clean them for ye, Me Lady,” he added with a touch of boyish pride in his tone.
“How kind of ye, George,” Sister Marget said as she moved to the stone wall and plucked the four poles resting against it. “Ye led the way then.”
Madison followed George and a few of the other children down the windy path to the shore. George held her hand as if he were her knight, valiantly guiding her to safety.
“Here we are,” he said as he rushed over to the stump and reached into the hollow of it. “And here ye are. See this? It’s me lucky lure. We’ll catch the biggest fish out there today, mark me words.”
Madison’s heart swelled as she spent the hours fishing with the children.
It seemed as if time had slowed down. There was no reason to run about.
No cause to scrape up what she could to eat.
She let out a long sigh, and along with it all the troubles she’d been carrying.
It felt strange for her not to have to carry such a weight anymore.
The hours slipped by and as the tide drifted out from them, the sun was kissing the horizon. Madison glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of Theodore trekking up the path towards her.
“I think it’s best we head back now,” Theodore said as he reached them.
“But we’ve nae caught anythin’,” George grumbled as he pulled his fishing line out of the water. And like the previous attempts, it was empty.
“Aye, suppose it’s a good thing ye’ll be gettin’ a wagon supply comin’ in the mornin’,” Theodore said as he extended his hand to Madison. She took it without hesitation.
“Does she have to go back?” George asked, his tone downtrodden and hopeful, making Madison giggle.
“I think ye have an admirer,” Theodore muttered, his eyes flicking to the young lad gripping Madison’s hand with an intensity . His voice held a sharp edge, though it wasn’t unkind.
The lad puffed his chest out with pride. Madison turned to George and knelt next to him, her tone softening despite herself.
“It was fun fishin’ with ye, thank ye for showin’ me how it was done.”
“But we dinnae catch anythin’. Ye cannae go till we do,” George protested as he grabbed hold of Madison’s hand.
Madison arched an eyebrow and gave a small, amused shake of her head. “What if I promise to come back another time? Will ye let me go then?”
The boy’s gaze burned with an almost desperate admiration, his eyes wide and full of a child’s deep, unspoken need for affection.
It was as if he had been starved of it, raised by Sister Marget, who undoubtedly cared for him but in a way that could never quite replace the touch of a woman’s kindness.
“Do ye swear by the sea?” George asked as his grip tightened around her wrist.
“Nay,” she answered. “But I promise on me word. And may the Laird be me witness.”
Both shot a glance at Theodore. He stood tall, his posture straight, as if his presence alone could silence the world around them. He gave a slow, deliberate nod, confirming the oath, his expression unreadable.
“I shall see her safely returned,” Theodore said, his tone firm, brooking no argument, even though he was making a request. “But ye must do somethin’ for me.”
George’s brow furrowed. “And what’s that?”
“If anythin’ should happen here, ye will be the one to come and fetch me,” Theodore stated. “I put ye in charge of Sister Marget’s care. Can ye do that for me? Can ye watch over her and the others until I return with yer lady ?”
.
The boy hesitated, his eyes shifting around at the other children, his mind turning the weight of responsibility over.
The air between them thickened with the quiet authority Theodore wielded.
After a moment’s consideration, George squared his shoulders and, as serious as any eight-year-old could manage, nodded.
“Aye,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with a deep sense of resolve.
“Then we shall cross paths again,” Theodore said and took Madison’s hand. “Come. The hour is growin’ late, and we’ve disrupted Sister Marget’s schedule as it is.”
Madison followed Theodore along the trail heading to the kirk, , her mind still lingering on the boy’s solemn promise.
She glanced over, noticing their horse grazing alone in the field.
The peace of the place was palpable—quiet and serene, the sort of life she had longed for.
But there was still something missing. She didn’t need to ask what it was.
The emptiness in her heart would not be filled without her family, the faces she missed with every breath she took.
“Here we are now,” Theodore said bringing the horse over to her. “Up ye go.”
His fingers curled around her hips as he helped her up into the saddle. And as Theodore settled behind her, Madison understood something simple and terrifying and true. The safest place for her to be wasn’t behind a locked door or under any roof. It was there, in his arms, by his side.
“Here we are now,” Theodore’s voice cut through her thoughts as he led the horse toward her. “Up ye go.”
His hands were steady and firm as they curled around her hips, helping her into the saddle.
As he settled behind her, the weight of his presence a solid wall at her back, Madison understood something simple, terrifying, and true.
The safest place for her wasn’t behind a locked door or under any roof. It was here, in his arms, by his side.