Chapter Thirty
Alec closed his eyes and lay his hands on the stone and gasped as images of kings and queens and distant lands flashed in his mind’s eye.
Hands shaking, he fumbled with the thin slate, covering the purple stone from sight.
Then he turned to Matthew. “Ye will find some men in the tavern. One is dark haired, and two have hair as yellow as yers — one is nearly as big as Saint Gabriel,” he said, gesturing to the wooden angel.
“Go find them. Take them to the stables. Have them bring me a wagon.”
The boy nodded and darted off.
A moment later, Joanie crouched down next to him. “What is happening?”
Alec had to tear his eyes from the ground.
His heart beat harder and harder with every passing moment.
He knew what he had found. Glancing back, he saw people begin to gather, watching him.
“Quickly, go stand with yer Grandmother. We mustn’t draw attention to what we have here.
I would rather not have to answer questions from curious neighbors. ”
Joanie nodded. He watched her move to stand with Margaret who introduced Joanie as her granddaughter, drawing them into conversation.
Sometime later, Ramsay drove their spotted mares hitched to a rough-hewn wagon. In the back, Alec spied Nick, David, and Matthew. It wasn’t until the three men hunkered down beside him that Alec dusted away the dirt he had scattered to cover the secret words of their cause.
“There’s more,” Alec said, meeting their stunned eyes.
He slid the carved slate off, revealing the large purple stone.
“We are taking this with us. It will weigh well over twenty stone. David, back the wagon as close to the fence as ye can.” Then he looked at Ramsay and Nick. “We’ll lift it together.”
David brought the wagon as close to the site as he could without disturbing the graves while Alec, Ramsay, and Nick dug out the stone until they could fit their fingers beneath it.
“Together now,” Alec said. Gritting their teeth, they hoisted it out of the ground, then moved it the short distance to the wagon.
“Cover it,” Alec said to David. “And guard it with yer life. This is now a mission for Scotland. Likely the most important mission we will ever carry out.”
“What is it?” Ramsay pressed.
Alec locked eyes with the blacksmith. “’Tis the Stone of Destiny.”
The moment the words fled his lips, a bell started to sound. He whirled around.
“What’s happening?” Joanie asked.
“’Tis an alarm,” Margaret gasped.
Alec felt the rider’s urgency before he raced into the green. “English soldiers march this way. A band of forty strong.”
“How far behind are they?” Nick called out.
“I spotted them on the road earlier this morning and took to the woods. I raced here as fast as I could. ‘Tis only a matter of hours, not days.”
“I wager they carry a likeness of me,” Alec said under his breath to Ramsay before grabbing both Joanie and Matthew by the hands. “We’re leaving,” he said. Then he turned to Margaret. “Will ye come away with us?”
A glint lit her eye. “Ye just try to stop me.”
Alec turned to the men. “Take the stone and Margaret to Haddington. Do not stop to rest. Change horses if ye must but make haste.”
“Where will ye go?” Ramsay asked.
“We’ll let them track us and head north into the mountains.”
David eyes flashed bright. “Are ye planning on paying Laird Campbell a visit then?”
Alec nodded. “His Highland warriors will enjoy the extra training.”
“Ye’re taking the lad with ye?” Ramsay questioned. “Are ye certain that is wise?”
Alec looked down into Matthew’s eyes. He could feel the boy’s heart pleading to stay by his side.
“Yer destinies are somehow joined, are they not?” Margaret asked.
Alec nodded. “I believe so.”
She nodded then and bent to hug Matthew close and pressed a kiss to his brow. Then she turned to Joanie. “Be strong,” Margaret urged, “as ye always have been. Survive this, ye hear me?”
“I will,” Joanie said firmly.
Then her grandmother pressed a kiss to her forehead and one on each cheek. “This is not goodbye, sweetling.”