Chapter 14 #2
“Of course nae!” Megan lied stoutly. “I couldnae sleep, and I heard footsteps; that was all. I saw the guards asleep outside yer room—sleepin’ very soundly, I might add—and I came to see if ye were all right.”
Alaina folded her arms tightly across her chest.
“So ye followed me,” she repeated. Her face was hard and angry. There was anxiety in it, too, Megan noticed. She kept glancing over her shoulder at her friends, as if to gauge their reaction.
She’s afraid that they’ll turn on her, Megan thought.
“This… this is all me fault,” Hamish spoke up, stammering a little. “This was me idea. I’ll take the blame.”
“Ye’d best nae say that if Laird MacCulloch finds out about all of this,” Megan commented, and Hamish blanched.
“Dae ye nae dare bring me braither into this,” Alaina hissed, her temper flaring.
She deliberately stepped between Hamish and Megan, fists clenched at her sides.
“Ye were spyin’ on me, were ye nae? Now what is it that ye want from me?
Did ye want to show me that ye have all the power?
Are ye goin’ to tell Ryder about this and have him lock me up in the dungeon next time? ”
The situation was rapidly spiraling out of Megan’s control. She raised her hands in what she hoped was a soothing gesture.
“Alaina, I am nae here to tell tales. On any of ye,” she added, glancing over at them. Hamish sagged in relief, but the others still eyed her with suspicion. “I only want to be sure ye are safe. Ye ken how dangerous it is out here.”
“I want to be with me friends,” Alaina muttered, lifting her head. “It’s only a festival.”
This was new information. So they really were sneaking out to attend a festival.
That’s an ordinary thing for a girl of her age to do, Megan thought. I did it meself when I was young. But I cannae possibly let her go alone.
“I thought ye were different,” Alaina continued, her voice cracking in a way that made Megan’s heart ache.
“I thought ye cared. I thought ye understood how awful it is for me, cooped up here. I cannae even publicly claim me own friends. Ryder says that friends make a person weak, and that I cannae risk trustin’ anybody. ”
“Alaina, ye daenae understand.”
“I understand that ye are embarrassin’ me in front of me friends!
” Alaina snapped. “Do ye ken how hard it is for somebody like me to make friends? It’s awful!
I’ve felt so alone, and nobody cares, nobody!
I thought ye were different, but ye are just like him!
We are goin’ now, and ye can go and tell tales if ye want. I daenae care.”
She turned her back, stamping over to the horse. Her other friends looked at each other nervously, glancing over at Megan. They made no move toward their own horses, but Hamish stepped forward obediently when Alaina caught his eye.
“Wait!” Megan spoke again. “Alaina, I didnae come down here to spoil yer fun, or to make yer feel bad about yerself.”
She paused, one hand on the horse’s saddle, and narrowed her eyes. “Nay? Why, then?”
Megan breathed out slowly. She was running out of ideas, and so this one would have to do.
“I came down because I wanted to come with ye,” she said.
The youths glanced at each other, visibly shocked. Alaina froze, eyeing Megan as if she’d said something in a foreign language.
“Ye want to come?” Alaina echoed at last.
“It seems so,” Megan answered, with a short laugh.
Now that she’d said it, she’d have to commit.
It was the only way to keep an eye on Alaina.
Ryder would strongly disapprove, of course, but the girl had made it clear that she was leaving with or without Megan’s approval.
At least this way, Megan could keep her safe.
Not that Ryder would see it that way, of course, but she could deal with him later.
“Ye want to come with us to the festival? Really?” Hamish interjected, glancing between Alaina and Megan.
She nodded firmly. “I’ll take a horse from the stables and ride along with ye. It’ll be fun.”
Alaina narrowed her eyes. “Ye only want to watch me. Ye daenae trust me.”
“That’s nae true, Alaina. Look, I am one of four siblings. I have three sisters, and once upon a time we did everythin’ together.”
Alaina bit her lip. “And now?”
She shrugged. “And now they are married. They’re happy, by the way, and I still see them, but things arenae the way they were.
We daenae go out and have adventures like we once did, because they have children, husbands, and responsibilities.
I miss it. I like adventures, and I’d like to have another one.
I think ye shouldnae go alone, and I’d like the opportunity to spend more time with ye. ”
Alaina glanced uncertainly at her friends, her gaze dwelling on Hamish. He nodded encouragingly.
“And ye willnae tell Ryder?” she asked slowly.
“That’s the genius of lettin’ me come along with ye,” Megan laughed. “Ryder will be just as angry at me for lettin’ ye go as he will be with ye for goin’. So, ye ken that I’m nae goin’ to tell tales.”
This seemed to encourage Alaina. She glanced at her friends again, and one by one, they gave tiny, almost imperceptible nods.
“Very well, then,” Alaina said at last. “Ye can come. But ye are nae to tell Ryder about this, or Sophie. She’s too small to keep a secret. This stays between us, aye?”
“Aye,” Megan confirmed, trying for a reassuring smile.
What am I doin’? She thought, swallowing hard. What on God’s green earth am I doin’?
It was too late to change her mind now, of course. Alaina instructed Hamish to fetch her a horse, then glanced back at Megan. Her gaze dropped down to Megan’s feet, and she frowned.
“Why are ye nae wearin’ any shoes?”