Chapter 33
Cairren was nearly frozen as she waited outside Dunrobin’s gates.
She and Matthew rode through most of the night to put distance between them and the Munros.
But they’d had to stop for fear of injuring the horse.
She’d caught a few of hours of sleep while Matthew was on watch.
She felt horrible for this man, who’d left his wife and newborn bairn to spirit her across the Highlands on no sleep.
They hadn’t dared a fire, so once Cairren became chilled, she struggled to get warm.
The temperature had dropped traveling a day’s ride north and toward the eastern coast. She stamped her feet as she breathed on her hands.
They’d met a patrol near the border, and she’d breathed a sigh of relief when she recognized Blair’s brother, Lachlan.
He’d sent a warrior to escort them to the keep, but they’d been ordered to wait while someone delivered her missive.
She realized it was just as well that she’d written the letter because it might be what gained them entrance after all.
“Allow them to enter now!” roared a deep voice.
“Bluidy eejits for leaving a lady and her escort out in the cold.” Cairren could only assume she heard the voice of Laird Hamish Sutherland, and when the irritated man appeared, she was certain of it.
She’d seen him at court more than once, but they weren’t well acquainted.
His stride increased when he spotted her.
He helped her dismount and nodded to Matthew.
He ushered them both into the Great Hall, indicating to a servant to offer Matthew food and beverage before guiding Cairren to his solar.
“Lady Cairren, I welcome ye to Dunrobin and apologize for yer poor greeting.”
“Thank you, and think naught of it, my laird.”
“Aye, well, Highland hospitality is something we pride ourselves on. I’ve read yer missive, and I’m deeply disturbed by what has happened. Can ye tell more, please?”
“I don’t know what you know aboot my marriage, but my father wants both my sister and me away from the border.
He chose a Highlander for my husband, and my younger sister, Caitlyn, replaced me at court.
As you can see, I don’t resemble many Scots and definitely do not look like a Highlander.
Despite my dowry helping the Munros after their issues with the Mackenzies, the clan refuses to accept me.
I’ve lived with taunts and threats since I arrived, and my marriage has been unpredictable at best. Though I do want to be clear that Padraig has never harmed me and has protected me, but he hasn’t done aught to make the clan accept me. ”
Hamish motioned for her to move closer to the fire, where she rubbed her hands together. The chill finally left her, and she relaxed as her eyes met those of the kindly older man.
“I wrote this missive intending to have a trusted guard deliver it to you, or at least to a man on patrol. But when I went to see aboot a messenger, I learned that the laird had already convicted me of heresy and witchery. The priest splashed me with what was supposed to be holy water; it was actually lye. I wasn’t prepared and reacted because it burned, and it was their so-called proof that I’m a heretic.
The man who accompanied me helped me escape.
No one kens I’ve come here, and I doubt anyone will suspect it right away.
I think they’ll assume I fled south rather than northeast. Laird Sutherland, my father said I should come to you if ever I was in danger.
You’re the only person I ken this far north who I can trust.”
Hamish listened intently as Cairren told her tale of woe, but when she came to the part about the holy water, she could tell he barely had a leash on his fury.
When she finished explaining what brought her to seek shelter with the Sutherlands, he embraced her.
It was the first time she’d felt truly safe since her parents left.
While she felt protected when she was with Padraig, fear always lurked at the edges of her mind.
“Lass, it’ll be dangerous to travel to Stirling at this time of year. There is a possibility that ye could be caught in a blizzard. That said, I dinna want ye trapped here and away from yer family for the entire winter either. How well do ye ride?”
“Well. I may not be the best horsewoman, but for this, I can become one. I need to get to Stirling where I ken my sister is, and I’m certain the king and queen will provide sanctuary until my parents arrive.”
“Do ye believe yer husband will follow ye?”
“Most certainly. That’s why I want to leave as soon as possible, my laird. I’m fairly sure that I’m carrying, so I cannot return and put my bairn in danger. He doesn’t know since I only figured it out today.”
“Does anyone else ken? Could that be part of what caused the incident?”
“Nay. I don’t have a regular maid, and the only woman I was close to died recently.” Cairren didn’t intend to air the dirty laundry of how Wynda died to respect her dignity, but if pressed she would tell everything she knew. She suspected she would tell the king and queen.
“I would extend our hospitality for the night. I’ll summon Lachlan to escort ye. Ye can leave at dawn and meet him where ye found him today. I’ll also send a half dozen guards with ye. Yer Munro escort should return home before his absence becomes too obvious.”
“I appreciate that, my laird. He has a wife and newborn who I feel guilty for pulling him away from. He offered to bring me, and I had little choice but to accept. But I’d feel better knowing he isn’t more involved than absolutely necessary.”
“Let me introduce ye to Lady Sutherland. She will see aboot a chamber for ye and some food. Ye must be hungry and tired. Ye must have ridden through most of the night to be here so quickly.”
“We did. I thank you for your kindness.”
“I have two daughters, lass. I would hope that if they were in a similar predicament, they could call upon a neighbor to help,” Hamish assured her.
They left the laird’s solar, and Hamish introduced Cairren to Amelia Sutherland.
She immediately took to the motherly woman, and she was grateful for not only the food and roof over her head but the steaming bath Amelia arranged.
Amelia suggested Cairren skip the evening meal in the Great Hall to rest and to keep her presence a secret as best they could.
She explained her waiting at the gate where anyone could see her was why Hamish was so angry.
He wanted her inside as quickly as possible to hide her identity.
Cairren ate, took her bath, and tumbled into bed.
She was asleep in minutes. Dawn arrived too soon, but Cairren was eager to be underway on the mare Hamish lent her.
The escort he assigned easily rendezvoused with Lachlan, who felt instantly like an older brother.
He reminded her of Alexander and how they’d become fast friends as children.
Cairren thought to herself that Maude and Blair were fortunate to have a witty and intelligent older brother.
Their first day of travel was uneventful, but as nightfall approached, Cairren grew apprehensive, and the guards grew wary.
There was no way to avoid riding dangerously close to Foulis Castle the next day unless they wanted to add days to their journey.
Cairren asked Lachlan if it would be wiser to travel at night, but he reminded her that bogs where Munros gathered peat were prevalent on the land surrounding Foulis, particularly to the south.
It was too dangerous to ride in the dark, so Cairren accepted another night of sleeping in the cold.