Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Catrìona wore a deep green gown that Anna had made just for this occasion, and she had tied her father’s tartan at her waist. Her fine shoes had come all the way from Inverness, while Anna’s and most of the other women’s feet at Kilgorra Castle were bare.
Catrìona grabbed Anna by the arm, pinching hard. Anna yelped in surprise.
“Where have you been?”
“On Spirit Isle,” Anna retorted.
Catrìona drew away from her with distaste. She was as superstitious as the rest of the Kilgorrans, and the very mention of the island filled her with dread.
Anna was careful never to tell anyone about the true nature of the isle, about the deep blue loch or the wild roots and berries that grew in the island’s verdant, green interior. Some brave Kilgorran might decide to risk injury from the sluagh dubh and explore it.
’Twas the last thing Anna and Kyla wanted. The isle was their haven. If anyone on Kilgorra had ever known of the beautiful dell that lay within the ring of mountains all ’round its coast, no one seemed to remember it now. And if they did—well, there were the tales of the sluagh dubh to keep them away.
Gudrun had never believed in such things, and after the death of Anna’s mother, the woman had explored the isle’s rocky terrain, taking Anna and Kyla with her. Anna was the one who had discovered the long, low tunnel on the northeastern side of the isle. She’d followed the passage all the way to the interior and found a beautiful green dell within, and the loch with its healing springs.
Anna treasured her time on Spirit Isle, and she was fortunate to have a bit more freedom than some of the other servants at the castle. Years ago, Gudrun had humored her and Kyla when they’d turned one of the caves into a cozy home for them while they were away from Kilgorra and Anna’s vile stepsister. Spirit Isle had become a tiny paradise unto itself for them, with nothing—not even a boggle—to spoil it.
“Bring the meal up to the hall,” Catrìona hissed. “Now!”
“Let Nighean carry some of it, Anna,” Flora said. “ ’Tis too much for one—”
“Shut your insolent mouth, old woman,” Catrìona barked. “You know our guest has arrived, and there is not a speck of refreshment ready for him.”
Catrìona gave Anna a stern glance, then quickly bustled up the stairs, muttering angrily under her breath. Anna knew better than to defy her stepsister, especially if she wanted to get away from the castle to hide Kyla later. She picked up the tray laden with the dishes Flora had prepared and carefully followed Catrìona up to the great hall.
At the top of the stairs, Catrìona took hold of Anna’s sleeve. “Put it on the table, you fool slecher. And be quick about it!”
Anna felt herself teetering on the top step, and the tray started to slip. She feared Flora had been right. She should have ignored Catrìona and waited for Nighean to help her with the heavy tray. She struggled to gain her balance, afraid she was going to drop everything, and then there would be hell to pay. Her stepsister would make sure she could not get back to the village, would prevent her from getting Kyla and her bairn a place to hide away for the night.
The weight on her shoulder fell away unexpectedly, and Anna felt a moment’s confusion and panic, afraid the tray was about to clatter to the floor.