Part 58 (1/2)
”And leave behind the greatest treasure in all of Scotland?”
Fayth straightened, looking behind her. Skelley and Davie rowed them away from Gealach in a long boat. They were heading straight out to sea, to avoid being smashed against the rocks. Gealach stood sentinel on the cliff above. On the beach Grahams were just arriving, nocking their arrows and firing. But the arrows fell short. Fayth looked around and saw three more long boats, filled with Alex's men and servants, all rowing away.
”I don't understand. Ridley still has Gealach. Did you get the treasure out, at least?”
Alex caught her chin, turning her to look at him. ”Aye, la.s.s, the only one that matters.”
Understanding was slow to dawn on her, but when it did, her eyes widened. ”Me?”
He nodded. ”If ye'll have me, I'll make this one thing official. I haven't much to offer... though I'm sure I'll manage some-”
Fayth threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She winced, her lips stinging, and pulled away. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his mouth to her temple. ”I love ye, Fayth, and Gealach means nothing without you.”
Tears gathered in Fayth's eyes. ”I love you. And we'll get Gealach back. If it's the last thing I do, I'll make Ridley pay-”
Alex laughed shortly, pressing his fingers gently against her lips. ”Enough of vengeance, for now. I've a brother to find and a new stepmother, as well. And there's a war coming.”
Fayth's heart fluttered in her chest with new fear. Alex would rally to the king and they would be apart again. She might lose him in battle. She pulled away from him. ”How did we get away? Ridley had hundreds of men. You were alone in the hall.”
”Wesley helped us.”
Fayth's mouth dropped opened. ”Wesley?”
Alex nodded. ”Aye, it seems he's had a change of heart.”
Fayth looked back to the tower, new worry growing in her heart. ”Oh, Wesley...”
”Shh, la.s.s. He's a fighter, like you. He'll be fine.”
His lips were against her skin again, pressing reverent kisses to her forehead and temple, the only part of her body not battered and bruised. His hands trailed over her back. Fayth closed her eyes, her heart swelling with love and hope. She would wed him and they would never be torn asunder. She would have his children and they would get Gealach back. She vowed it to herself.
She smiled, imagining their sons and daughters, roaming the tunnels beneath, and she and Alex, on the roof, gazing up at the moon.
0=”EPILOGUE”EPILOGUE.
HAND-IN-HAND, Alex and Fayth wandered around the curious group of standing stones, stopping to inspect each one in minute detail. They finally stopped before an oblong stone with a hole in the center, through which they could stare straight up the west coast of the Scottish highlands.
”This is it,” Alex said, running a hand through his hair.
”What does it mean? It doesn't bear the markings that were on the bead.”
They no longer had the bead, but Alex claimed to have memorized its shape and markings.
He shook his head, releasing her hand to circle the stone. He scuffed his booted toe over the ground in front of the stone, but it was undisturbed. He planted his hands on his hips and stared around at the group of stones again, as if they held the answer.
”d.a.m.n,” he said. ”I thought I'd come here and the answer would be clear. But if you saw Mona near the firth, they've certainly already been here and gone.”
Fayth came around the stone, sliding her arm around her husband's back. He'd been most distressed when Fayth told him she hadn't noticed a large blond man with Mona. She'd tried to a.s.sure him it meant nothing; she'd caught but a glimpse of her stepmother at the tavern. Ridley had said Sir Patrick was still Mona's traveling companion and Ridley certainly appeared to know a great deal more than she'd expected.
Fayth pulled Alex back around to the opening and pointed through it. ”Maybe it's simply a marker, telling them to go that way? She had a whole necklace of these beads. Perhaps they were a map of sorts.”