Highland Supplanter (Book 2)

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was another month before the mountain paths had cleared enough to accept the travel of man once more. The weather still wet and wild, the chill still permeating the air, but the first signs of warmer weather were beginning to peek through. There were small flowers valiantly making their way through into the desolate view of the highlands. The constant grey at the moment, from both the cloud cover and the soggy, muddy ground constantly churned by the clans peoples feet as they ventured out now the snow had been washed away. The light the snow reflected gone, a darkness now descending deeper and quicker than ever.

As Fyfa checked once more that the hearth fire was banked, she tensed and made sure she was fully covered by the warm cloak Hamish insisted she wear at any time she left the cottage. Heading to the door, she could hear the sound of the rain hammering against the solid would and stood a moment longer that she ever would have before she had moved into the comfort of this cottage. Before it most probably have been a relief to leave and spend moments soaked in the battering, stingingly cold rain, rather than staying under the roof that had never been much of a home since the death of her mother.

Yet now. Now she was feeling excessively spoiled, and weaker than she had been. She had to bring some of that steel back to her spine. She was still the same woman who had survived, while some injuries she had sustained may still twinge upon occasions, she had to remember she had walked and endured through the fires of hell, and she could not lose the strength that had allowed her to do so. She had to be worthy of Hamish. And while she knew he wished to protect her. She had already taken so much from him, invading so much and she knew he would not complain, but she could try and make it easier upon him.

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on the latch, and tried not to think about what she needed to discuss. Or she may end up as breathless as she had that morning, when Hamish had finally left to speak with Cam about how her father had been viler than normal to his ‘captors’, she knew it was time to confront the problem. Pulling the door open, and placing the hood quickly over her hair, she stepped into the pounding rain, and a shiver racked through her, as she trudged as quickly as the sucking muddy ground would allow, to her destination.

Along the way to keep her mind off the rain slicking her clothing against her skin, and sending shivers down her spine. She went back to her thoughts on her father. The wetter the weather had become, the more snow that melted, the more her father became animated and vile to the people who still held him in the same room he had been taken too months before. She still had not been told of the reason. But with others things to concentrate on now, she was not as concerned over it as she once had been, or as she should be. Which made a sliver of guilt crack free within her. But no. She knew if it really came down to her life, the Hamish would inform her. While he still thought he could protect her from her father, even if it was his words, then she would allow him. They had fought over it too many times. And nothing had changed his mind.

While it had been extremely annoying to begin with, she had begun to realise that it was her that was making some of their time together uncomfortable. And if she wanted to make sure Hamish never regretted taking her on as a burden in his life, then she was the one to let this go. So she had. The realisation had been easier to do than she had thought it would be. But knowing her suspicions, she knew she had to trust in Hamish, or their life together would not be as harmonious as she had begun to think it could be.

Taking a deep breath she realised she had already made her way past the cottage she had been heading for. Her thoughts having absorbed her until she had forgotten her surroundings. And in the dark, glum world that she was currently surrounding with, that was not the smartest move to make, and she smiled knowing that Hamish would not be best pleased if he ever found out. Giving a short laugh at herself. Startled a moment at the sound. She knew that she had been doing so more and more often lately, and she could not remember when that last time she had done so…before Hamish had entered, or more appropriately barged his way into her life. And right at that moment, she could not be more grateful.