I think a lot of time has passed when I finally reach the door of Elsie's bedroom.
I open it without knocking. My sister is still in her bed, though awake. She smiles when she sees me. I am so upset that I cannot even pretend to smile. Elsie notices the look on my face and sits upright, frowning.
'Meg? What is wrong?' She asks.
I calmly close her bedroom door and slowly walk towards her bed. Then I sit on the edge of her bed, taking a deep breath. When I was coming to her room, I did not even think how I was going to break the news to her, and now I am starting to worry about her reaction. Will she be too upset? Will she cry? Even though I know that my sister is of the strong type, but still, she is still sixteen, turning seventeen in a few months.
'Meg?' She asks, this time in a louder voice, with a tone of panic in it. 'What has happened? Why are you here so early in the morning? And what is that face that you have?'
'Elsie, my dear,' I say, trying to keep my voice steady. 'I was speaking with our uncle…'
Elsie raises her eyebrows. 'And?'
'He is up to something,' I say, slowly getting closer to what I must tell her.
'He is always up to something. Go on, tell me!' Elsie is getting impatient. 'What has he decided this time?'
'You see, he wants to have our property to himself. And he will do everything to have it,' I say.
'I know, but it will happen only in his dreams!' Elsie says angrily. 'And he knows it too well, that those lands are ours, and he will never be able to make you give the lands to him. What are you worrying about? Legally, there is no way he can take the lands.'
'It turns out that there is,' I nod sadly. 'This time he has decided to keep the property to himself by marrying me,' I add, shrugging, trying not to cry in front of her.
Elsie opens her mouth and raises her eyebrows. 'Are you serious? Is he serious? He is our uncle!'
'He is pretty serious. And, he said our wedding will be in a few days,' I reply. 'He will marry me against my will. I really do not know what I can do about it.'
'Oh, Meg, we cannot let him marry you, that is nonsense!' Elsie jumps out of her bed in her nightdress, her light brown curls falling down and reaching her hips.
'Stop, Elsie, where are you going?' I hold her hand.
'To him. To tell him that he is crazy,' she turns around, her blue eyes shooting fire with rage.
'Stop, Elsie, there is one more thing that he said,' I tell her. 'Please come, Elsie, sit down, there is one more thing that I have to tell you.'
Elsie comes back and sits down next to me with a question in her eyes.
'He said that you are going to get married with Abhainn Brothaigh, a friend of his,' I close my eyes and say with one breath, not wanting to make it a long sentence.
I open my eyes to see Elsie's big blue eyes staring at me in horror. I feel so sorry for her.
'How can he do such a thing? It is so inappropriate! I cannot believe it!' Elsie is in rage. I do not know how to calm her. I fully understand her shock. It is the same as mine.
'I am not marrying that man,' Elsie says flatly and goes to comb her hair in front of her mirror. She starts combing her hair in angry movements, almost ripping her hair off.
I nod. I agree with her. She is not marrying that man. And I am not marrying our uncle. That is for sure.
'Our uncle is doing inappropriate things and must be punished!' Elsie says. 'I do not know how, but he will be punished.'
'We do not have anyone to protect us, Elsie,' I shake my head, 'and he has good connections. He can do whatever he wants.'
'Then what can we do?' I notice a tinge of despair in Elsie's voice.
I also think about that question since the moment I learned what will happen soon. I think nonstop, but there does not seem to be an answer to it. Then, suddenly, as if from nowhere, a distant memory comes into my mind like a beam of light.
'Listen, Elsie,' I say, standing up. 'I remember our father promising me to Laird Sloan MacKinnon from Domhnall Castle.'
Elsie turns around, looking at me. 'What? Are you sure?'
I nod.
'Do you remember it clearly?' Elsie keeps asking. 'Did father say that to you himself?'
'Yes, Elsie, I remember it clearly,' I say, trying to strain my memory. 'He told me once that I was going to marry Laird Sloan MacKinnon from Domnhall Castle.'