Devils Own (Clan MacAlpin 2) - Page 26

They could sail the seven seas together, avenging his stolen youth. She’d wear loose trousers and a scarf tied about her head. There’d be thick ropes of gold looped around her neck, to match the hoops in her ears.

But she was no pirate bride. Instead she was a supposed sheep farmer, and doing quite the mediocre job at that. And Elspeth knew for a fact that poets weren’t exactly inclined to sing the virtues of shepherdesses in their romantic sonnets.

She shooed the last of her flock back into the paddock and then turned a circle, scanning the surrounding hills, but it was no good. Athena was long gone.

They couldn’t afford to lose a single one of those blasted animals. Her eyes snagged on the old dule tree at the top of the hill. She’d climbed it a thousand times and would just have to climb it once more. It afforded a panoramic view of the glen, and if she couldn’t spot Athena from that vantage, then Athena wasn’t to be spotted.

Dules were good for hanging, and apparently this particular one had seen its share. It was ancient and gnarled, and folk had called it the hanging tree for as long as she could remember. Though she’d never been allowed to witness, Elspeth knew for a fact it’d served as a Covenanter gallows in her own lifetime.

Hiking up her skirts, she strode up the hill, humming an old folk tune.

Come follow, follow, follow, follow, follow, follow me.

Whither shall I follow follow follow,

Whither shall I follow follow thee.

To the Gallows

To the Gallows

To the Gallows, Gallows Tree.

Her voice grew louder as she went, and she fancied she was as bold as her voice. She could climb ships’ rigging and sing pirate songs too, if but given the chance.

She didn’t pause when she got to the base, didn’t need to think, simply placed hands and feet in the same spots she’d been using her whole life, and so clambered quickly up. Reaching a spot she thought was high enough, she straightened and edged along a branch, steadying her hands on a branch before her. Chewing her lip, she sang to the same tune:

Athena, Athena, come to me,

I’m climbing like an ass up the Gallows Tree.

No sheep to be seen, but he was right in her line of sight. She flicked her eyes away, fearing the merest glimpse of Aidan might call his attention to her. She’d cling to every scrap of dignity she could get, and climbing like a lad up the hanging tree wasn’t the most elegant of pastimes.

Oh, Aidan, Aidan, Aidan, let me be,

I can see your broad back from the Gallows Tree,

I’d be your pirate bride if you’d agree,

You could call me luvvie and your wild sweet pea—

Needing to scan over the far hill, she scampered higher, humming as she went. The greenery grew denser as she climbed, and no longer did she need to watch her step to find decent footing. Focusing only on the branches under her hands, she lost track of how high she went.

Until her foot slipped. She clamped her lips around a squeal, cursing herself. Pirate brides most definitely neither squealed nor yelped.

Glancing up, she realized just how dense the leaves had become, and shimmied out along the branch for a clearer look. Again, she purposely avoided looking in Aidan’s direction; she had more pride than to somehow call his eyes to her. Instead, she squinted, scanning past the hilltop to a ridge in the distance. Her vision wasn’t perfect, but she could spy green from white, and thought there might be a woolly body in the distance, though she couldn’t be sure.

Athena, Athena, Athena, appear to me,

Appear this instant, or my wrath you’ll see,

I’ll bet you taste so good and muttony …

Jutting her chin out, Elspeth peered as hard as she could, willing the distance to resolve into focus. If only the angle were just a wee bit better.

“You beast!” She knew it. It was a little white beast, she was almost sure of it. She stepped higher, and the movement was answered with a loud creak. This time she did yelp, gripping tight to the branch in front of her. Another crack swiftly followed, and the bough dropped six inches.

Heart galloping in her throat, Elspeth wrapped both arms around the branches at her chest. “Oh, sweet Jesu Domine, fool lass,” she whispered. “What’ve you done now?”

Tags: Veronica Wolff Clan MacAlpin Romance
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