Gregor decided it was because there would be no
difficulty in having her live at Scarglas with him if he found that he wanted her to.
They had just finished sharing a laugh over how, when there was a full moon, his father and some
of the other men would daub themselves with blue paint and dance naked within a circle of stones,
when they reached the edge of an open field. It was almost completely surrounded by an equally
open moorland upon which sheep grazed. Gregor gently urged Alana to kneel down behind some
bramble bushes while he carefully surveyed this new obstacle.
“I dinnae see anyone,” Alana said. “Not e’en around that wee cottage at the far end of the field.”
“Nay, neither do I, although one would think that someone would be about, working or tending to
that flock of sheep,” he said.
“True. We could go around,” she murmured, unable to keep all of her reluctance to do so out of her
voice.
“We could, but we would add several hours to our journey, which is long enough as it is.”
That was the hard truth, Alana thought with a sigh. Neither she nor Gregor might know exactly
where they were, but they knew it was a very, very long walk from where they wanted to be. She
briefly considered asking him to steal a horse and then hastily shook that thought aside. Necessity
did not make stealing any less of a crime or a sin, unless it was done because one was starving.
They were not starving. There was also the chance that stealing a horse would simply put even more
people on their trail.
She wished she knew how long a journey they had to make. At least she could then mark off each
day. Until they knew exactly where they were, however, that would be impossible. What they
needed was some landmark, but Alana doubted they would see one soon since they had to stay
away from all well-traveled routes in order to escape the Gowans.
When Gregor slowly stood up, she quickly got to her feet as well. “Do ye think it is safe to move
on?”
“Nay, but we only have a few choices,” he replied. “We could stay here until dark, go round, or take
our chances that we can cross that field without being seen. Or, if we are seen, that it doesnae raise any hue and cry.”
“I think we should just march boldly onward.” Alana shrugged when he looked at her and cocked
one eyebrow. “A brisk march. If someone sees us, they will probably wonder o’er who is crossing
their field, at least for a wee while. Then, they might hail us, but since they arenae e’en in sight now, that would probably be from a distance. We would have a head start when we have to run away.”
Gregor grinned briefly. “’Tis as good a plan as any I could come up with. Do ye think ye can run
verra fast whilst carrying that cat?”
“Aye, he doesnae weigh much.”
“Then let us march boldly onward,” Gregor said as he took her by the hand and started forward
across the field.
By the time they reached the other side of the field, Alana felt as if every muscle in her body was
taut enough to snap with her very next step. They had not even gotten half the way across before
she decided her plan had been a bad one, and she had grown more convinced of that each step of the
way. A man had stepped out of the cottage, but he had only watched them. She suspected he was
simply making sure that she and Gregor did not steal anything, but it had only added to her unease.
“Weel, if the Gowans come round here, they will be able to easily mark our trail,” said Gregor. “Or
that mon has already set off to find them and tell them that he has seen us.”
“If he kenned the Gowans are seeking us, why didnae he come after us?” Alana asked as she
cautiously edged her way around a muddy area between the edge of the fields and the small strip of
moorland between them and the woods they sought.
“Why should he risk getting hurt? ’Tisnae his purse that will be enriched by our capture.”
“Ye dinnae think the Gowans are
difficulty in having her live at Scarglas with him if he found that he wanted her to.
They had just finished sharing a laugh over how, when there was a full moon, his father and some
of the other men would daub themselves with blue paint and dance naked within a circle of stones,
when they reached the edge of an open field. It was almost completely surrounded by an equally
open moorland upon which sheep grazed. Gregor gently urged Alana to kneel down behind some
bramble bushes while he carefully surveyed this new obstacle.
“I dinnae see anyone,” Alana said. “Not e’en around that wee cottage at the far end of the field.”
“Nay, neither do I, although one would think that someone would be about, working or tending to
that flock of sheep,” he said.
“True. We could go around,” she murmured, unable to keep all of her reluctance to do so out of her
voice.
“We could, but we would add several hours to our journey, which is long enough as it is.”
That was the hard truth, Alana thought with a sigh. Neither she nor Gregor might know exactly
where they were, but they knew it was a very, very long walk from where they wanted to be. She
briefly considered asking him to steal a horse and then hastily shook that thought aside. Necessity
did not make stealing any less of a crime or a sin, unless it was done because one was starving.
They were not starving. There was also the chance that stealing a horse would simply put even more
people on their trail.
She wished she knew how long a journey they had to make. At least she could then mark off each
day. Until they knew exactly where they were, however, that would be impossible. What they
needed was some landmark, but Alana doubted they would see one soon since they had to stay
away from all well-traveled routes in order to escape the Gowans.
When Gregor slowly stood up, she quickly got to her feet as well. “Do ye think it is safe to move
on?”
“Nay, but we only have a few choices,” he replied. “We could stay here until dark, go round, or take
our chances that we can cross that field without being seen. Or, if we are seen, that it doesnae raise any hue and cry.”
“I think we should just march boldly onward.” Alana shrugged when he looked at her and cocked
one eyebrow. “A brisk march. If someone sees us, they will probably wonder o’er who is crossing
their field, at least for a wee while. Then, they might hail us, but since they arenae e’en in sight now, that would probably be from a distance. We would have a head start when we have to run away.”
Gregor grinned briefly. “’Tis as good a plan as any I could come up with. Do ye think ye can run
verra fast whilst carrying that cat?”
“Aye, he doesnae weigh much.”
“Then let us march boldly onward,” Gregor said as he took her by the hand and started forward
across the field.
By the time they reached the other side of the field, Alana felt as if every muscle in her body was
taut enough to snap with her very next step. They had not even gotten half the way across before
she decided her plan had been a bad one, and she had grown more convinced of that each step of the
way. A man had stepped out of the cottage, but he had only watched them. She suspected he was
simply making sure that she and Gregor did not steal anything, but it had only added to her unease.
“Weel, if the Gowans come round here, they will be able to easily mark our trail,” said Gregor. “Or
that mon has already set off to find them and tell them that he has seen us.”
“If he kenned the Gowans are seeking us, why didnae he come after us?” Alana asked as she
cautiously edged her way around a muddy area between the edge of the fields and the small strip of
moorland between them and the woods they sought.
“Why should he risk getting hurt? ’Tisnae his purse that will be enriched by our capture.”
“Ye dinnae think the Gowans are
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