hand, he reached over and touched one of the sheep she’d drawn. “A black-faced lamb.”
“Yes, we passed one a while back. It was with its flock near the road. Did you see it?”
He shook his head. “Nay. I saw the flock. They were a baying and restless bunch.”
She smiled. “That was them.”
Glancing up at the dark sky, he said, “It means rain.”
“What means rain?”
“The behavior of those sheep.”
“Really? Sheep can now predict the weather?”
“Mayhap.” He shrugged. “ ’Tis one of the superstitions I learned as a lad. Another was that of the black-faced lamb.”
“What was that?” she asked.
“Black-faced lambs bring good luck.”
“Do they?”
“Aye. And since you drew one, I’d wager that means we’ll be doubly lucky.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said.
“You may disagree, being English, but I’ve found that much Scottish superstition has a basis in truth.”
“I’m not very familiar with Scottish superstition, so I couldn’t say I have an opinion one way or the other.”
He nodded, a corner of his lips tilting up in a smile. “I’m sure you’ll hear your share of superstition in the next few days.”
“Please teach me about your superstitions. I’d like that.”
“Oh, aye? Even the stories of the monsters that lurk in the lochs and the moors?”
“Yes.” She gave him a dry look. “I’m not easily frightened.”
He chuckled softly. “Aye, I’ve learnt that. You’re a brave wee lassie.”
Heat flushed over her cheekbones at the sweet compliment. No one had ever called her brave before.
He nodded. “I will, then. I’ll be telling you all the stories of the
sidhe
and brownies and kelpies that my sisters told me to scare me at night.”
“Oh yes, please do.” A part of her wondered whether the stories of monsters his sisters had told him had given even more life to his demons.
“But this…” He touched the black-faced lamb in her drawing. “…’tis good luck. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“And you’ve a fine eye for drawing, lass.”
“Thank you.” She set the paper and the wood board beside her and unwrapped the linen bundle of food and began to eat small pieces of bread and sausage.
“I thought we’d continue on a bit longer tonight,” he said.
“All right.” It made sense. The horses were still fairly fresh, the clouds threatening rain had not delivered, and the puddles from yesterday had begun to dry.
At dusk they stopped for a few minutes to relieve their bladders and light the lanterns on both sides of the carriage. They continued on at a slower pace as the light disappeared and pinpricks of stars began to glow in the small clearings between the clouds.
As the sun disappeared, so did any semblance of warmth, and Emilia tucked herself up against Colin’s body and covered them both with plaids.
“Colin?”
“Hmm?”
She hesitated, chewing on her lip. Then she whispered, “I want to learn about your superstitions, about your fairies and your monsters, but first…will you tell me about your demons?”
His body gave a small jolt then instantly grew tense. “Why?” The word was a mere crackle.
Emilia kept her breaths even. “One should know one’s enemy, don’t you think?”
“ ’Tis my concern, Emilia. Not yours.”
A part of her tried to wither at the harshness of his words, but she wouldn’t let it. “I said I’d help you. I meant it.”
He sighed, and she pressed on. “Do they only come when you’re asleep?”
“Nay.”
“When, then?”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “They also come…when I’m alone.”
“Oh,” she murmured. They attacked him when he was by himself and vulnerable, when other matters weren’t occupying his mind. Knowing his mind was open to them, his demons snuck in, an insidious invasion. “How do they appear to you?”
“I dinna see them when I’m awake,” he said tightly. “Only when I’m asleep. When I’m awake I only
“Yes, we passed one a while back. It was with its flock near the road. Did you see it?”
He shook his head. “Nay. I saw the flock. They were a baying and restless bunch.”
She smiled. “That was them.”
Glancing up at the dark sky, he said, “It means rain.”
“What means rain?”
“The behavior of those sheep.”
“Really? Sheep can now predict the weather?”
“Mayhap.” He shrugged. “ ’Tis one of the superstitions I learned as a lad. Another was that of the black-faced lamb.”
“What was that?” she asked.
“Black-faced lambs bring good luck.”
“Do they?”
“Aye. And since you drew one, I’d wager that means we’ll be doubly lucky.”
“I hope you’re right,” she said.
“You may disagree, being English, but I’ve found that much Scottish superstition has a basis in truth.”
“I’m not very familiar with Scottish superstition, so I couldn’t say I have an opinion one way or the other.”
He nodded, a corner of his lips tilting up in a smile. “I’m sure you’ll hear your share of superstition in the next few days.”
“Please teach me about your superstitions. I’d like that.”
“Oh, aye? Even the stories of the monsters that lurk in the lochs and the moors?”
“Yes.” She gave him a dry look. “I’m not easily frightened.”
He chuckled softly. “Aye, I’ve learnt that. You’re a brave wee lassie.”
Heat flushed over her cheekbones at the sweet compliment. No one had ever called her brave before.
He nodded. “I will, then. I’ll be telling you all the stories of the
sidhe
and brownies and kelpies that my sisters told me to scare me at night.”
“Oh yes, please do.” A part of her wondered whether the stories of monsters his sisters had told him had given even more life to his demons.
“But this…” He touched the black-faced lamb in her drawing. “…’tis good luck. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“And you’ve a fine eye for drawing, lass.”
“Thank you.” She set the paper and the wood board beside her and unwrapped the linen bundle of food and began to eat small pieces of bread and sausage.
“I thought we’d continue on a bit longer tonight,” he said.
“All right.” It made sense. The horses were still fairly fresh, the clouds threatening rain had not delivered, and the puddles from yesterday had begun to dry.
At dusk they stopped for a few minutes to relieve their bladders and light the lanterns on both sides of the carriage. They continued on at a slower pace as the light disappeared and pinpricks of stars began to glow in the small clearings between the clouds.
As the sun disappeared, so did any semblance of warmth, and Emilia tucked herself up against Colin’s body and covered them both with plaids.
“Colin?”
“Hmm?”
She hesitated, chewing on her lip. Then she whispered, “I want to learn about your superstitions, about your fairies and your monsters, but first…will you tell me about your demons?”
His body gave a small jolt then instantly grew tense. “Why?” The word was a mere crackle.
Emilia kept her breaths even. “One should know one’s enemy, don’t you think?”
“ ’Tis my concern, Emilia. Not yours.”
A part of her tried to wither at the harshness of his words, but she wouldn’t let it. “I said I’d help you. I meant it.”
He sighed, and she pressed on. “Do they only come when you’re asleep?”
“Nay.”
“When, then?”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “They also come…when I’m alone.”
“Oh,” she murmured. They attacked him when he was by himself and vulnerable, when other matters weren’t occupying his mind. Knowing his mind was open to them, his demons snuck in, an insidious invasion. “How do they appear to you?”
“I dinna see them when I’m awake,” he said tightly. “Only when I’m asleep. When I’m awake I only
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