The Promise of Peace Read Free

he’d ever really loved, Angus rose and left the cottage.
    Though he would not dishonor his wife by breaking his marriage vows, he could still love Eveleen and see to her welfare. ’Twas the least he could do.
    Aye, Eveleen would come around once her grief diminished.
    STORM-TOSSED LEAVES covered the ground around the Macnab graveyard at Innishewan. Damp dripped from the trees, but Morrigan’s eyes remained dry. She had no more tears left to cry. How she wished her older brother was here to tell her what to do! But Gordon lay nearby in a grave covered by new spring grass.
    Two men with shovels dropped rain soaked ground onto the casket, the mud splattering as it hit the wood. Morrigan held her little brother’s hand as the grave was filled, shovel by shovel. A few feet away stood her mother, leaning on Morrigan’s younger sister. Opposite them stood Angus Macnab with his mousy wife and son, the only one of the couple’s children to survive infancy. He was small and wiry but healthy.
    The boy, the same age as Keifer, would one day be laird of clan Macnab.
    Morrigan knew the story well of how Angus and Ian Macnab had both courted Eveleen MacTaggert. In the end she had not chosen the laird but his younger brother. Morrigan wasn’t sure if Angus had ever forgiven Eveleen or Ian. But Angus’s grief at his brother’s death seemed real, palpable even.
    Angus came over to Eveleen and once again assured her he would take care of her and Ian’s children.
    â€œI’m sure ye would do well by us, Angus. But the children and I are moving to Inverlochy to be near my family.”
    â€œBut ye belong here. Ye are a Macnab now.”
    She looked at him for a long moment. “I belonged here while Ian lived. Now I want to go home.”
    Morrigan hated to leave the relative safety of Innishewan, but her mother didn’t want to stay. Morrigan didn’t have the heart to argue. Too many bad memories here. And Uncle Angus—well, Morrigan had never trusted him. Best to leave as Eveleen wished.
    â€œMorrigan, can ye not reason with her?” Angus beseeched.
    â€œI will do as my mother wishes, Uncle.”
    Shaking his head, the man walked back to his family.
    Morrigan would grieve the loss of her father. How much worse must it be for a boy to grow to manhood without his father to guide him? As she stood by her father’s graveside, she vowed to see that Keifer received the training Ian could no longer give. And when the time was right, she would join Bruce’s army and fight against her uncle and his English king.
    Morrigan looked down at her two-year-old brother. He must have sensed her glance, because he looked up. So forlorn, his expression! She held her hands in invitation, and he darted into them. She picked him up and he put his arms around her neck, clinging so tight she had to loosen his hold so she could breathe.
    Still, the small wooden horse in his hand—a toy that Da had whittled for him—dug into her back. A trickle of wetness rolled down her neck and under her tunic. She felt the boy’s shuddering breath.
    â€œHush now, wee one. Hush.” She patted his back, offering solace. The priest had finished speaking and the mourners were beginning to leave.
    Her father’s cousin, Duncan, came over to pay his respects. When he saw Keifer’s tears, he said, “You take care of yer mother, Keifer. Ye’re the man of the house now.” He stared at Morrigan and seemed about to say something more when he glanced up at Uncle Angus. Duncan didn’t make eye contact with Morrigan as he said, “God bless ye, Morrigan.” Then he spun about and left them.
    Her da would have made a better laird, Morrigan thought, unable to control her bitterness. Angus inspired fear where Ian had gotten people to see things his way with persuasion and charm.
    Morrigan gathered her family and they returned to the cottage to finish packing their belongings.