“I’ll speak to John Dunn,” Lachlan said taking another gulp of ale. “See if he can get a few men together to make a start on the repairs.”
Hendry nodded. “Aye. But you might want to go to Crieff to hire men if yer planning to get any work done before winter.”
“Boyd rode to Crieff this morning. Perhaps he’ll have news when he returns.”
Hendry frowned. “Boyd? Yer must be mistaken. I saw him in the village not long ago.”
Lachlan straightened. “When was this?”
“On my return from Castle Craig. I told him about Miss Maclean’s illness. I told him that whoever had been telling him the tales about her thirst for blood must have been in their cups.”
So Boyd had been spreading the stories about the legendary sith. Lachlan shivered as a sudden feeling of foreboding ran through him. “Do you know where he is now?”
“He wasn’t in a mind to talk. He cursed and mumbled to himself and headed off on the road towards Castle Craig.”
Chapter 15
Isla pressed her nose to the window in her bedchamber and stared out across the lush green fields. During the last hour, her vision had grown gradually clearer. Now, other than a slight haze and the need to blink a little more often, her sight was fully restored.
Everything appeared much brighter than she remembered. The sun’s rays created a vibrant yellow hue where it streaked across the grass. It made a change from staring out at a sombre night sky. Today, the brilliant blue dazzled her. Of course, having spent years hiding in the shadows, even a slight hint of colour would radiate exuberance.
Never in her wildest imagination could she have predicted an end to her blood affliction. A laugh burst from her lips: a childish giggle she could not repress. She clapped her hands together rapidly as a way of controlling the excitement rushing through her veins.
“I understand how you feel,” Ivana said from the opposite side of the room. “It’s almost impossible not to jump about, sing, dance and behave in a ridiculous way.”
Isla turned to face the woman who had travelled hundreds of miles to free her from her nightmares. A profound feeling of affection filled her chest. She rushed over to Ivana and pulled the lady into an embrace.
“I cannot thank you enough,” Isla said, the sudden emotion almost choking her. “You have given me back my life, and I will be eternally grateful.”
They stepped apart. Ivana clutched Isla’s upper arms and rubbed them affectionately. “I feel as though we share a connection that goes beyond our experiences with Nikolai.” Ivana shrugged. “I cannot explain why, but I knew I had to come here.”
Isla smiled. “Well, I thank the Lord you did.” She glanced back over her shoulder at the inviting scene beyond her window. “I have spent far too much time indoors. Lachlan won’t be back for a few hours, but I cannot wait to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Now I can see where to place my feet I shall go for a walk. ”
“I remember those first hesitant steps in the sun. Such a magical moment should not be experienced alone.” Ivana gestured to the window. “I’ll walk with you. Leo has gone to lie down. He’s still recovering from his excessive consumption of whisky, and Douglas is no better.”
“We don’t have to go far.” Isla’s eagerness for company was evident in her tone. “It’s a glorious day for the time of year, probably the last we’ll see before spring.”
Ivana’s eyes widened. “We could examine the old stones around the ancient burial site. See if we can find one with a symbol that looks like our branding mark. Until coming here, I hated seeing it seared into my skin. But after learning that the same image is engraved on the bracelet in the burial chamber, I feel as though it is an emblem of kinship.”
“Perhaps we are distantly related,” Isla said, getting a little carried away with the romantic notion of it all. “Perhaps we are the ancestors of the lady in the tomb.”
They both chuckled. If felt good to laugh after years of misery.
Ivana stepped closer, threaded her arm through Isla’s. “Then let us go and search for the evidence.”
There were a few stones littered around the perimeter of the burial mound. They were all tall and thin, one side covered with an array of images and markings, the reverse almost always bearing the symbol of a cross.
When it came to analysing the pictures carved into the stone, Isla tried to express some level of enthusiasm. But being outdoors whilst the sun was still high proved to be far more diverting. She could not help but stare at the sky in wonder.
“There are numerous symbols, some which are similar,” Ivana said with an air of frustration, “but nothing that resembles our branding mark.”
“Perhaps we should look at the stones surrounding the entrance to the tomb,” Isla said in an attempt to show some interest. She glanced at the detailed scene: men with spears on horseback, a large bull-like creature with horns. “These carvings may be depictions of lore, heroic stories to be passed down through the generations. I imagine those around the burial mound would represent memorials, symbols of clans, lineage or tribal connections.”
Ivana agreed and followed Isla to the tomb. During their recent investigation, it had been too dark to notice the engravings. Weathering had worn away some of the images. Isla ran her hand over the cold, grey surface, her eyes widening as she stopped to trace a shallow indentation with the tip of her finger.
“Here.” She glanced at Ivana, who was busy examining another stone to her left. “The edges have worn away over time, but I’m certain this is the same as the mark we bear.”
She stepped aside so Ivana could inspect the symbol.