The Bairn of Brianag

I curtsied. "Very well indeed, sir," I said, "thank you."

"You seem to have recovered from your journey quickly; is she a plucky lass, Robbie? Strong and healthy?"

"She is indeed, sir. She has played in the fields and woods all her life; she is an excellent horsewoman and she can sing like a bird!" said Robbie.

I felt my cheeks grow warm, and smiled up at him, my anger receding.

"We shall see how well she rides, then, when we hunt," said Hamish. "We McDonalds have the best stable in the district."

I sat beside Robbie at the table, and though there were fewer people than the day before, the long table was crowded; a second table, just as long, was unused. I said not a word, and no one spoke to me. The conversation was among the men; Hamish, Charles, their sons James, who was called Jamie, and Bobby. Eleanor, her daughters-in-law, and the grandmothers ate without speaking. I just listened.

"We shall cut logs during the winter, to begin your house in the spring," Hamish was saying to Robbie.

"Thank you, sir; you are most kind," said Robbie.

"Not at all, boy; you are my nephew after all; never mind your lowcountry inheritance! After all, it may be decades before you are needed there. Meanwhile, you are welcome here! You are a Scot, after all-why would you want to live among the English?

Now that you have taken a wife, and a Scots wife!-it is time you settled here. No more need for dashing to and fro. Raise your sons here, to be true Scots! Perhaps the Englishman will live to a great old age-and in any case, he has his English son-in-law to help him!"

I waited for Robbie's reply, my heart pounding, my hands clenched in my lap, my eyes fixed on my plate. To live in the mountains with these rough wild people for decades?

Never! I would not! I could not! Two years was to be the length of my exile, and no longer!

"You are right of course, Uncle," said Robbie, "though Jessie will wish to return to the lowcountry when the weather cools in the fall. To have our own house here for the summer months would be a blessing indeed."

My breath returned, my heartbeats slowed. Robbie would not keep me here. He would not want to stay in the back country permanently. He would take me home to Brianag when the time was come.

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In the night I heard my mother's voice hiss, "Slut! Whore!" and I screamed as she struck at me with the crop. I screamed again and awoke, my heart pounding with dread.