A walk between worlds

Plans Change

          I awoke with an arm around my waist and soft breath on my neck.  Smiling remembering the love we made last night.  Careful not to wake him from his sleep, I wrapped myself in a blanket and made my way to the washroom to clean myself and get ready for the day ahead.  I would need to start making preparations to transfer everything to Tavish as soon as possible.  The McNeil’s would be happy to know that the lands will stay in the clan’s name. 

          I pulled my hair back into a long braid and put on a blue dress with a brown corset and white blouse underneath.  My cheeks were flushed with color and I knew why.  Looking over at Murdoch, I fought the urge to lean in and kiss him because I needed to make breakfast for my men.

          When I came down the stairs, I was greeted with three men at my table drinking some tea.  One with a smirk across his face.  Peter.

          “Well, how is the blushing bride this morning,” Peter laughed. 

I could immediately feel myself blush beyond control.  Not answering him, I went and started breakfast. 

          Jack said, “Welcome to the crew, Ms. McNeil.  I trust you will make an honest man of Captain Murdoch?” 

          I let out a laugh, “Well, as honest as one can be who is a pirate.”

          Peter and Jack both stood up and came forward with a hug.  They felt like family to me. 

          “Get your hands off my woman!!  I over sleep one morning and you both are moving in on my bride to be.” 

          Peter started to laughing, “Yep, jealous, he truly is in love.”

          “No yelling in my kitchen, sit all your arse’s down and eat breakfast.”  Murdoch strode over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck, “Morning love.”  I turned lightly and returned the kiss quickly, “Don’t be distracting me or you will get burnt eggs.  Go and sit.”

          Sitting down the men talked of the ship, and that it was almost ready to set off.  My heart dropped but I needed to keep calm, we had a future and we would be together.  Our souls were tied together. 

          Peter, Jack and Tavish, left to go down to the ship.  Murdoch wanted to walk with me across the bluff and talk for bit of our plans in the America’s.  My small hands engulfed in his, and fit as though they were made for each other.  He turned to me with a smile on his face and leaned down to kiss me.  When I looked up to him, I said, “Leat mo chridhe” (you own my heart).  He kissed my forehead and said back to me, “mhe gu brath” (mine forever).

          The wind started to pick up and I suddenly had an uneasy feeling wash over me.  “Perhaps we should head back, that way you can check on the ship.” 

          As we turned to go, I heard the thundering of hooves and when I looked behind me, I saw a very angry Lord Richards barreling towards us. 

          “Isabell!!  I was right to come back!  I had my suspicions that you were harboring a pirate!”  He dismounted his horse and pulled his sword from his side.

Murdoch pushed me behind him, and pulled his sword as well. 

          I yelled, “Stop, do not do this!!  He is leaving with his men; I do not want blood on my lands!!  I will not have it!!”

          “I offer you a hand in marriage and wait for you until you are ready, and the first chance you get you bed this man, a pirate no less.  w***e!”

          Murdoch said, “That will be enough, don’t you ever speak to her like that.  If it’s a fight you want, then so be it.  But I guarantee you are no match for me, Lord Richards, for I will cut you down before you can blink!!”  Murdoch lurched forward, and I pushed myself between them.  “No, please do not do this!!”

          “Lord Richards, I am truly sorry, but I love this man with all my heart.  I may have helped them when they washed up on the shore, but that is because I would never turn anyone away who needed my help.”

          Lord Richards, said, “You have made a fool out of me and now you are going to regret it!!”  With that he stepped back and mounted his horse, but before he turned to go, he turned around to look at me.  His coal black eyes penetrated right into my soul, “Isabell, you were meant only for me to have, and what comes next you brought on yourself!”   

          Murdoch grabbed me by the arm, “You are coming with me, I need to get you away from here.”

          “No, there isn’t enough time, you know he will be coming back with the British and you will all be hanged.  You need to get out of here tonight, all of you.!”

          “I will not lose you Isabell, you have to come with me.  I am afraid he may hurt you or even worse, kill you.  I haven’t been afraid to lose anything in my life until now.”

          “There is not time to argue, get your men and your ship ready.  Now!”

          Running back to the house, I knew there was little time.  I had James pull the wagon over to the cottage and started filling it with bedding, clothes and herbal medicines.  I added fresh bread I baked and cheeses as well.  My hands were trembling, but I had to keep my head about me. 

          I went upstairs to my healing and protection stones and made a leather wrap cuff bracelet with a moonstone in the center.  I blessed the bracelet and said a prayer over it:        

While we are apart, please watch over thee

Protect him from the perils of the sea

Let no harm come upon my love,

And protect him from the sky above.

           Waving my hand over the stone and I recited the prayer and the stone began to glow. Looking out of the window, the sun was already going down and I had James take the wagon down ahead of me.  James had saddled up my horse Storm and I rode ahead of him.

          By the time I got down to the ship the men were already preparing it to set sail.   I saw Murdoch running to meet me.

          Grabbing me by the shoulders he said, “I wanted to give you this the day we were to marry, but I want you to have it now.  As my promise that we will be together again.  I will find you in the America’s and we will have everything we dreamed of.” 

          The ring was beautiful, it was a solitaire ruby encased in sterling silver.

 “Isabell, I love you.  Nothing could keep me from you.  Let me stay and fight, I will take my chances.”

          “Murdoch, no, you need to get out of here, if you don’t and they find you, you and your men will be drawn and quartered.  I cannot bear to see that.  We will be together soon, and never be apart.  We will meet in the America’s like we planned with you going ahead of me, everything will be alright my love.” 

          “Think of the ruby as my heart and how you have me wrapped around your finger.  No man nor woman can break our bond.” 

          As Murdoch, slipped the ring on her finger, she whispered a spell, “Two hearts that are one, never to be undone.  Two souls connected to time, until the sound of the chimes.  A love that is so true, that will always see us through.  Let no man nor woman come between our hearts, for if they shall try, they will be banished to the dark.”

          Grabbing me into his embrace and kissing me with so much passion, I did not want to let him go.

          “Murdoch, I want you to wear this, to protect you.  I placed a prayer on the stone.”  I quickly placed the leather wrap around his wrist.

          I reached up and kissed him once more, but was interrupted by Tavish running down the slope yelling that Lord Richards was coming with what looked like the British. 

          “You need to leave; I will detain them for as long as I can.” 

          He reached out for me, “Isabell, please…”

          “No, go now, you must all get out of here.  “Leat mo chridhe” (you own my heart).  I love you.”

          Without looking back, I mounted my horse Storm and rode as quickly as possible up the slope to face Lord Richards.  I could feel heat surging through my body and a confidence like no other.  I would bid them time to get away.