#
Ruth pushed herself flat against the stone wall of the square entrance room. She didn’t dare look through the narrow archway that connected the two rooms for fear that Dugald would see her.
“Don’t do anything stupid, and you’ll be well cared for.” Dugald walked through the archway past Ruth hidden in the dark recess, and [...]

#
“Do I scare you?” Dugald Keith walked slowly through the small square entranceway into the round tower room. Helen backed away, moving closer to a short stairway that led up to a thick wooden door. Beyond, the rising wind and rain whipping over a round landing and low stone wall, banged to get in. Dugald [...]

#
Ruth huddled against the cold not far from the servants’ gate at the base of the south tower. She had found cover under an overhanging rock part way up the steep hill into which the south wall of the castle had been built. Here she not only had shelter from the wind but also had [...]

Chapter 27
Dugald Keith’s gummy, sleep-filled eyes slowly opened. He had passed out in a huge chair in the grand room. The fire was out and he felt damp and cold. His head hurt. The large room stunk with the stench of stale ale, but Dugald was more concerned with his heart that raced within his [...]

“Thank you God.” I said aloud, watching Nelly as she caught up to her mother and Nan. Exhausted but exhilarated I almost skipped back to get Shorty.
When I arrived at the place where I had left him, he wasn’t there. No one else had been on the road. I was certain that he had not [...]