are in trouble?"
Aila nodded vigorously.
"Have you prayed for guidance?"
Aila slowly shook her head.
"These walls cannot protect you as well as the Lord. Breathe your prayer and be still."
Though her mind was racing, Aila tried to do as her friend suggested, using the breath prayer she had been taught. Lord Jesus Christ, she prayed as she inhaled, hav e mercy on me, she breathed out. As she focused on her breathing, she became more aware of her surroundings. They were sitting on a stone bench by the wall of the convent. Before them was the garden, with lines of vege tables, mostly beets and turnips. There were rows of dark, rich soil, too, freshly tilled for more planting, and the smell of dark, rich earth. The birds chirped around her, singing their cheerful songs. She became more mindful of the garden and felt more centered and peaceful.
"Now please tell me what has brought you here today," said Sister Enid.
Feeling considerably better, Aila began to relate the events of the past day. Sister Enid listened without comment except to remind Aila to breathe. Aila told her everything—the wedding, receiving Sister Enid's letter, her talk with MacLaren on the turret, his rejec tion of her on their wedding night, the secret passage, MacLaren's chase, the attack on the stable master, and her escape from Dundaff. When Aila finally finished, she was still unsure what to do but was relieved for the cathartic experience of telling all.
"Well now," said the nun. "That was a lot to tell. Why do you think your father would have you marry so suddenly? And why to MacLaren?"
"I dinna ken," said Aila, thinking back on events. "Though father did say to MacLaren that some may no' be pleased wi' the marriage. And he said he woud'na let McNab have me. I wasna able to ask any questions, since my father left right after the wedding to put out the fire."
"Fire?"
"There have been some accidents of late, and some fields have been burnt. Folks seem concerned about it, but I dinna give it much…" Aila's eyes opened wide as she considered new, frightening scenarios. "Could we have been attacked?"
"It seems a possibility."
"Then maybe my father needs MacLaren for the warriors. MacLaren is most ferocious." Aila remem bered him appearing out of the mist like the devil's own, sword raised high. "But woud'na someone tell me if we were attacked? Shoud'na my father ask me if I wanted to form an alliance with the MacLaren clan?"
Sister Enid raised an eyebrow.
"Well, he should," said Aila indignantly.
"Tell me about the stable master. You say the maid said it was an accident?"
"Aye, but I dinna ken seeing a chair, like she said. What I saw was the bloodied end of an iron bar. Someone was in the stables wi' me, but I ran. Maybe I should have called out for help, but I was so scared."
"Did this person see Fergus?"
"He must have. He had a lantern, and he walked right by him."
"What did the person do when he saw Fergus?"
"Nothing. He chased me up the stairs."
"Aila," said Sister End, patting Aila's hand with her gnarled one, "I think in this case you were right to run."
"Ye ken he was the killer? Gone back to the stables to make it appear an accident?"
"'Tis a mystery," said the nun, her eyes gleaming. "There is much ado at Dundaff to be sure. I have something else to tell you, too. I did not send you that missive."
"Ye dinna? Then, who?"
"Who would profit from your entering the convent?"
"Surely a person o' the Church woud'na deceive me."
Sister Enid smiled again, waiting patiently and saying nothing.
"Oh, Sister, surely no' the abbot…" Though even as she spoke the words, her suspicions were raised. Father Barrick served as the abbot for the region, residing at the abbey about five miles away. The abbot was a large, gruff man who made Aila feel most uncomfortable.
Aila nodded vigorously.
"Have you prayed for guidance?"
Aila slowly shook her head.
"These walls cannot protect you as well as the Lord. Breathe your prayer and be still."
Though her mind was racing, Aila tried to do as her friend suggested, using the breath prayer she had been taught. Lord Jesus Christ, she prayed as she inhaled, hav e mercy on me, she breathed out. As she focused on her breathing, she became more aware of her surroundings. They were sitting on a stone bench by the wall of the convent. Before them was the garden, with lines of vege tables, mostly beets and turnips. There were rows of dark, rich soil, too, freshly tilled for more planting, and the smell of dark, rich earth. The birds chirped around her, singing their cheerful songs. She became more mindful of the garden and felt more centered and peaceful.
"Now please tell me what has brought you here today," said Sister Enid.
Feeling considerably better, Aila began to relate the events of the past day. Sister Enid listened without comment except to remind Aila to breathe. Aila told her everything—the wedding, receiving Sister Enid's letter, her talk with MacLaren on the turret, his rejec tion of her on their wedding night, the secret passage, MacLaren's chase, the attack on the stable master, and her escape from Dundaff. When Aila finally finished, she was still unsure what to do but was relieved for the cathartic experience of telling all.
"Well now," said the nun. "That was a lot to tell. Why do you think your father would have you marry so suddenly? And why to MacLaren?"
"I dinna ken," said Aila, thinking back on events. "Though father did say to MacLaren that some may no' be pleased wi' the marriage. And he said he woud'na let McNab have me. I wasna able to ask any questions, since my father left right after the wedding to put out the fire."
"Fire?"
"There have been some accidents of late, and some fields have been burnt. Folks seem concerned about it, but I dinna give it much…" Aila's eyes opened wide as she considered new, frightening scenarios. "Could we have been attacked?"
"It seems a possibility."
"Then maybe my father needs MacLaren for the warriors. MacLaren is most ferocious." Aila remem bered him appearing out of the mist like the devil's own, sword raised high. "But woud'na someone tell me if we were attacked? Shoud'na my father ask me if I wanted to form an alliance with the MacLaren clan?"
Sister Enid raised an eyebrow.
"Well, he should," said Aila indignantly.
"Tell me about the stable master. You say the maid said it was an accident?"
"Aye, but I dinna ken seeing a chair, like she said. What I saw was the bloodied end of an iron bar. Someone was in the stables wi' me, but I ran. Maybe I should have called out for help, but I was so scared."
"Did this person see Fergus?"
"He must have. He had a lantern, and he walked right by him."
"What did the person do when he saw Fergus?"
"Nothing. He chased me up the stairs."
"Aila," said Sister End, patting Aila's hand with her gnarled one, "I think in this case you were right to run."
"Ye ken he was the killer? Gone back to the stables to make it appear an accident?"
"'Tis a mystery," said the nun, her eyes gleaming. "There is much ado at Dundaff to be sure. I have something else to tell you, too. I did not send you that missive."
"Ye dinna? Then, who?"
"Who would profit from your entering the convent?"
"Surely a person o' the Church woud'na deceive me."
Sister Enid smiled again, waiting patiently and saying nothing.
"Oh, Sister, surely no' the abbot…" Though even as she spoke the words, her suspicions were raised. Father Barrick served as the abbot for the region, residing at the abbey about five miles away. The abbot was a large, gruff man who made Aila feel most uncomfortable.
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