Over the Highland Mountains

Chapter 10 • A New Home

Lily sped down the corridor, hoping she had paid enough attention on the tour to remember how to get out. It was a rather simple design having been through the whole of it once and Lily took the exit through the kitchen, careful not to get in anyone's way as they prepared the evening meal.

Once outside, Lily could see the barn and made her way over. As she approached though, she heard high-pitched neighing coming from within. Frowning at the possibilities, Lily hurried towards the door and peeked inside and almost laughed out loud.

No horses in distress; only two children playing, the girl squealing as the boy chased her.

The girl caught sight of Lily in the doorway and came to an abrupt stop causing the boy to bump into her.

"Woah! What's wrong?" he asked as he steadied her. Following her gaze, the boy mirrored the girl's guilty expression when his eyes landed on Lily. Seeing she was spotted, Lily stepped fully into the barn. The girl scurried to get behind her companion, the sudden tautness of his shirt suggested she was clutching the back of it.

"I recognise ye," the boy spoke up bravely, "I saw ye riding in with Laird Alasdair yesterday."

"I recognise ye, too," Lily responded, "Ye were with the stable master when we dropped our horses off here."

The boy nodded before asking, "Yer our new lady?"

"Weel, fer now Lady Fiona is still the Lady of Mackenzie, but I am Laird Alasdair's new wife," Lily confirmed, feeling a shiver go up her spine as she stated this fact, "My name is Lily." The girl peeked around her brother's waist before jumping back. "What's yers?"

"I'm Neil, I'm the new stable boy," he answered, standing up a little bit straighter. "This is my twin sister, Nessa. She works in the kitchen."

"Lovely to meet ye two," Lily greeted them with a warm smile, "So, tell me, Neil, what is a stable boy and a kitchen hand doing in the barn as such an hour?"

Neil's eyes widen worriedly and he gulped, "Weel, m'lady, um, w-we were ta-taking a rest from our, uh, our duties -"

"It's quite a'right Neil," Lily held up a hand for him to stop before pressing a finger to her smiling lips and whispering, "Yer secret is safe with me."

At those words, Nessa popped her blonde head out from behind her brother with hopeful eyes, "Really?"

"O'course," Lily assured her, "On one condition," she paused for dramatic effect, bending down to be a bit closer to their height, "Ye must let me play with ye."

The previously worried expressions turned to elated ones and they rushed over to her, each grabbing one of her hands to pull her further into their play area. After explaining the game they were playing, Lily was dubbed the chaser and they all set to running around the barn. The horses seemed to be used to this kind of activity seeing as they didn't kick up a fuss when the twins ran all around them and Neil even ran under one of them.

Lily finally caught Nessa and attacked her with tickles at which the girl squealed trying to get away. Neil came to the rescue, pulling at Lily's arm to get her to let go of his sister. Lily obliged, only to pull him down into her lap and give him the same treatment. Nessa then tried to 'save' her brother.

"Get her, Nessa!" Neil shouted and suddenly both of them started tickling her, but Lily got away and set the three of them to running and laughing again.

A soft chuckle from the entrance of the barn caught Lily's ear and looking up, she slowed to a stop. The children followed her gaze and Nessa gasped.

"Laird Alasdair," Neil breathed and was almost immediately at his sister's side, arm around her.