Mine Is the Night_ A Novel - Liz Curtis Higgs [142]
Rob cut her off. “Yer faither is deid.”
She drew a ragged breath. “But my heavenly Father is not.”
Neither of them moved, though the wind roared and the thunder bore down on them.
Then, with his head turned, Rob finally released her and rose to his knees and then to his feet, while she hastily rearranged her gown, her hands trembling.
Rob stood with his back to her now. His rage appeared to be spent. Even in the darkness she could see the sloped line of his shoulders.
Standing, Elisabeth touched her face, her neck, certain she would find bruises in the morning. But she was not badly injured. She was not defiled. Thank you, Father.
Suddenly her knees felt weak, and her limbs began to shake. Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks as she slowly backed away from Rob, her emotions spinning. Fear, relief, anger were all jumbled inside her.
For a moment she thought she might faint or be sick. More than anything she wanted to run, to put as much distance between them as she could. But her legs would not carry her yet. And there were things she had to say.
“You must leave at once,” she told him, her voice raw with pain. “Not only Bell Hill. Not only Selkirk. You must leave Scotland and never return.”
She heard nothing but the wind, whipping the grass round their feet.
Then he spoke. His words were low, broken, and filled with remorse. “I niver meant for it to happen, Bess. I niver meant to hurt ye.”
She believed him. But it changed nothing.
“Listen to me, Rob.” She lifted her head, feeling a bit stronger. “I’ll not tell Lord Buchanan until you are well away. But I will tell him. And he will hunt you down unless you are beyond his reach.”
Rob slowly turned, his face haggard. “Why, Bess? Why would ye spare me?”
“Because you were my friend once. And because the Lord spared me when I foolishly worshiped another.”
The rain began at last. A few large drops, then more. In another minute they would both be soaked through.
“Go,” she urged him, raising her voice above the steadily increasing patter. “Go to the Americas just as you planned. Start a new life.”
He shook his head, not meeting her gaze. “I canna live without ye.”
“But you must, Rob.” She collected her hat and basket, her thoughts fixed on Halliwell’s Close, on home. “You’ll not be alone. The Lord will be with you.”
He looked at her at last. “Are ye sure, Bess?”
“I am.” She lifted her face to the heavens, letting the rain wash away her tears.
Sixty-Two
Cling to thy home! If there the meanest shed
Yield thee a hearth and shelter for thy head.
LEONIDAS OF TARENTUM
arjory had never cared for thunder. Lord John had often found it soothing, especially at night when a low rumble traveled across the hills, lulling him to sleep. But a hard rain had followed this evening’s thunder, and Elisabeth was not yet home.
Glancing toward the window, Marjory fretted, “She should leave earlier now that September is here.”
“Aye, and start later in the morn,” Anne agreed, never looking up from the lace work she’d brought with her.
Though Marjory did not have a candle-stool to offer her, she mimicked the effect with clear glasses of water on either side of a tallow candle, allowing the women to work into the evening hours. The glasses belonged to Jane Nicoll, who resided in one of the better houses on Back Row. A widow without issue, Jane had many more glasses on her sideboard and assured the Kerrs that two would never be missed.
Marjory had accepted them as graciously as she could, still learning how to receive instead of give. At first, feelings of resentment and shame had welled up inside her. But she was beginning to understand that those with plenty found joy in giving to those in need. And so she welcomed their generosity and reminded herself that every good gift came from the Lord. Had she not begged the Almighty to provide for her loved ones? To guard them and keep them safe? Well, here was Anne, newly married to a prosperous tailor. And Elisabeth with her eye on a wealthy admiral. And herself with the stalwart love of a good man.
Every day the Kerrs had