Read April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 02 for Free Online Page B

one of the horses. Together they left into the direction that Athol pointed. Within the woods, they were unable to ride quickly or find an easy path as the trees had thick trunks and stood close to each other. Once they got to the burn, the trees opened and Ewan spotted the small dwelling in the distance.
     
     
    Jacqueline woke to find herself huddled up, lying on the dirt ground. She wasn’t even aware that she had fallen asleep. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon allowing enough light to shine through the dense forest.
    She stood up off the ground and combed her fingers through her long hair. Looking around she saw nothing but trees. Quickly, Jacqueline became agitated. She had no idea where she was or whether she was still in England or had crossed the border into Scotland. Concern for her safety and the reality of what she had done made her feel sick to her stomach. Shaming her brother was one thing but she was now a traitor to her country.
    Jacqueline circled around a few times, feeling disoriented as for a moment everything became a blur. Trying to avoid fainting, she debated which direction to go and began walking forward, hoping that she did not get turned around and was heading straight back to Carlisle.
    Jacqueline walked for several hours through the woods, tripping over dead branches that constantly snagged at the hem of her robe each time it caught on bramble and other leafless twigs. The trees were bare, except for the small spring buds just beginning to grow. Walking through puddles of water left her cloth slippers soaked that her toes became numb.     
    With the sun reaching its highest, Jacqueline welcomed the warmth. Shivering from fear of the unknown was worse than the chill she felt as her attire did not provide much protection from the cold icy ground. She continued to walk within the woods wanting to stay off the road. Fearful of who else may be lurking in these woods.
    And as if her prayers were answered, Jacqueline came upon a small croft that appeared abandoned for quite some time. Carefully and quietly walking closer, she looked around the woods to see if anyone else had claimed this safe haven. Nothing had looked touched or disturbed. No footprints in the snow. This was a good sign. A blessing of good fortune.
    The door hung on only one of its hinges and the roof was faintly caved in. Having to lift the door slightly to get it to swing open, Jacqueline stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and went to investigate the room which was filled with dust and cobwebs.
    The dirt floor did not provide much for comfort but at least being inside would keep her out of the cold air, she thought. The small room was empty, aside from a broken wooden table, a bucket and an old pile of straw. Torn rags hung over the windows keeping the light from shining in. In the corner of the room, she felt a slight draft of air coming from the fireplace. Satisfied that this place would do for now, she went outside to see if she could find some dry wood for a fire and to find something to eat.
    Spotting a few logs easy enough for her to carry, she piled them up in her arms and carried them inside. She also found a bush with some black berries on them. By the evidence of shredded twigs at the base of the bush and torn leaves, Jacqueline assumed that this bush had also provided food for some woodland creature. Holding the skirt of her nightgown up, she picked as many as she could and placed them within the folds. Knowing that she lacked the skills to hunt, the berries would have to be good enough to fill her stomach until she found the nearest village.
    Jacqueline sat in front of the roaring fire after several attempts, struggling to get the fire started without a flint. She took off her slippers to allow them to dry. Burying her face in the palm of her dirt-stained hands, Jacqueline wept. She knew that she would not be able to survive out in the wilderness alone. She couldn’t hunt; she had no