The Betrayal of Maggie Blair - By Elizabeth Laird Page 0,43

offended, but there was too much authority in the head drover's voice to be contradicted. His footsteps died away.

Mr. Lithgow came back into the bothy, ducking his head under the low doorway.

"This is bad. I take it the man knows you two girls?"

"Oh, not well, not well," Tam babbled. "He's seen them. He'll never recognize them. Why would he?"

"He'll know us," I said firmly. "He took evidence from Annie at the trial, and I stood right in front of him as he condemned me to death. He'd know me anywhere."

Mr. Lithgow went to the door and looked out, deep in thought, while Peter Boag quietly packed away the empty bowls and spoons in a saddlebag.

"I'll not take you," he said to Annie at last. "You'd best stay here in the bothy till the coast is clear and find someone else to take you to the mainland."

"Oh, but, Mr. Lithgow—" began Annie.

"But you, Maggie," he said, ignoring her, "by hook or by crook, we'll have to get you away. Can you swim?"

I shook my head.

"You can't come over in the boat." Mr. Lithgow's hand was working around the smooth top of his staff as he spoke. "Lamont'll have too much time to watch you and puzzle out who you are. You'll go over in the water with Samson."

"S-Samson?" I managed to stammer.

"The pony. You'll hold on to his mane and bridle. He's a strong swimmer. He'll take you across. Kick out your legs to help him. You'll keep on the far side of him. Mr. Lamont will see there's a boy with the pony, but he won't think anything of it."

"Oh, Mr. Lithgow," Annie said pleadingly. "Couldn't you take me in the boat? I'm not like Maggie. They're not after me the way they're after her."

"You should have the decency to put Maggie's safety first, after the harm you've done," Mr. Lithgow said with brutal force. "You'll do as you're told and stay in the bothy out of sight. See to it, Tam."

"Oh, aye," came Tam's voice out of the corner. "Leave it to me, Archie. You can trust me for that."

I couldn't see him, but I knew there'd be a hunted, hurt look on his face, like a child whose cleverness has been mocked by an adult.

"Archie, are you there?" came a shout from the water's edge, and then a splash and a clatter of wood on wood as oars were being pulled back into a boat.

"The boatman's here," said Mr. Lithgow. "Peter, we must get on. Listen carefully, Maggie. Peter and I will get the cows into the water. Stay inside till you hear me shout 'Danny.' That's what you'll be called on the drove, after your father. When you hear it, come out of the bothy, nice and normal, no hurry, unhitch Samson, and lead him into the water. He knows what to do. Stay on the left side of him and keep your head down. But don't look as if you're trying to hide. Once you're in the water, whatever you do, don't panic and drag on Samson's neck, or you'll pull his head under and he'll shake you off. Just hold to the mane and the bridle and let yourself be pulled along. We'll take your bundle and your plaid with us in the boat."

He held out his hand, and, blushing, I undid my belt and handed him the thick woolen plaid, ashamed of standing before them in my boy's shirt. He took it without seeming to notice anything strange and went out. I heard him whistle, and the dog leaped up and ran out after him.

"Tam!" I was shaking from head to foot. "I can't do it! I can't swim across like that. I'll drown."

He came out of his corner and hugged me.

"You'll be fine, Maidie. Archie Lithgow's the man for this. He knows what's what. You do like he says. He'll watch out for you. A lovely little bath, that's all it'll be. No bother. I'd do it myself without a thought."

I had to smile at that.

"No, you wouldn't, Tam. You'd be in a panic if you were me, you know you would."

"Aye, but then I'm not you, am I? You've got your granny in you, and your daddy too. And if you don't do it, you know what'll happen to you."

I'd almost forgotten, in my rage with Annie and my terror of the crossing, the fate that awaited me if I was taken back to Rothesay, and I took a deep breath, summoning