The Betrayal of Maggie Blair - By Elizabeth Laird Page 0,80

report on the Black Cuffs' lantern lights bobbing as they searched the hills. Annie had reappeared only as we were putting on our night shifts. Her forehead had been beaded with sweat, and her cheeks were flushed as if she'd been running.

"Oh, Mistress Blair, I'm sorry I've taken so long. You know how I hate to be behind when there's work to be done. I went to check that Maggie had shut the chickens in and found the gate open, and they were all out in the yard! That little black hen ran away as usual. It took me ages to catch her."

"But I shut the gate to the coop!" I had protested indignantly. "I always do!"

My aunt had frowned at me and smiled indulgently at Annie.

"What a good thing you checked, dear. Get to bed now. We've a long day tomorrow."

Annie can't have been chasing the little black hen, I thought. That was the one we ate for supper. I plucked it myself. Why did she lie? Where did she go?

The answer came at once. I threw off my blanket and sat bolt upright.

She went to betray Mr. Renwick to the Black Cuffs.

The thought was so monstrous that I pushed it aside.

Not even Annie would do such a thing. And if she had, they'd have been here already to arrest him. Anyway, what would she have to gain? They'd probably arrest her too, just for living in a house with Covenanters.

Slowly, I lay down again. Then I heard the outer door of the other room creak open. My heart began to pound.

They're here, they're creeping into the house. In a minute they'll be in this room!

I knew then that I wouldn't be brave enough to fight, even for Mr. Renwick. I'd hide away and cower in some corner.

I waited, trembling, but nothing happened. No one came.

It was Uncle Blair, going out to relieve himself I told myself, and was flooded with relief.

A moment later I was asleep.

***

I slept badly, disturbed by fears of a raid by the troopers and by Mr. Renwick's coughing overhead. I woke to the sound of many voices in the yard.

By the time I had got up and tidied away my bedding, there were at least thirty people congregated outside the farmhouse. Some were neighbors from nearby farms whom I recognized, but others must have come from much farther away. They would have been walking through the night to reach Ladymuir in time to hear the famous preacher.

A few had brought their little farm ponies, but most had come on foot, and many of the women carried babies in their arms, as Uncle Blair had predicted.

"I was in such a state, Jeanie," I heard one woman say to another, "about the risk, bringing the children and all, what with the troops all over the place, but Isaac's going to be two years old in a week's time, and this is our only chance to have him properly christened by a true man of God."

"My Matthew felt the same," the other woman said. "He was all for staying at home. But I was sure, you know, that there'll be a blessing on us today. 'Where's your faith, man?' I asked him. 'Cast all your burdens upon the Lord, for he careth for you.' He had no answer to that."

In the entrance to the yard, Ritchie was standing with other farmers' sons. I recognized David Barbour, Dandy Fleming, and Mungo Laird. They were enthusiastically comparing their swords, daggers, and muskets.

"You'll see what to do when we get to the hollow," I heard Ritchie tell them, crossing his arms and frowning, like a master giving orders. "I went out to check the best lookout places yesterday. The bracken's not up yet, more's the pity, so we won't have much cover, but..."

"We can lie down in the heather," interrupted Dandy. "And not wear our blue bonnets. They won't be able to pick us out from a distance."

"Just what I was going to say," said Ritchie frostily.

Mungo was scratching at a crop of pimples on his chin, made more itchy by the new growth of beard pushing through the skin.

"We kept watch last night from our place at Newton," he said. "The troops withdrew off the hills late. We didn't see where they went, though."

"They're quartered miles away, at Sorn," said Ritchie impatiently. "If you'd all just listen I'll tell you. The point is that they can't have gone back that far last night, so they must have stayed close