For Love or Loyalty: The MacGregor Legacy | Book 1 (34 page)

“I must see to my son’s burial.” The moment they touched Duncan, he punched one man and jerked away from another. He elbowed another man and kicked at one behind him.

Lauren closed her eyes and looked away. She couldn’t bear to see anymore. She listened to the grunts and blows they delivered as tears slid down her face and blinded her. Why couldn’t he go in peacefully? Why did violence always have to be his way?

“Da, stop!” Her scream ripped through the air. She wiped the tears from her face as she marched over to where a man held him by each arm. A third punched the resistance out of him. The blows stopped. Blood gushed from his nose and the side of his cut and swollen lip. The skin around his eye began to swell. “Why are ye doing this to yerself? Why can ye not go peacefully like Keith? Do ye want them to beat ye to death?”

“I killed my only son, Lauren.” His chin trembled. “I do not deserve to live.”

“What ’bout Blair? Do ye think ’tis fair for her to lose all of us? Mither and Scott are gone. I am not going back . . . ever. Who will finish raising Blair if ye’re in prison here in the colonies?”

“Too late.” Blood sputtered from his mouth as he shook his head.

“Mayhap, this time it is.” Lauren swallowed. “Look where yer vengeance and hate have taken us. I will make my statement to the magistrate, and believe me, he will hear the complete truth.”

“What ’bout yer loyalty to yer father?”

“It no longer matters.” She shook her head. “When I look at ye, I feel naught. No love, no pain, not even hate. Pure numbness. Right now, I do not know what that means, but I hope it means the beginning of my healing.”

She moved past her father and climbed into the wagon bed where they had laid Malcolm and where Iona sat beside him. She had already started a new life with Malcolm’s family. As soon as she could, she would send for Blair.

Malcolm woke lying on his stomach in a bedchamber. Searing pain shot through his shoulder. It felt tight and heavy. As awareness grew, the ache in his shoulder increased. He reached up and felt the bandages.

“Nay.” Lauren stilled his hand. “Do not scratch at it.”

“Lauren?” He tried to lean back so he could see her, but all he saw were moving shadows.

“Aye, I am here. Yer mither as well.” Her smooth voice coated him with warmth, especially since he didn’t recognize this room and a searing pain kept shooting his shoulder and into his head.

“We will not leave ye, lad.” His mother’s voice poured over him like sweet honey.

Malcolm blinked as his blurry vision came back into focus. He mustered some strength and rolled over on his good side. With a determined will, he wiggled to a sitting position. Iona repositioned his covers while Lauren set his pillows behind him.

“Ye’ve got several stitches in that shoulder, so ye must be careful,” Lauren said, gripping his chin and staring him in the eyes. Her gaze narrowed in the midst of her inspection.

“I am thirsty,” he said, smacking his lips and disliking the dryness in his mouth.

“I shall get ye some water.” Iona stood to leave the chamber. “An’ I will let the others know ye’re awake. The magistrate wants to talk to ye.”

The memory of Duncan Campbell swinging a sword at him came to mind. His addled brain struggled to conjure up the images of what had happened. The pressure was so intense, it felt like someone had squeezed his head in a large nutcracker. Scott Campbell had fallen under Duncan’s sword. Malcolm turned to Lauren and winced from the sudden movement. “Lauren, are ye all right? What ’bout yer brother an’ da?”

“Aye, my father has been arrested, and I am in the process of planning my brother’s funeral.” She gulped as her chin trembled, and she wrung her hands in her lap. “I have been sitting here trying to figure out how life can take such a dramatic turn. I am confused, heartbroken, and relieved all at once.”

“Relieved? Why?” Malcolm lifted an eyebrow, thankful that his mind had begun to work again—at least enough to carry on a conversation.

“Revenge is more important to him than his daughter. I knew he would eventually come for ye, Malcolm, even if not for me.” Lauren rubbed the back of her neck and took a deep breath. “Now we no longer have to wait and worry. ’Tis done.”

“Lauren, please forgive me. I never meant to hurt ye.” He closed his eyes, willing the right words to come. “Before I left Scotland, the desire for revenge burned in my heart almost as deep as yer father’s. I am grateful that God used ye to change me.”

“Malcolm, I have already told ye, I forgave ye a long time ago.” She brought his hand up and kissed his knuckles. “I refuse to hold grudges. I do not wish to be a product of my father’s hate, but of Christ’s love.”

“All this time ye talked ’bout yer da comin’ for ye an’ I feared ye might intend to go back to Scotland.” He cupped her cheek and offered her a weak smile.

“An’ now, Da will not be going back anytime soon either.” She shook her head in disbelief. “After questioning Keith, they let him go. I am hoping he will be willing to go back to Scotland and bring Blair to me.”

“If not, I could always write Thomas an’ Graham. They could bring her with them when they come.” He would do whatever it took to reunite Lauren with her sister.

“Here is yer water.” His mother returned, handing him a cup.

“Thank ye.” Malcolm accepted it and gulped the water. He handed her the empty cup. “Mither, will ye give us a few minutes?”

“Of course.” She nodded and left the room.

Malcolm looked at Lauren. “When I signed for that piece of property by the river, it was ye I imagined spendin’ the rest o’ my life with. ’Tis ye I want to be the mither of my children. I know I canna give ye the kind of life ye had in Scotland, but I shall give ye all my love an’ will do my best by ye. I will work hard an’ provide what I can.” He traced his knuckles over her cheek. “Mayhap, in time, ye’ll come to love me as well.”

“Malcolm MacGregor, I already love ye. Why do ye think I jumped in front of ye when I thought my da would stab ye?” Glassy tears magnified her eyes before spilling onto her cheeks. “I thought he might stop for me, but I was wrong. Scott made the same mistake, and it cost him his life.”

“I think he would have stopped for both of ye, but he had too much momentum going to pull back in time.” Malcolm moved his hand to the back of her neck and pulled her close. “Marry me, lass. Please? Let us end the MacGregor and Campbell feud right here in the colonies.” Their lips touched, sealing their fate and future together. The warm feel of her eased the tension in his head as a light-headed surge raced up his spine.

“I have been wondering how long it would take ye to ask me.” She leaned back, searching his face. “I will marry ye, Malcolm MacGregor, on one condition.”

“Which is?” He lifted an eyebrow, waiting to hear what this one obstacle would be.

“Ye name our land the MacGregor Quest as a reminder of what ye came here to achieve, but as the gift ye received from the Lord instead.” She bit her bottom lip in a mischievous grin.

“Done.” He pointed to his lips. “An’ might we seal that agreement with another kiss as well?”

“Absolutely.” Lauren burst into laughter as she leaned toward him.

Aye, the Lord had made him a contented man, indeed.

Epilogue

Epilogue

L
auren stood on the shore between Malcolm and Iona, waiting for the ship that had anchored to bring in a small boat full of passengers. There were no loading docks or wharfs like in Charles Towne. Lauren squeezed Malcolm’s hand. They had waited to marry so the rest of their family could be with them during the celebration. This time next month in October, she and Malcolm would be speaking their vows before God and making a lifelong commitment to each other.

As the boat came closer, Lauren grew more excited. She couldn’t wait to see Blair. Her sister would now be ten and three. Lauren walked to the water’s edge. Her bare feet sank into the warm sand. She could make out her sister’s long sandy brown hair flapping in the breeze. Beside her sat Keith and on the other side were Malcolm’s brothers, Thomas and Graham.

Keith picked up Blair and carried her through the water to the shore. Once he set her down, she broke into a run. Lauren let go of Malcolm and rushed to her. She was taller than Lauren remembered with the top of her head reaching Lauren’s nose instead of her chin. They embraced with tears of joy.

“I feared I would never see ye again.” Blair’s thin arms squeezed Lauren so tight that she almost cut off Lauren’s breath. “I read yer letter again and again. I could hardly believe that ye planned to marry the verra mon who took ye from us.”

“We have so much to talk about,” Lauren said. “I am not sure how much Keith told ye.”

“I know about Scott’s death, an’ how da was involved.” Blair pulled back, her watery eyes meeting Lauren’s. “I am so glad Keith was there to tell me, and I did not have to learn about it from a letter. Malcolm’s brothers have been nice but at times distant. ’Twould have been verra awkward if Keith had not been traveling with us. His presence made me feel much better.”

“Aye, I would imagine our wedding is hard for them to take as well, especially for Graham.” Lauren lowered her voice as she glanced at Malcolm greeting his brothers in a hug. “Were they civil?”

“Indeed, they were quite protective on the ship. Looked after me, as well as Keith. If any lads showed me too much attention, their scowls scared them away.”

“So they are already acting like the good brothers-in-law they should be?”

“I suppose so.” Blair giggled. “They seem to be under the impression that Malcolm would beat them if something happened to me.” She wrinkled her brow. “I wonder what he wrote in the last letter they received from him?”

“I am sure we will soon find out.” Lauren wrapped her arm around her sister’s shoulders and led her over to the men. “I think ’tis time ye meet my soon-to-be husband and his mither.”

Lauren introduced her to Malcolm. He bowed. Blair stared up at him in awe. She seemed to remember her manners and dipped into a curtsey. Her gaze slid over to Graham. “I did not think anyone could be as tall as ye, but now I realize I was indeed wrong.”

“Aye, but he lacks wit.” Graham grinned, pointing at his head and slapping Malcolm on the shoulder.

Lauren exchanged a look with Malcolm and Thomas, knowing how relieved they were to hear their younger brother joking again. Graham had healed well. He didn’t have any scars that she noticed, but he now possessed a careful wariness he didn’t have before.

Once they loaded the trunks onto the wagon, Malcolm turned and held his hands up. “Shall we show ye the MacGregor Quest? ’Tis on the way to the inn.”

“MacGregor what?” Thomas asked as he assisted his mother to the wagon and up on the front bench.

“ ’Twas Lauren’s idea,” Malcolm said as he assisted Lauren up beside his mother.

Graham swung Blair into the back. He jumped up and settled beside her. Thomas joined them a moment later. Malcolm clicked his tongue and tapped the reins, and the horses lunged forward. They followed the dirt road until they came to a two-story white house up on a hill with a circular drive. “Welcome to the MacGregor Quest.”

“Is this yer house?” Graham asked, sitting up on his knees and leaning over the side. His eyes were wide and his jaw slack. No doubt, this house looked like a mansion compared to the rock hut and dirt floor they had back in Scotland. “I never dreamed one of us MacGregors could own somethin’ so grand.”

“Aye, ’tis ours. We will be moving in after our wedding next month,” Malcolm said. “Lads, ye can apply for a land grant just like I did. Here, we are not the poor, but free men with opportunity—the way God created us to be.”

Discussion Questions

Discussion Questions

1. Lauren did an honorable thing in trading her life for Malcolm’s mom’s, yet she had to endure mistreatment, beatings, and slavery afterward. How do you learn to lean on God when doing good for others brings you nothing but pain and sorrow?

2. God’s plan for Malcolm and Lauren was to leave Scotland to come to America so they could have a better life. Would you be willing to allow God to move you from your current home for a better life?

3. Malcolm was able to subdue Lauren with chamomile tea to make her sleep. What other herbs and home remedies could have been used during this time period?

4. Indentured servitude was the only way many could come to America. Can you trace your ancestry back to anyone who was an indentured servant?

5. Lauren and Malcolm were at odds because they saw each other only on the surface before fate got them to see the people they truly were on the inside. Is there anyone in your life who you have judged on the surface without taking n the time to get to truly get to know them?

6. With all that Lauren endured, how do you think God will use this trial in her life to strengthen her as a person?

7. Malcolm started out on his journey to find Duncan Campbell on a mission of revenge. How did God use time to change Malcolm’s heart?

8. In this story we see life in Scotland, life on the ship, and life on the plantation. Put yourself in the shoes of a wealthy person in charge as well as a poor person, and discuss the differences in the realities of their lives.