Page 60 of Love Set Apart
“Ye’ll feel it more tomorrow. We should get a good night’s sleep if possible.”
They found a spot in the field they’d been riding through where they could stomp down the grass, making a little nest for themselves. Robert removed plaids from his saddle bag and laid them out on the ground.
“Ye’re certainly prepared,” Edna noted.
“Always,” Robert replied.
They would use their saddles for pillows. And while Edna and Angus arranged everything so the three of them would be as comfortable as possible, Robert made a small fire to keep them warm.
Angus removed something wrapped in paper from his saddle bag.
“What have ye got there?” Edna asked.
“I stopped at the baker’s as we were leaving the city. I kenned I could catch up with them and assumed food might be something we’d need, so I picked up some bread and candied chestnuts.” He handed the bag to Edna.
“Angus, ye are a blessing.”
“And doona forget genius,” he teased.
“How could I?” she tipped her head and hoped that her smile showed him how much she loved him.
They sat around the fire and shared the bread and chestnuts. Angus also had pouches of wine that he’d worn across his body while they rode.
“This is lovely,” Edna said, sipping some of the wine. “The only thing that could make it more perfect would be if Emilie were here with us.”
“She would enjoy this,” Robert said.
“Are ye feeling that ye may finally get what ye’ve wanted all along?” Edna asked.
“I doona wish to tempt fate, but aye. To have Emilie as me wife is all I’ve thought about since I first set eyes on her. It will make me life complete.” His voice was quiet, almost wistful and in the light of the fire, Edna could see Robert smile softly.
“I doona believe in tempting fate either, but I have a good feeling that all yer dreams will come true.” Edna snuggled up against Angus, enjoying the crackle of the fire and the distinctive sound of crickets nearby.
“If ye doona mind, I think I’ll sleep now.” Robert reclined, placing his head on his saddle.
“Of course,” Angus said. “I will keep first watch.”
“I’ll join ye, if ye doona mind,” Edna said.
“Naething would make me happier.” Angus kissed the top of her head as she leaned into him.
“It looks like we did it, Angus,” Edna whispered.
“We’re no’ there yet, love.”
“I ken, but we’ve gotten Emilie out of her marriage contract and both of them out of the palace.”
“True, but in actual fact, it seems they did both of those things without our help.”
“Ye’re right. I cannae take credit for that, but we are helping them to get away and to make plans for their life together.”
“We’ll see how things go tomorrow at the convent.” Angus, it seemed, didn’t want to tempt fate any more than Edna or Robert.
“It should be an easy thing to have her released from the convent.” Edna couldn’t imagine they would want to keep Emilie there once they understood that love was at stake. The nuns certainly wouldn’t stand in the way of that.
The night grew even quieter. Angus stoked the fire, adding more wood to keep it going. In a few hours they would be on their way to Port-Royal Abbey and Edna and Angus would be closer to going back home.
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