Its a place you go to study. Like school, but more difficult. His voice rose with enthusiasm. Like you do with your uncle.
But I see you after you finish study. In the evening. Her eyes were very intense, holding his.
He felt uncomfortable. No, Brid. We cant do that, he said gently. Im going to Edinburgh. Its a long way from here. I shall be staying there.
But you will come back? To see your father? Like I come back to see my mother and Gartnait.
He looked away. The sun reflecting on the water made him screw up his eyes against the glare. Yes. Ill come back.
He wondered if that was a lie. He never wanted to come back to the manse. Not if he could help it. But what if that meant he would never see Brid again? He looked back at her and gave her a reassuring smile. Weve plenty of time, Brid. I dont go for weeks and weeks and weeks. It still seemed like forever. Taking her hand he pulled her sharply so she tumbled forward into his arms. Lets make the most of now, shall we? The future could take care of itself.
They never got as far as the stone, that day or the next. Adam went back to the manse and collected his camping things. He knew Jeannie probably suspected that he would not be sleeping in his small tent alone, but she said nothing, giving him a huge bag of food to keep him going while he watched the birds. Loaded with tent and sleeping bag and groundsheet, a Primus stove, saucepan, food, bird book and binoculars, he could hardly walk as he set off once more towards the hill. The weight did not matter. Brid was waiting for him, and anyway they were not going far.
They camped only a hundred yards from the falls. There, to his intense embarrassment, she gave him an intricately worked silver pendant on a chain, hanging it herself around his neck. For you, A-dam. Forever.
Brid! Men dont wear things like this! He flinched uncomfortably as it nestled against his chest.
She laughed. Men in my world wear this with pride, A-dam. It is a love token. She pulled the edges of his collar across to hide it and kissed him firmly on the lips. Before very long he had forgotten it was there.
Two evenings later, with the dark blue velvet of the sky sprinkled with pale stars, Gartnait found them.
How long have you been here? He looked furious.
Not long. Brid glared at him.
I look for you everywhere. Everywhere! he repeated. Broichan is at our mothers house. He is angry! The emphasis he placed on the last word spoke volumes.
I have a holiday. Brid looked mutinous.
Holiday? Gartnait repeated the word puzzled. Then without waiting for elucidation he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. You have been here with A-dam? His face betrayed a succession of emotions: anger; fear; suspicion. Brid, you have stayed here? Here? On the other side?
Brids chin rose, if anything, a little higher. But there was a touch of colour in her cheeks. I like it here. I saw A-dams village; I saw his house, she said defiantly.
And what will you say to our uncle?
I will say nothing. I came to see our mother.
Adam had not dared meet Gartnaits eye. He knew what they had done was wrong. It was his fault. He was the man. He should have said no. He should have sent her away. Only they both knew that was impossible. Even now, as he looked at Brid and saw the heightened colour in her cheeks, the silky sheen of her hair, still dishevelled from their love-making in the tent only minutes before Gartnait had appeared, and the line of her long slim tanned thigh beneath her skirt, he could feel his desire running rampant through his veins. Clenching his fists he looked away from her. Cant you say you couldnt find her? he said to Gartnait.
You want me to tell my uncle lies? Gartnait looked at him disparagingly.
Not lies. It was Adams turn to blush. Just say you looked everywhere.
He knows I looked everywhere, Gartnait replied bitterly. He knows there was nowhere else to look.
He must not know you have come here, Brid put in anxiously.
Nor you, little sister. Gartnait shook his head. Or he will kill us both.
There was a moment of silence. Adam felt the small hairs stand up suddenly on the back of his neck.
Brids huge grey eyes were fixed on her brothers. It was as if they had forgotten he was there.
Adam swallowed hard. Look, I know hell be angry, but Ill explain His voice tailed away. He was remembering his previous encounters with Broichan.
Brid was very pale. A-dam. You stay here in your tent. I will go and see my uncle. Then I will come back. She sounded very confident.
But I should come with you.
No, you know that is not possible. Better he does not know I have ever seen you again, my A-dam. Her voice softened suddenly as she saw his stricken face and she darted over to drop a kiss on his forehead. I will come back soon. You see she broke off abruptly and he saw her gaze pass to the edge of the clearing.
Adam craned round in sudden terror and saw to his intense relief a familiar face staring at them over the rim of the bank. His friend, Robbie, was scrambling towards them, grinning broadly, when he stopped abruptly, his whole expression frozen into fear. Adam looked round and saw that Gartnait had drawn the knife he wore habitually at his belt.
Gartnait! he cried, alarmed. He is my friend. Its all right. The whole afternoon was turning into a hideous nightmare. Put it away. Hes my friend.
Reluctantly Gartnait sheathed the knife, but his face remained sullen and hostile as Robbie, after a moments hesitation, came forward.
Adam, you old devil, I didnt know you were going to camp. He recognised the tent. He had one just like it and in the past the two boys had often camped side by side. He was staring first at Brid and then at Gartnait. Who are your friends?
Adam frowned, reluctant to introduce them. Gartnait and Brid were a part of his own private world, his secret world, which had nothing to do with home. He repeated their names without enthusiasm. They were just going, he added as the two young men bowed at one another stiffly.
Brid reached up and unself-consciously kissed Adam on the cheek. I will see you soon. She smiled at him and touched his face with her hand. For a fraction of a second she clawed her fingers and he thought he heard a gentle purr. Then she and Gartnait had gone.
Robbie whistled. Who on earth were they? He sat down next to Adam and stared at him hard. Theyre not from round here. What weird clothes!
Adam was shivering. Not for the first time he realised that something about Brid frightened him intensely. I met them over the other side of the hill, he said slowly. Gartnait is a stone carver. He travels around.
And the beautiful young lady? Robbies eyes were alight with intrigue.
Adam forced himself to smile. Shes his sister.
Robbie punched him on the shoulder. You randy old devil! How did you manage to get yourself a girlfriend like that!
Adam flushed painfully and he felt a shock of annoyance go through him as well as fear. In spite of himself he glanced round. But they were alone in the centre of the huge bowl of the surrounding hills. Dont be daft. Shes no one. Just someone I met. Even as he said it he felt he was betraying her, but Brid and Gartnait and Robbie were worlds apart and he intended to keep them that way. He felt the cold weight of silver on his chest suddenly and shrugged the open neck of his shirt closed, surreptitiously fastening the button. He had no intention of letting Robbie see the pendant round his neck. As soon as he was alone he would remove it.
He stayed alone in the tent that night, but she did not return. Nor the next, and on the Saturday Adam packed up his gear and took it back to the manse.
With something like relief he put her out of his mind. Three times the following week he cycled over to Robbies and together they planned what they would do when they got to Edinburgh. It was finally beginning to dawn on Adam that he was actually leaving, and his thoughts turned to Brid less and less often, visiting him only at night in his dreams. Her silver charm was hidden in a box in the bottom of one of his drawers.
His results arrived; his grades were excellent and his place at medical school was confirmed. Numb with shock and excitement he received the news in his fathers study and stood looking down at the letter in his hand.
Congratulations, Adam. Thomas smiled at him. I am very proud of you.
Adam was speechless for a moment. He read the letter again. There was no doubt; there it was in black and white.
A great step, his father went on. Youll make a fine doctor one day, son.
Thank you, Father. At last Adam found his tongue.
In half an hour it hit him with dizzying force. He was on his way. He was going to the city. He was leaving the manse forever. He did not intend to come back, even in the vacations. He was going to be a doctor.
This time he did not give Brid a seconds thought.
Broichan was waiting when Brid returned to the bothy with Gartnait, seated in front of the fire. There was no sign of Gemma.
So, you have been trespassing beyond our world. You have lied and cheated and broken your vows!
No! Brid faced him, her cheeks flaming. I have betrayed no one!
You have betrayed me. And you have betrayed your gods. Broichan had not raised his voice. On your horse. We leave now for the north.
But Im staying here
You are staying nowhere! Broichan stood up, towering over her. You have betrayed your brother and your mother. You have betrayed the blood that runs in your veins. You have betrayed your calling
You have no proof of any of this! You are guessing
I have proof enough. I have watched you in the fire and in the water. I have seen you lying like a drab with the boy son of the Jesus priest. He moved towards her and Brid flinched backwards. Collect your bags and come now, or I shall tie you like a slave and drag you behind my horse!
She had no choice. Trembling, Brid collected her belongings, kissed Gemma, who had been waiting silent and afraid inside the bothy, and climbed onto her pony. Somehow she managed to keep her head high, the colour still strong in her cheeks, as Broichan led the way up onto the track where his servants and his escort were waiting.
The sun had barely moved a hands breadth across the sky when the riders crossed over into the next glen and were lost from sight.
Once back at Craig Phádraig, she settled into the routine of the seminary, avoiding Broichan as much as possible, her defiance secret, her anger against him simmering, comforting herself in the lonely evenings with the knowledge that Broichan was jealous of her power and by watching Adam from afar. When he joined Robbie for bicycle rides or hikes in the hills she could see them from the body of a skylark, high above the fields; when he lay at night in bed, dreaming of her, she knew it and crept to the window sill in the body of a village cat, purring with secret delight, and when he swam in the burn up on the hillside, relishing the last of the summers heat, she thought herself into the slim brown body of a mountain trout and flicked her tail against his naked thighs.
It was while she was watching Adam in her quiet cell one stormy autumnal night that Broichan walked in and caught her.
So, little cat, you have learned to spy on your lover. Broichans voice was a silky murmur.
Brid jumped with fear. The small room, lit only by the smoky flame of an oil lamp, was full of leaping shadows.
Watching her, Broichan smiled. Such a waste. You have great gifts, my niece. You could have been a priestess, a seer, a bard, who knows, even a queen. He folded his arms under his cloak. But you choose to betray me. You cannot be trusted with your talents you waste them on a village boy and sully your initiation vows. Only one thing can redeem you, little Brid. Your blood shall be given to the gods with your brothers when the time comes to dedicate the stone, so that your soul can be born again in a fresh guileless body
No! She made to stand up, her face as white as alabaster, but he raised his hand and held it in front of her.
Between his fingers, swinging at the end of a fine gold chain, was the egg-shaped polished red stone, its translucence gleaming in the light of the flame. Dont move, little Brid. Dont even blink your eyes. You see, I can enchant you with the magic sleep and hold you here until I need you. He laughed softly. Poor little niece. So clever, but not quite clever enough. He reached into the depths of his clothes and brought out a long-bladed knife. He held it for a moment in front of her unblinking eyes, letting the light of the flickering flame play on the gleaming blade. Gently he pressed it flat against her cheek. She did not flinch and he chuckled. You will remember nothing of this, little Brid. Nothing at all when you awake. You will obey me and you will stay quietly here, to await your fate. Tucking the knife away again he leaned forward and snapped his fingers under her nose.
She jumped and stared at him, blinking. Uncle
You work too hard, Niece. Broichan gave a cruel laugh. Sleep now. I have great plans for you, my dear.
He walked out of the small room. Behind him the flame on the lamp flickered.
The evening before he was due to go to Edinburgh Adam walked up one last time towards the stone. His trunk was packed and strapped, ready to go, in the hall. Tomorrow the carter would pick it up and take it to the station.
He was feeling a little guilty as he climbed the hillside. Overwhelmed with excitement about the future he had spared practically no thought for Brid and Gartnait at all over the last month. In his knapsack was a chocolate cake. A peace offering and perhaps a farewell.
The stone was in shadow. Panting slightly he stood as he had so often, running his fingers over the intricate designs carved on it. Below him, the hillside fell away into the velvet night. High above, on the west-facing slope, the sunlight still reflected pink onto the blackened heather and the rock. The evening was very still. He could hear no birds. Even the wind in the sparse grasses had died. He slung his bag off his shoulder and dropped it, then he stepped away from the stone. The Z-shaped cut he thought of it as a lightning bolt, though Gartnait called it the broken spear threw a hard narrow shadow across the smoothed surface of the granite. Beside it the carved serpent writhed unfinished, the tail only half drawn. It was the only incomplete carving on the stone. Under it the mirror looked as though someone had been scraping at it. The lichen had been rubbed away. He frowned. That was strange. As far as he knew he was the only person in the whole world, apart from Brid and Gartnait, who ever came to this lonely spot.
He walked slowly round, mentally recording each detail of the place that had meant so much to him, as though already he knew he would never come back. His plan was to leave the cake behind. He was pretty sure that Brid would not find it, but the birds and animals of the high screes would.