She looked upon Ascog Mere with a superstitious dread, for the people of
Bute believed that it was a place of punishment for unhappy spirits, who
might often be heard wailing in the dismal morass about its margin. She
heard such a wailing even now, though perhaps it was but the whistling
of the wintry wind among the frozen reeds, or the tinkling of the ice
that was gathering in a film at the water's verge.
Hastening her steps, she sought the shelter of the tall fir trees, and
made her way to the southern point of the lake that she might reach the
western shores of the island, and so take a fisher's boat across to
Gigha by the same easy course that Kenric had taken with her three
months before. The journey must now be taken alone, for she meant that
the vengeful work she contemplated should be secret, and that Earl
Kenric should be rid of his dangerous enemy without knowing by whom or
by what means Roderic had been slain.
Scarcely had Aasta emerged from among the trees and crossed towards the
lake when she heard the beating of footsteps upon the hard ground. She
stood still and listened. Nearer and nearer the footsteps advanced, and
presently at the top of a bald knoll in front of her there appeared the
tall figure of a man. He was covered by a seaman's great cloak, which he
held partly over his face to shield him from the cutting wind.
Pages:
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274