It's been a long time since I've updated this, but once Georgie got killed and Irina had to flee from Chateau La Mere, it's been hard for me to work on. Sure, I could have not killed Georgie off, but there would have been no movement to the story, and Irina would never have had to come to Leoch and face the challenges that she is facing.

BTW, I did hate killing off Georgie but I had to. I like him a lot better than Jamie, but you must judge for yourself.

I'm feeling nervous these days, and it's not just knowing the English are out on the road, it's the fact that Collin Campbell and Black Jack Randall are with them. I don't feel safe. I'm conspicuous here, though I don't want to be. I'm not the only blond woman my age, but I don't blend in. My accent, even the fact that I look Russian with my slanted eyes and Slavic cheekbones. And I'm tall, which also makes me stand out. A soldier could ask questions about me, and an unknowing villager could tell them all they need to know.

Which could make things uncomfortable for Colum. I am one of his responsibilities now, but the English are quite ruthless. If they did learn that I was living in Leoch, and came to the keep and threatened the inhabitants, I'd give myself up rather than force Colum to do it. It's not fair, after all, he took me in and gave me refuge. I'd rather endanger myself than everyone here.

I'm so desperate that I'm thinking of leaving Baby here with Colum and Lady Lucretia That's how bad things have become. I'll leave a generous amount of money, and a letter for him to read when he's old enough, telling him why I had to do what I did. I don't want to do this, and might not be able, but I can't risk taking an infant on the road. If I leave him here, he'll be safe, or at least safer.

There's another thing that scares me, the castle is filled with Jacobites, and I don't want to get caught up with what's sure to come. And I don't know how well known their sympathies are. If Leoch isn't considered important, I'll be safe. If Collin comes here looking for me I don't know what I'll do. Maybe I can get away into the countryside, I can "rough it", so to speak, live either with or without a tent and wait until the English leave.

All this is making me crazy. I had Mrs. Fitz pack a lunch and a flask for me and I'm going to spend the day riding, and not come back until suppertime. Since the pistols aren't good for more than one shot, I'm taking along bow and arrows. I took an ancient weapons seminar and got pretty good with a bow. I feel vulnerable if I don't have something, and I can use the practice because it's been a while.

Mrs. Fitz helps me pack my lunch, along with the flask which holds a generous amount of whisky. "Be careful, dearie, she tells me, her wide blue eyes showing concern. I find her rather ridiculous, but she's a good-natured soul. And though I haven't given her a reason to, she's taken to me—and I feel rather guilty about that.

Though I could have done it myself, Rob Roy is saddled and ready for me. As I mount up and ride off, I know just where I'm going.

Geille lives in the next village with her friend. I'm going to take her riding with me and tell her everything—everything. And since she's Scottish, maybe she'll tell me her secret, which I know she has.

She's always seemed different. At first I thought it was because she must have come from a good family and was better educated than most. She's a very skilled midwife and I felt utterly comfortable in her hands. So much so that when she disappeared, I was panicking because I didn't know who I could trust to deliver my baby.

I thought it strange that she had no family, but that's not unusual in these times, whole families get wiped out by smallpox or the plague or cholera. But still something about her bothered me. She just didn't seem like a woman of these times. Even her accent is different, not so pronounced, even compared to Colum and Dougal.

Then this thought started developing in my mind. What if her difference is due to more than family and education? Just how many people have come through those stones, intentionally or otherwise? When people disappear, they just disappear. They could have thought, if disappear she did, that it was due to foul play. Not all bodies are found, not all murders are solved. My colleagues and I have stumbled upon more than one murder victim that we weren't looking for. Some things never change.

Geillis has told me that the house where she was staying was at the end of a lane. And there she was, along with her girlfriend Margaret, laying out the laundry to dry. I pulled Rob Roy up and stood smiling at her. "I found you," I said.

"So, you did," she replied, and smiled. "Would you care to stay for lunch?"

"I was wondering if your girlfriend could spare you. I'm riding and Mrs. Fitz packed enough food for three people. Rob Roy can carry both of us easily, would you like to go for a ride?"

She looked hesitant, started to demur, but then Margaret spoke up. "By all means, take her riding. She spends too much hiding, and can use the exercise and fresh air. Go with her, Geille, I'll have supper for the three of us when you get back." She paused for a moment, then said apologetically, "I'm sorry, she told me your name, but I forgot."

I slid down off Rob Roy's back, "My name is Irina and I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. Come on, Geillis, let's get going. It's too lovely of a day to waste."

I'd learned my way around Mackenzie lands and had a few favorite places to ride. Once we left the village I headed out to the moors. When I first came here I hated them, then as I grew used to them I started to appreciate that crazy wild beauty that was so unique to Scotland. I still got the "Hound of the Baskerville" heebie-jeebies sometimes. They were beautiful, yet treacherous, and I was always glad to leave them, even though they were part of my favorite ride.

There was a place where the moors yielded to grassland, and I headed there, glad as always to leave. Now there were trees and the gorse and heather had given way to wild flowers, though of a tough and weathery sort.

Rob Roy slowed of his own accord, and put his muzzle down to graze. I pulled his head up, "Not yet boy," I told him," soon as I stop to eat, you can, too." He wasn't happy about it, but being the well-behaved horse that he was, he didn't argue with me."

I found a spot under a tree, and pointed it out to Geillis. "Why don't stop there. I'll spread a blanket, and we can see what Mrs. Fitz gave us to eat." She nodded her head, and I headed Robbie there.

Being the good horse that he is, I didn't need to hobble or tie him. Not many horses will do that. He just staked out some territory and began to graze, completely ignoring us. This made Geillis laugh and laugh, but he paid no attention.

I pulled out the whisky and took a swig, then handed it to Geillis. I then turned my attention to the contents of my saddle bag, which the good Mrs. F had provided for me. She'd provided us with some baked chicken, some apples, and half a loaf of freshly baked bread. The food at Castle Leoch was nowhere near the quality of Chateau La Mere, but it was good, plain, food.

This made me realize that I'd taken the luxury I'd been living in for granted. The fine gowns, the expensive jewels, even the horses that had occupied the stable. I had money, I'd been working for a long time and had inherited some, but it was nothing like what I'd left when I'd escaped Collin. I'd had to leave my beautiful gowns behind, but I'd made sure that I took my jewelry, jewelry could be sold, either whole or broken up.

Now I was ready to leave again, and I don't know what I faced. I didn't know if I should leave my child behind, or if he would be safe coming with me.

I had another thing to deal with: should I confront Geillis? I knew what I thought, but I did not know the truth. I had helped her avoid the gallows by giving her good advice. Now might be the time for her to thank me with a little honesty. I didn't know why she wanted to go to Inverness. Was it because she had family she would turn to, or, like me because she wanted to go through the portal and get back to where she came from.

She sat up, listening attentively. "Do you hear that?" she said, "I hear horses coming down the road.

I gathered up our things and stuffed them into the saddlebags. I grabbed Rob Roy's bridle and took her by the hand. "Come on, behind the tree. It's not much of a hiding place, but it gets us out of the way. If they're on the road, they may not notice us. We don't have time to get away, not till they're past."

Rob Roy had behind the tree as best as he could, which meant he could not at all, but we were in lucky. "Irina," I heard a familiar voice call out, "Are ye there, lass?"

I was never so glad to see anyone in my life. There were Dougal and Jamie, mounted on their cobs that the Scots love so much. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Trouble," answered Jamie, "We heard reports that Black Jack Randall and Collin Campbell were on the road. If you're going to leave, lass, it had best be tonight."

"In the meantime," said Dougal, "We'll go back to the castle, but by a route the English don't know." I suspected that there were many places in the country that the English don't know about, and I'll bet that Dougal knows them all.

"Okay," I said, not caring that the expression would probably be strange to them, "I'll take Geillis with me, my horse is big enough and strong enough to bear both of us. And he's fast, faster than your ponies. I hope we don't cross paths with them, because they both ride hunters, not the ponies that you like. You'll have to leave, but I'll be careful to make sure that Robbie doesn't get ahead of you."

I mounted, then pulled Geillis up behind me. Strangely, horses did not seem to make her nervous. She kept a firm grasp on my waist without holding me too hard. Who and what are you woman, I thought.

I looked at Dougal and nodded. He and Jamie spurred their cobs, and Rob Roy took off after them with no urging of my own.

Dougal headed over the moors, in a direction I had no familiarity with. His pony, and Jamie's, were faster than I expected, but I still had to keep Rob Roy in check. I was grateful for his speed, and hoped I would not have to make use of it.

We crossed the moors, then went round a hill. Eventually Castle Leoch came into sight. We had not gone far out of our way, just enough so that we were able to arrive without anyone seeing us from the road.

We were glad to handle our mounts to the grooms. Someone was waited for us at the gate, no doubt with news. Hopefully it would be news that we would not have to leave in the middle of the night, and that we could pack and get a small wagon and a cart horse to ride in so Geillis and I wouldn't have to ride double all the way to Inverness.

Dougal was speaking in Gaelic and I could neither understand nor follow the conversation. Geillis, however, had a smattering of Gaelic and whispered to me, "It looks like they've given up, but I'm sure they'll be back. For the moment, we're safe."

For the moment, I thought. But for how long? I realized that I could delay no longer. I was going to check out of Hotel California, I'd had enough.