“If my true love she’ll not come,
Then I’ll surely find another,
To pull wild mountain thyme,
All around the purple heather.
Will you go, lassie, go?”
The face of the man who had spent years in military and political service grew as still as a marble bust. Then he turned his attention away from the musicians once more and focused on Annie, asking her if she was enjoying the shortbread. Annie smiled and offered him a piece. Until the end of the song, the two kept their eyes on each other, as though the singer did not exist.
But Alice and Peggy, intrigued by the boldness of the woman, felt no need to ignore her. They enjoyed the rest of their lunch while keeping track of the performance and the woman’s gaze, which moved over to Annie after a while.
Then, the singer announced the final song, The Banks o’ Doon. About halfway through the lyrics her eyes returned to Annie. Peggy leaned over the table toward Annie and Ian. Positioning her arm as though to brace herself but actually trying to shield her mouth from the musicians, she whispered, “Um, Annie, you might want to take a look and listen to the singer.”
Both Ian and Annie reluctantly turned their focus from each other to the performance. As soon as she saw Annie’s attention had been won, the woman looked straight into her green eyes and sang:
“With lightsome heart I put a rose,
Full sweet upon its thorny tree;
And my false lover stole my rose,
But, ah! He left the thorns wi’ me.”
When she began the final verse, her eyes turned away from Annie to finally perform for the entire audience.
“What was that all about?” Peggy mouthed to her friends.
Bafflement covered Annie’s features. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m going to see if I can talk to her as soon as the music stops.”
“I think Wally and I should accompany you,” said Ian. Wally nodded his agreement.
Annie paused, and then reluctantly agreed. “Just be sure you don’t intimidate her. I really want to be able to find out what she meant by singing that verse specifically to me. A false lover? Stealing her rose? What’s that got to do with me?” She turned to Ian. “Or you for that matter? Why she was flirting with you long before she noticed me?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been that startled or uncomfortable,” Ian admitted. “Look, they’re ending. Let’s go.”
The band was taking their bows to the enthusiastic applause of the audience. Had the two members of the Stony Point group not been singled out for such unusual attention, they would also have been vigorously clapping. Instead, Annie and her two bodyguards stood to move toward the platform, while Alice, Peggy, and Emily tidied the table, although their eyes followed their three friends.
As they approached the area where the musicians were gathering their instruments, Annie raised her voice above the noisy crowd. “Excuse me, Miss! May I talk to you for a moment?”
The sapphire eyes of the beautiful woman barely brushed Annie’s face before she turned toward the back of the tent. When Annie and the men began to follow her, two burly men in kilts who had been stationed by the exit stepped forward to block their path.
“I only want to ask her about the last song she sang,” Annie explained.
The two men crossed their arms, remaining silent.
Ian took her hand, lightly squeezing, “It’s OK. Let’s get back to the others.”
Annie, though disappointed, nodded to the kilted men and allowed Ian to draw her away, with Wally following them. As soon as they were a safe distance from them, Ian said to the other two. “Quick! Maybe we can go out the front and still catch her behind the tent.”
The three hurried, trying to make as little commotion as possible, to the table where they had eaten. Alerting Alice and Peggy quickly, they all rushed for the entrance.
10
Fairly tumbling out into the sunshine, the two men, three women and one little girl blinked as their eyes adjusted to the brightness.
“This way!” Ian waved for the group to follow him around the right side of the large tent toward the exit where the singer had fled. Wally scooped Emily up into his arms so she wouldn’t be trampled.
Before the friends reached their destination, a large shadow passed over them. Alice glanced up and shrieked, “Everybody, duck!” Pulling Peggy, who was next to her, down with her, she huddled against the side of the tent as the huge golden eagle from the demonstration swooped over their heads, talons extended forward. Wally turned with his back toward the raptor, hunching over to provide as much protection for his daughter as possible. Ian threw his arm around Annie and crouched, seeking to do the same.