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Sarah MacCrimmon Chapter 1
Sarah MacCrimmon watched her family eat breakfast, an uneasy feeling in her stomach driving away the hunger that should have been there that late spring morning. Her husband Jamie was telling their four children one of his self-invented tall tales. Normally Sarah listened to Jamie’s tales, as captivated by the story as the children. But today her mind focused on her worry, no matter how hard she tried to get into today’s story.
She was dimly aware of the fact that the children were clapping their approval of Jamie’s now completed story. She smiled and clapped too. .Jamie’s reassuring smile told her that he knew her mind had been elsewhere.
“Are you alright, my love?” he asked. “You’ve hardly touched your breakfast.” Something flashed behind his bright eyes. “You’re not… I mean, we’re not…”
Sarah looked at him for a moment, not quite understanding what he was asking. She feigned shock, then grinned, unable to keep up the charade. “Bite your tongue, James MacCrimmon. That’s all I need right now, another wee one to look after.”
Jamie turned to the children. “You may be excused. Clear your places please.”
“Bonnie, make sure Andrew doesn’t throw out his fork please.”
Jamie turned back to Sarah. “Alright, so you’re not pregnant. But it’s big, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s nothing really. It’s… it’s stupid. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I know you better than that, Sarah MacCrimmon.” He moved closer to her and brushed his hand on her cheek. “What is it, my love?”
“I don’t know. Really, I don’t know. It’s just an uneasy feeling I have.” She placed her hand on his and smiled at him. “You’d better get going. You don’t want to be late.”
Jamie put on his hat and kissed his wife goodbye. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sarah stood in the doorway and watched him until he rounded the bend. It would be the last time she was able to see him for some time.
Sarah ran through the village square, trying to get the attention of the swarthy man who was just leaving for places unknown. “Angus! Angus MacDonald!”
Angus stopped and turned around. His smile quickly turned to concern as Sarah drew nearer. “Sarah, what is it?”
“It’s Jamie, Angus. He’s been arrested.”
“Aye, I was afraid they would try something like that sooner or later.”
“Who?”
“He hasn’t told you? Maybe you should talk to Jamie about this first.”
“Angus, I need your help. And if I’m going to help Jamie I should know what’s going on.”
“Alright, let’s go. I’ll tell you on the way.”
Sarah and Angus headed for the jail.
“So how much has Jamie told you about what’s been going on lately? I know you know he’s been speaking out lately.”
“Yes, but that’s really all I know. What’s happening?”
“Well, some folks around here would rather Jamie keep his opinions to himself. He’s made a few enemies.”
Sarah’s eyes went wide. “Angus!”
“Oh, no, not physical enemies. Nobody would try to harm him like that. No, they’re more like political enemies. I reckon they’re the ones behind Jamie being arrested. It’s just like them to discredit him that way.”
They stopped a few yards from the jail. “Alright Sarah, go talk to Jamie. Give him this message first though. ‘Angus says it will rain in an hour.’ And Sarah, watch your back too now.”
© Mike Gurak
photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
She was dimly aware of the fact that the children were clapping their approval of Jamie’s now completed story. She smiled and clapped too. .Jamie’s reassuring smile told her that he knew her mind had been elsewhere.
“Are you alright, my love?” he asked. “You’ve hardly touched your breakfast.” Something flashed behind his bright eyes. “You’re not… I mean, we’re not…”
Sarah looked at him for a moment, not quite understanding what he was asking. She feigned shock, then grinned, unable to keep up the charade. “Bite your tongue, James MacCrimmon. That’s all I need right now, another wee one to look after.”
Jamie turned to the children. “You may be excused. Clear your places please.”
“Bonnie, make sure Andrew doesn’t throw out his fork please.”
Jamie turned back to Sarah. “Alright, so you’re not pregnant. But it’s big, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s nothing really. It’s… it’s stupid. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I know you better than that, Sarah MacCrimmon.” He moved closer to her and brushed his hand on her cheek. “What is it, my love?”
“I don’t know. Really, I don’t know. It’s just an uneasy feeling I have.” She placed her hand on his and smiled at him. “You’d better get going. You don’t want to be late.”
Jamie put on his hat and kissed his wife goodbye. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Sarah stood in the doorway and watched him until he rounded the bend. It would be the last time she was able to see him for some time.
Sarah ran through the village square, trying to get the attention of the swarthy man who was just leaving for places unknown. “Angus! Angus MacDonald!”
Angus stopped and turned around. His smile quickly turned to concern as Sarah drew nearer. “Sarah, what is it?”
“It’s Jamie, Angus. He’s been arrested.”
“Aye, I was afraid they would try something like that sooner or later.”
“Who?”
“He hasn’t told you? Maybe you should talk to Jamie about this first.”
“Angus, I need your help. And if I’m going to help Jamie I should know what’s going on.”
“Alright, let’s go. I’ll tell you on the way.”
Sarah and Angus headed for the jail.
“So how much has Jamie told you about what’s been going on lately? I know you know he’s been speaking out lately.”
“Yes, but that’s really all I know. What’s happening?”
“Well, some folks around here would rather Jamie keep his opinions to himself. He’s made a few enemies.”
Sarah’s eyes went wide. “Angus!”
“Oh, no, not physical enemies. Nobody would try to harm him like that. No, they’re more like political enemies. I reckon they’re the ones behind Jamie being arrested. It’s just like them to discredit him that way.”
They stopped a few yards from the jail. “Alright Sarah, go talk to Jamie. Give him this message first though. ‘Angus says it will rain in an hour.’ And Sarah, watch your back too now.”
© Mike Gurak
photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash
