The Desperate Journey Read Online Free PDF

shoulder.
    Kate Murray and her children stood watching the men as they clattered away down the hill. Behind them the smoke from the burning thatch was swept across the country by the wind from the sea. Again and again came the crash of the timbers as the roof rafters fell into the house and a shower of sparks shot up. Suddenly, as though her legs would support her no longer, Kate Murray sank to the ground, keening softly to herself. “My bairns! My bairns! What will your father say to this? What a homecoming for him!”
    Kirsty burst into tears, but Davie stood manfully, his chin upthrust, his legs firmly braced, his whole body expressing defiance and resolution. “Do not weep, Mother! We will build a new house, you will see.”
    “But where, Davie, where?” his mother asked in despair. “The factor would just pull it down again.”
    “No, not here!” Davie told her. “There will be a place found for us, Mother, you said so. My father will build another house and I will help him.”
    Kate Murray looked at the boy. “I believe you will, Davie.” A spot of rain fell on her hand. She sprang to her feet. “What shall we do? All our goods lying around and the rain beginning to fall. Where can we find shelter?” She looked wildly at the smoking ruin that had been their home. Davie was stirred to action. “There is still the cart,” he said. “They have not damaged that. If we push it against the wall there, it will make a kind of roof and protect the bedding.”
    They both helped him to push the cart over to an angle of the wall, so that it formed a roof with the two walls for additional shelter. Under it they placed the mattresses and bedding. Kirsty rescued the meal chest and was glad to find that the good hasp on it had saved the meal from being spilled. Kate collected her pots and pans, such as had not been trodden underfoot by the factor’s men.
    A clucking sound came from the kailyard. “Listen!” Kirsty said, her finger raised. “That’s Snowdrop, the white hen. She always makes a carry-on when she’s laid an egg. I’ll go see what I can find of the other eggs too.”
    She came back with three eggs in her apron. “Look what I’ve found! At least we shall not starve.”
    “I will light a fire of twigs,” Davie said, “Then maybe you could manage to cook the eggs for us, Mother. I – I’m beginning to feel hungry.” He looked half-ashamed at this admission, as he cast aglance at the smouldering house.
    “Aye, there’s fire enough there to last us all our days,” his mother sighed, but she set about the work of preparing a meal. It helped her to greater calmness.
    “Let us collect what furniture we can into a heap against the wall so it will be sheltered a little and not scattered about the place,” Davie suggested to Kirsty. When they had finished, the meal was ready and the rain had stopped. They drew chairs round the scrubbed table in the farmyard. Suddenly Davie said, “I like it, eating under the open sky.”
    Kate Murray shook her head, but she had to smile at the power of youth to find enjoyment even out of misfortune.
    “Aye, fine you like it now while the sun is shining, but wait till the bitter winds blow and the snow comes like white smoke over the green hills. Then you will want a roof over your head and a warm seat by the fire. Where shall we find that?”
    “Think you my father will build this house again?” Davie nodded towards the smoking ruin.
    Kate Murray shook her head. “Patrick Sellar would come again and destroy it again as soon as it was built. No, Davie, we must go from here and leave Culmailie for ever.”
    “Where shall we go?” Kirsty lifted her troubled little face.
    “I do not know. Your father has talked of many places, Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow. He says there is work for people in the cities.”
    “What is a city like?” Kirsty wanted to know.
    “There are many, many houses.”
    “More than in Golspie or Dornoch?”
    “Oh, yes! Your father has heard