Beneath a Highland Moon (The Highland Moon Series 1) by Gwyn Brodie Page B

hand beneath the bottom stones until her fingers touched the latch. Grasping it tightly, she tugged on it, but it refused to budge.
    After several minutes of trying to loosen it , her fingers became raw and sore, and the latch still hadn't moved. She bit down on her bottom lip, trying to keep from bursting into tears. If she wasn't able get the latch open, all her planning was for naught and they'd all be doomed. She paced back and forth in front of the fireplace trying to think of a way to get the thing to dislodge. Then she had a thought.
    Grabbing her sgian dubh from under her pillow, she wedged it beneath the latch. She pried with all her strength, whilst at the same time fearing she'd break the blade. 'Twas a treasured gift from her father. Just when she was close to giving up hope, the latch gave way and the door swung open.
    Jillian sat back on her heels with a sigh of rel ief. Then quickly reclosed the door before anyone had a chance to come in and find it open.
    The next few hours passed slowly. By the end of gloaming, the time had come for her to give the guard the tart containing the sleeping potion.
    If Gordon should come to see her again, and find the guard sleeping with her gone, he'd think she'd just walked out the door past him—what Jillian wished him to think.
    S he carefully picked up the tart, so as not to mash it, and slowly opened her bedchamber door.
    " What is it ye want?" growled the guard, his brows pulled tightly together into a frown.
    " Winnie brought me too much food. I've a strawberry tart left and wondered if you might like to have it. I do so hate to see food go to waste." With her heart pounding, she held the tart out to him, hoping he'd not refuse it.
    She need not have worried , for it took but a second for him to grab it from her hand. Without so much as a word of thanks, he had it half eaten before she went back inside and closed the door.
    Thunder rumbled through the Highlands, and streaks of lightning lit up the night sky. The raindrops tapping against her window were a Godsend. In this weather, Gordon's men would more than likely be inside in the dry, rather than out in the cold rain. Giving her and Ian a much better chance of not being seen, as they made their way to the wood.
    In hopes that most everyone by then had gone to bed, Jillian quietly tiptoed to her bedchamber door and listened. The guard's deep snores echoed in the corridor. The sleeping potion had worked beautifully. Of course, Gordon would have his head when he found out the man had fallen asleep at his post.
    She quickly discarded her shift and pulled on the lad's shirt, then belted the plaid on. The shirt was a wee bit loose, but the bulkiness would better hide the fact that she was a female. There was no telling who they might run into whilst traveling in the Highlands. A woman alone with a child would draw too much unwanted attention. If people believed that they were a man and child, mayhap they'd be left alone. Stuffing the toes of her father's boots with stockings, she shoved her feet inside.
    She twisted her waist length hair on top of her head then secured it beneath the worn hat with combs. Jillian opened the old chest beside her bed that had been hers for as long as she could remember. She grabbed the key to the gate leading outside the curtain wall and carefully took out a locket. It had belonged to her mother—a gift from Jillian's father. It held miniatures of both her parents. She released the catch, and looked upon their smiling faces. I miss you so . After a moment, she closed it and started to put it on, but decided not to. It would be safer for her and Ian if she carried it. She carefully wrapped it and placed it in the bundle.
    After fastening on her cloak, she gathered the items she'd stored beneath her bed, adding a silver candleholder and a couple of candles for later. She didn't dare to use one now for fear someone might see the light moving across the floor from under the door. Taking her sgian