Kirsty's Glen, by Stephanie Scott

A Book for kids who love to travel. Check back for more chapters!

 Chapter 1

As the sun was going down beyond the distant purple *heather, and the cool winds blew through Kirsty’s long *tresses, as she sat dreaming about all that would be happening tomorrow. Her elder sister, Isabel, was to be married to Roddy Cameron, a fair young man who lived at the far side of the *glen that spread below her. It would be a grand affair and relatives from near and far would be a’coming.

Kirsty’s glen rested in the beautiful hills of northern Scotland, where her family worked on the clan farm. It was a beautiful piece of land they worked, and their clan chieftain, *Laird Donald MacDonald of Glengarry was a kind man.

Kirsty’s father, Calum, was a hard-working farmer, rough in his outward ways, yet he had a soft heart, especially for Kirsty and his other beloved children. He would often take them out into the hills and show them the beauties of creation. Calum had a deep faith in God. He was a loving man and always took time to give God the honor and love he believed was due Him.

As she lay there on the hillside, Kirsty could see her father and two brothers in the distance, returning from their long day’s work in the fields. They would be hungry now and her mother would be looking for her to help get supper on the table.

Kirsty jumped up and dashed down the side of the hill, skipping over the patches of thistles that were growing wild among the heather covered hills. She would be back, she thought, in plenty of time to help her mother. Her sister, Isabel, was over at her cousin Catriona’s, getting fitted with a beautiful new dress specially made for tomorrow’s wedding.

 “As she lay there on the hillside, Kirsty could see her father and two brothers in the distance, returning from their long day’s work in the fields.”

As she neared the cottage, she could smell the *peat burning in the oven and knew her mother was baking up some special treats for the marriage supper. It would be wonderful! And even the chieftain himself promised he would do his best to be there.    

“Hello, James!” she called out as she neared the house. James, the chieftain’s elder son, was just coming out of the humble cottage. Turning to face her, his bright red hair sparkled in the sunlight, and he smiled at her.

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Kirsty! My, how you have changed!” he said.      

James remembered that the last time that he saw her she had been covered in mud, with her hair in tangles, after having fallen in a bog while playing with her younger brother! Now, two years later, there she stood, a young *lassie, with beautiful raven black hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was quite a different picture now, outfitted in a lovely dress.

“You have become a beautiful lass, you have. My, your father must be proud of you!”

Her cheeks were already pink from running down the hill, so James never noticed the blush his comment, and his admiring look, had put on her face.

“Well, James,” she answered, “it took long enough for you to come visiting, I suppose the next time we’ll be seeing you will be at another wedding!”

Her mother came out from the kitchen just in time to hear this and said: “Kirsty, hush! You shouldn’t be speaking to your laird like that! He came all the way here to let us know that his good father has provided a special treat for the wedding tomorrow, and he has brought us some fresh salmon from his stream for our guests.”

Kirsty thanked him and with a quick glance back at him, went into the kitchen to get busy with the dinner preparation.

James was thoughtful on his way home. He kept seeing Kirsty’s beautiful face in his mind. James was now 18 years old, and heir to his father’s land. He would be the next chieftain, and thereby become one of the greatest land-owners around, the MacDonalds being one of the great clans of this Highland region.

“Kirsty must be about 16 years old by now,” he thought, and she seemed quite different from the *mischievous little girl who had played tricks on him the last time he had visited this part of his highland glen. She had truly blossomed into a fine young lass!

“Well,” he thought to himself, “this wedding celebration is looking better all the time!”
It was quite dark by now, and James, who knew the lay of the land well, quickened his horse’s pace as he wanted to be back at his father’s castle in time to welcome some guests who were due tonight.

((…End of Chapter 1…))

Kirsty's Glen, written and illustrated by Stephanie Scott. 

You can read our interview with Stephanie here.

Check back for the rest of the book!

Chapter 2