Part 3 of the continuing story for Beltane Night

Many tasks would need to be done when she returned home with her gathered herbs and roots. She started ponder over the list of things she'd still need to do before the day was done.
She would have to separate the different items into groups and lay the herbs out in bundles to be strung upside down and hung from the ceiling for drying. The roots would have to be separated and laid out individually for drying as well.
Nan had a special shed that her father had built for her for this purpose. Open rafters where the herbs could be hung and long shelves lining the walls for the herbs to dry on. She visualized how she would do her work and where each of these found things would be placed.
While deep in thought about this and walking as fast as she could toward home...she passed to closely to a huge bramble and got her bulging sack caught on a twist of bramble thorns. She tugged at the sack to release it, gently at first with no success, then a bit harder, still no good. So she leaned the weight of her body into it a tugged as hard as she could...this time it let loose...but not without first tearing the sack. Some of her twigs and roots spilled out onto the ground (now become moist with the dew falling).

"Oh...hell's bells" Nan said under her breath as she put down the sack and started to gather up the spilled items and place them through the top opening. She sat down, removed the ribbon she'd had her hair tied back with and started to repair the hole in the bottom by tying it up with the ribbon. She could feel the moisture of the dew soaking through the back of her dress as she finished ans stood up....and there right in front of her face was a young blond haired man, with sharp blue eyes....not more than 3 inches from her face.
She gasped and stepped back..."Oh...I didn't see you there!"

"Oh...well I've been standing here for awhile watching you fix your sack. It looks quite heavy....may I help you by carrying it for you?" his face almost glowed he was so handsome.

Nan didn't know what to say ...still in shock from their first encounter.
"I don't remember ever seeing you here before....who are you? ....I mean ...I'm not one to take help from a stranger...and I don't know you."

"I am Gillian, ...there ...now you know me."and with that he picked up her sack and threw it over his shoulder and started to walk.

Nan unconsciously walked along side him and felt a bit dreamy every time she looked into his eyes, ....they were so blue.

"This sack is really filled to the brim and heavy...what is in here?" Gillian laughed.

"Herbs, twigs and roots for medicine....for the local people and their livestock. I needed to gather them today for the spring and summer season. Where do your people live?"

" Oh....here and there....we have a few homes here in the Highlands and move when the weather is right for one or the other. How did you learn about herbal lore ?"

"There was a woman here in the Glen that I would go with when she gathered her herbs and such when I was really young...she was a good friend of my mum's and I learned everything she had to teach me ....before she passed away...that was about 2 years ago. The rest came from books that I bought when we'd go into Inverness to buy supplies. I guess you could say I've been at this most of my life. Just something that I happen to be good at."

They talked and walked and before she knew it...she was at the edge of her parents field. darkness had fallen long before...but she hadn't notice. When they stopped there at the field's edge, suddenly she realized how late in had become. You could plainly see the blaze of the bonfires on the hillside and hear a low rumbling of music and laughter.
Gillian set down the heavy sack, "Well...here you are...safe and sound. But...you still haven't told me your name."

Nan's face flushed a bit with the abrupt realization that she didn't want this night to end, "I'm Nancy....but everyone calls me Nan."
She cast her eyes down so he couldn't see what she was thinking.

"Well, Nan...I would very much like to see you again. This has been very pleasant talking and walking with you, ....can we meet again?"

So the 2 stood and talked for a little longer and arrange to meet up again the next day...at evening time ...2 hours before dusk.

Nan bent over to pick up her sack...said "Good bye" and turned to walk home. Seconds later she turned again to look one more time at him as he walked away....but....he was no where to be seen. Nan shrugged this off ... thinking it must be a trick of the darkness.

End Part 3