“Why are you not there now?”
Eachann started to laugh. “The MacDuff sent us to find you.”
“The MacDuff? The same MacDuff who would rather surrender than fight?”
“The very same. They have gone into hiding for fear Neasan will attack them next. Someone told Neasan you were seen on MacDuff land and they have lost half a lifetime fretting over it. Neasan only sent one lad to demand the MacDuff turn you over, and when we captured him, he could not thank us enough. He says Neasan screams his rage into the night and none can sleep.”
“What have you done with the one you captured?”
“We took him to the Swintons where the others are held.”
“What others?”
“At last count, seventeen.”
“Will they fight with us?”
“Sawney, all of Scotland will fight with you. All you need do is ask. Neasan is a blight on the land and needs getting rid of.”
“Why do the MacGreagors not rid themselves of him?”
“Perhaps they do not yet know who to trust or how many will fight against them,” said Lenox. “They are family still.”
“Brother,” said Hew. “We should take the bone back. We can put both ends in the ground and let the wee ones play on it. The people should be reminded daily of their wrong choice.”
Sawney nodded. “And someday we will tell our children the story of the bone?”
“That we will.” It was good to be going home. There was a woman Hew longed to see again.
LATE INTO THE NIGHT, Sawney, together with Laird Kennedy, Laird Swinton, Laird Haldane, the new Graham laird, and even Laird MacDuff met in Laird Kennedy’s keep to plan their attack. With so many available men, it was doubtful they would lose, but Sawney was not willing that any should die. The Davidsons were honor bound to fight, having given their pledges to Neasan, and there was little the MacGreagors could do about that.
Sawney’s hope was to so overwhelm them with numbers, they would lay down their weapons and break their pledges. It was a terrible thing for a man to do and each would carry the shame the rest of his life, but Sawney could see no other choice. They were good men, most of them, and some were his relatives. For two more days they made ready, spreading the word Sawney was truly back, sharpening their swords and making new arrows.
CARLEY WAS SO RELIEVED when Grant brought her the news, she wanted to jump for joy. Her sons were with Sawney, they were well and their families were safe. Now all she had to do was wait.
At the same time, Bearcha told Neasan, who marched from place to place, screamed at the top of his lungs and ordered the men to prepared for war. He was excited, the clan was not.
They were somehow short of swords and the tools necessary to sharpen them. Men were forced to commandeer age-old weapons hung on the walls of cottages for decoration or as souvenirs. With no time to prepare, they scurried around finding what they could while worrying they would not survive. Women cried as did children. Neasan went into the Keep and got very, very quiet, which was more frightening to some than facing a battle.
How many men did Sawney have with him? No one seemed to know. It could be twenty, thirty, or a hundred, and some of the Davidsons were bound to be injured if not killed. Furthermore, they were about to fight Sawney, the son of a man they all loved and admired. How had this happened? How had they come to this end?
GRANT AND BEARCHA SAT on the short stonewall in the courtyard and watched. Bearcha tried to think of one more thing that might push Neasan’s madness over the edge, hoping he would not order them to fight. “Perhaps I should say Paisley wed another?”
“That might do it,” Grant agreed. “Dena says he will not allow her to go into Paisley’s bedchamber and it is the only room he has not destroyed.”
“Even to find Justin’s gold?”
“She says not.”
Bearcha shrugged. “I am surprised he has not killed Dena by now.”
“As am I,” Grant agreed. “She did lie, did she not?”
“I am convinced of it. Dena has no sickness in the mornings and looks well enough.”
“I wonder what Sawney will do with her. What does a laird do with a lass who was once mistress and is no more?”
“He will send her away with Neasan, if he lets Neasan live.”
“Unless Neasan wins.”
Bearcha closed his eyes for just a moment. “I do not intend to let that happen.”
“How will you prevent it?”
“You will see. Just now, I best let Neasan know what we just heard about Paisley.”
Grant remained seated on the short wall, watched Bearcha enter the Keep and waited. A moment later, something crashed inside and he knew the deed was done. He smiled.
AT DAWN, MEN FROM FIVE different clans mounted their horses and headed for the Davidson glen. When they neared, they slowed so Neasan would not hear them. Then they dismounted, tied their horses to the trees, and followed Sawney on foot into the glen.
To Sawney’s surprise, there were no whistles from the guards signaling his arrival, although he did spot a man running through the forest. He drew his sword and kept going, taking step after step closer to the village until he stopped. Soon, sixteen archers ran to the front, knelt down in front of Sawney, and prepared to shoot their arrows at the Davidsons.
Hew stood next to his brother with his sword also drawn and Keter, Sawney’s second in command stood on the other side. The ten faithful MacGreagors, dressed in Campbell blue, stood in the middle of the second line with six Haldane on each side of them eager to seek revenge for their burned homes. The third line consisted of Swintons wearing yellow kilts, the fourth of Kennedys in red and wearing dark blue were the Grahams in the fifth line. The MacDuffs dressed in faded green, those that were not in the trees shivering, brought up the rear.
It was an impressive sight and one Bearcha hoped never to see again. Even as quiet as the opposing forces were trying to be, he heard them and rushed to the courtyard to see what was happening. He wondered if he should wake Neasan or leave him to his wine induced coma for a while longer.
At last, Bearcha gave the whistle that signaled danger and almost instantly, cottage doors flew open, women and children fled to the forest, while reluctant men armed themselves and headed for the courtyard. Not one of them neglected to let his jaw drop once he saw the vast numbers of Sawney’s forces. Nor did any run and for a moment, Bearcha was proud of each of them.
The crash of a chair hitting the wall in the third-story bedchamber made them all look up, including Sawney’s army. It was clear Neasan was awake and now it was up to Laird Davidson to give the command.
Bearcha expected Neasan to come charging out, but the minutes seemed to slowly tick by and still the Keep door did not open. He suspected Neasan was getting dressed, or forgot where he last left his sword, or perhaps he wanted to kill Dena first. He was about to go inside when Neasan finally leaned out of the top window. “What are you waiting for? Kill them, kill them all!”
The Davidsons could not believe their eyes. Neasan was not coming out to fight with them? He was a coward? After all the bragging, the man intended to hide inside, making them fight for him alone? Slowly, they looked down the glen at the massive opposing force.
With a nod of Sawney’s head, the missing Davidsons came out of the forest to stand with Neasan’s men, but still they were a pitiful force that would surely lose against so many.
He did not want to, but as Neasan’s first in command, William ordered his men to line up facing Sawney. He had to remind them of their pledges, but at length, they complied. What else could they do?
Yet Bearcha remained in the courtyard. His sword still in its sheath, Bearcha climbed up to stand on the wall, cupped his hands, and yelled, “Sawney?”
Sawney took a step forward. He hoped they meant to surrender, but he did not think they would. “Aye, Bearcha.”
“If a lad gives his pledge to fight for two different lairds, which must he honor?”
&
nbsp; Sawney tried to figure out what Bearcha was getting at but he truly had no idea. “The first,” he shouted back.
“Do you remember the day we fought the MacNab?”
He was beginning to see what his old friend was up to and turned to look at Hew. Hew’s smile told him all he needed to know. “We were just laddies fighting with wooden swords, yet we won that battle as I recall,” said Sawney.
Hew grinned. “Aye, we did, but you would not let us fight until we gave you our pledge.”
“Thank you, Bearcha,” Sawney whispered then he drove the tip of his heavy sword into the ground in front of him and cupped both hands. “You are right! Let each lad who gave me his pledge come touch my sword to renew it. I command it!”
A mighty shout for joy came from fully half of Neasan’s men who rushed forward to touch Sawney’s sword.
Disheartened, Dena’s father hung his head and with the others, stayed where he was.
Sawney waited until the Davidsons finished touching his sword to become MacGreagors again and went to stand behind him. Then he considered what to do with the rest and once more turned to his brother for advice.
Hew shrugged. “Tell them to surrender.”
“He is right,” said Keter. “It is madness to fight now.”
Again, Neasan screamed from his window. “Traitors! Fight them! Kill them!”
The remaining Davidsons closed ranks, but they did not draw their swords.
“Hear this,” Sawney shouted. “I banish any lad who yet faces us.” He paused to let his words sink in. “Nevertheless, for the sake of your families I will give sanctuary to any lad who lays down his sword.”
Five Davidsons were so relieved, they instantly sunk to their knees, untied their sheaths, and tossed their weapons away. It was not long before they all did the same. The archers stood up, put their arrows back in their sheaths and Sawney was as relieved as all the warriors were. Yet he still had to fight Neasan.
“Neasan! I call you out, Neasan! Fight me to the death!”
In the doorway of Neasan’s bedchamber, Dena watched her husband. His men were deserting and Neasan moaned each time one touched Sawney’s sword and moaned longer when the rest laid down their swords. His words were garbled, but she heard him say, “How could this have gone so wrong?” Still she watched, ready to run down the stairs should he turn on her. She need not have worried; Neasan remained where he was and continued to mutter to himself. “Where is the gold? Nowhere, there is no gold.”
For a moment, she felt sorry for him, but then he slumped to his knees and said, “Even Paisley has deserted me.” Dena put her hand on her dagger and thought to kill him herself. Perhaps they might call her a hero if she did, but Neasan was still a very large, powerful man and a dagger in the back might not be enough to kill him. She removed her hand and waited.
There was nothing left. Slowly, Neasan withdrew his dagger and put the tip of it against his skin just below his breastbone. Then he lifted up, put both hands on his dagger, shouted “Why?” and shoved it into his heart.
Dismayed, Dena watched him fall to the side and then watched the blood begin to collect in a pool under him. It was all over and she was no longer a mistress. Never had she felt such disappointment. She could have gone to the window and shouted the news, but she walked down the two flights of stairs instead and took a last look at the home that was no longer hers. Tears began to roll down her cheeks.
When she opened the door, no one but Carley and Bearcha stood in the courtyard. Dena did not even bother to look at them as she walked past, made her way through the surrendered Davidsons and then between the archers. Every eye was on her and every man probably wanted her, but she wanted only one. She did not stop until she stood in front of Sawney with only his sword between them.
“He is dead.”
“Good,” said Sawney.
“What will become of me?”
She could not hold back her tears and Sawney felt sorry for her. “You should rest, now.”
She lowered her eyes for a moment and then looked up at him. “Aye, I am very tired.”
He watched her walk to her father and nearly collapse in his arms. Now that he loved Mackinzie, he could not believe he ever found Dena pleasing, but he quickly dismissed that thought. With as much strength as he used to drive it in the ground, Sawney pulled his sword out and held it high in the air. “Neasan is dead!”
The shout of over three hundred men echoed through the forest. Men from all the clans stowed their weapons and greeted their clansmen with smiles of triumph while the thrilled women and children began to pour out of the woods.
SAWNEY LOCKED ARMS with Hew and then went to find Bearcha, the only man who did not join the Davidsons on the battlefield. “You are brilliant!” he said, putting one arm around Carley and smacking Bearcha’s shoulder with the other. “I had forgotten that pledge or I would have said something the day of the choosing.”
“I only remembered it yesterday.”
Sawney suddenly frowned. “Why did you not come to touch my sword?”
Bearcha winked at Carley and grinned. “I was following you when Neasan asked the men for their pledges and he did not remember to ask for mine. My pledge has always been to you.”
“I see.” Sawney released Carley so she would greet her sons and smiled. “I have heard much about you from the spies in the forest. I wish to hear everything, but first, has Neasan drunk all the wine?”
Bearcha’s smile was beaming. “I think we can manage a drop or two in celebration.”
In the middle of the excited men, Hew looked for her, but it wasn’t until she tapped him on the back that he finally found Charlotte. He was so happy to see her that he quickly wrapped his arms around her. “I have missed you, lass.”
“And I you.”
Amid the shouts and the laughter, Keter and Blare made their way through the crowd of men and when he reached her, Keter put his hands on his hips. “Mother, you are far too brave.”
“I missed you too.”
Instantly, he gathered Carley in his arms and held her for a long moment. “We came back, just as we promised.”
“I always knew you would.”
It was Blare’s turn to hug her. Carley had so much to tell and so many questions, she could hardly wait for him to let her go. “You will see Neasan is buried in the graveyard of shame with my first husband?”
“Aye, Mother, we will see to it,” Blare answered.
Sawney hugged each of the women, touched all the children, and drank in their smiles. He noticed that when one of the women saw her husband coming toward her, she glared. “We have the old ways back now, and I am glad of it.”
“Aye, the old ways,” her husband agreed. He looked sorrowful for a moment, and then he grabbed her and kissed her hard. “I am glad of it too.”
All Sawney could think about now was Mackinzie and how he wished she were here to see this day with him. He looked again at all the happy faces around him and then held up his hand.
Once they quieted, he shouted. “I will have twenty lads to go back with me for our families. Who is willing?” Happy to have a leader again who was clearly not daft, every MacGreagor raised his hand, as well as two Swintons and three Kennedys. Sawney laughed.
William quickly made his way to Sawney, “Let me go, I have been captured for days, sitting in an empty cottage, and cannot wait to ride a horse again.”
“Sawney slapped him on the back. “Then you shall come.”
He glanced around once more and as he expected, all the MacDuff were gone. Next, he sought out his brother, who was engrossed in a conversation with Bearcha and Charlotte.
“Hew, I leave you in charge. Bearcha will help you. See that this place is cleaned up before my bride sees it.”
Hew was so pleased, his chest swelled. “Done.”
“Bride?” Bearcha asked.
Sawney grinned. “I am certain my brother will tell you all about her. She is wonderful and you will like her. All the MacGreago
rs will.”
Standing not far away, Dena bowed her head. “Sawney had a bride and now all her hopes were truly dashed.” She turned and started to walk away when she heard Hew say, “She has not agreed to marry you yet, brother.” Perhaps there was hope after all. Pretending to show just the right amount of sorrow, she walked down the path toward the cottage she once again would share with her parents.
IN THE EVENINGS OF the much more pleasant ride back to get his bride, Sawney listened to everything the men had to tell about Neasan and his madness. It was the best entertainment ever and he too told all about their journey, the Campbells, catching sheep and of course about Mackinzie. He knew the women had to be beside themselves with worry and he could not wait to get back to them.
CHAPTER XIV
MACKINZIE WAS RIGHT where he left her, standing on the hill watching the ocean. Sawney signaled for the men to go on without him, dismounted, and walked across the meadow. Her hair was down, a breeze lifted the sides of it, and for a moment, he paused just to look at her.
As soon as she noticed the other MacGreagors on the path, she turned and searched for Sawney among them. When he was not there, she hung her head and nearly crumbled to the ground.
Just in time to keep her from collapsing, he reached for her. She turned in his arms and for a long moment, she stared at his face. “I thought...I feared...”
He put his hand on the back of her head and held her even closer. “I gave you my word I would come back,” he whispered. “Are you well?”
“Aye, are you?”
“I am now that I am with you.” He passionately kissed her, but he could feel her tension and stopped. Something was wrong. “Do I frighten you?”
She giggled. “Nay.” Then she leaned back and looked up at him. “Are you certain you are not hurt?”
“We did not have to fight.”
Mackinzie closed her eyes and laid her head back against his chest. “Paisley said I would find comfort in your arms and she is right. It is very pleasing.” She didn’t let him speak before she continued, “Paisley will be happy you are back.” This time she looked deeply concerned when she leaned back to look in his eyes. “Her hair becomes the color of the sun.”
A Time of Madness Page 17