by Leigh Barker
shelter of the ruined house. He was not in the least surprised when three men jumped up out of the shadows and pointed muskets at him. He raised his hand and waved cheerily. Good friend here. “I am Calum McLean of the Clan Chattan,” he called and stepped closer to the fire so that the guards could see him and his tartan.
Two of them lowered their muskets, but the last man kept his pointing at the newcomer. “How do we know you’re not a royalist deserter?” he growled.
Calum shrugged. “Well,” he said, taking another step closer to the fire, “first, I would have come in silently from that direction…” He pointed at the shadows around the house. “Then I would have slit your throats while you sheltered from the rain.” He smiled.
The guard looked back at the house where Calum had pointed, and when he looked back, Calum’s sword was an inch from his throat.
“And,” said Calum, still smiling, “if I was an enemy, I would open up your throat now. Would I not?”
The guard swallowed and moved his eyes down, keeping his head very still.
“But we’re allies,” said Calum, sheathing his sword in a single move that would have told anybody who knew such things that this was a man who could use the blade.
The man licked his lips and nodded slowly. He wanted to say something, but his mouth was too dry, and he was just glad he was alive.
“Can I share your fire and get out of the rain?” Calum asked.
The man grunted something he took to be permission.
“I was separated from the regiment when we chased the English.” He hunkered down next to the fire and warmed his hands. “When they ran away faster than they’d arrived.”
The men chuckled and joined him next to the fire. A moment later, John strolled out of the shadows, sheathed his broadsword, and crouched down by the fire without a word.
“And this is John Mackintosh,” Calum said, smiling.
The men looked at each other quickly, knowing they would have been dead twice if they’d made the slightest mistake.
Ian Cameron, a weather-beaten man in his mid-thirties, smiled broadly and nodded his appreciation. “Aye, they did run. And they kindly left us this meal.” He pointed at the meat roasting over the roaring fire. “You can eat, but the Mackintosh can find his own.”
Calum put his hand on John’s shoulder to stop him responding. “He’s with me,” he said simply.
Ian watched him for several seconds, thinking it through, then looked at John and nodded. “A hungry man, especially a Mackintosh, will just be a burden. He can eat too.”
They sat on one of the scattered blocks from the fallen hut and took the hunks of meat from Ian, who saw John looking at the fresh sword cut across his cheek and shrugged.
“It’s nothing,” he said, touching the three-inch cut with his fingertips. “And the English gentleman who gave it to me will nae bother any more Scots.”
John nodded and bit into the leg of mutton, then waved it to emphasize his words. “It was a bonnie fight!”
Ian chuckled and bit into a hunk of meat. “And where were you?”
John pointed with the mutton leg. “On top of the hill.”
The rest of the guards sat down on the blocks and tore off some mutton.
“It was a grand race,” said one of the guards as he juggled the hot meat.
“Those dragoons got the shock of their lives, thinking we would run when they charged,” said Ian.
Calum joined in the laughter, but his eyes scanned the camp carefully. “Aye, it was a sight,” he said and yawned and stretched. “It’s been a long day. Can we share your camp?”
Ian waved a hand. “Help yourself to this fine accommodation.”
Calum tossed the remains of his meal onto the fire, got up stiffly, and stretched his back. John followed him to the shelter of a fallen stone wall, but kept his hunk of mutton.
They sat down and watched the camp and the dozens of men sleeping in whatever shelter they could find from the driving rain. Across the churned and muddy farmyard, a door opened and a man stepped out into the night, turned and wedged a bar against the door to lock it shut, then sat back against it.
Calum and John exchanged a look, pulled their plaids around them, and went to sleep.
They slept for two hours despite the cold and rain, then Calum opened his eyes without moving and looked around slowly. The rebels were all asleep after the tension and fear of the battle. He stood up slowly, still watching for any movement, and tapped John with his foot. John’s eyes snapped open, and he stood up without a hint of stiffness.
Calum signalled him to circle to the right while he walked softly across the yard towards the barred hut. As he approached, the guard stirred from his sleep.
“It’s just me,” Calum whispered. “Go back to sleep.”
The guard sighed and settled back against the door, but jumped to his feet as Calum took another step. John stepped out of the darkness and rapped him on the head with the hilt of his broadsword. The guard went back to sleep.
John rolled the unconscious guard out of the way, and Calum moved the bar quietly, pulled open the door, and stepped inside.
Angus was sitting, hugging a wooden beam with his hands and feet tied on the other side. Rain was dribbling in through the roof and onto his head.
“That looks uncomfortable,” said Calum quietly.
“Well, at least I’m out of the rain,” said Angus, moving his head from under the worst of the dribbling water.
John stepped inside, closed the door to a crack, glanced at his chief, and turned to watch the camp through the slit.
Calum crouched and drew his dirk to slice the ropes. Angus stood stiffly, rubbing his numb hands.
“It will be dawn soon,” said Angus in a whisper. “Do you have a plan?”
Calum smiled. “Had one.” He shrugged.
“This is it?” said Angus, shaking his head. “This is your whole plan?”
“Worked, didn’t it?” said Calum with a smile.
Angus closed his eyes and sighed heavily. “I suggest we extend your plan to cover our escape.”
John crouched, opened the door, took the sword from the unconscious guard, and handed it to Angus with a nodded greeting. That was as much as the man would get. John was not pleased that his chief had chosen to stand with the enemy, even if the rebel cause was misguided and stupid. He pointed east and raised one finger.
“Aye,” said Angus. “I agree. One hour at most and these hills will be alive with angry rebels looking for us.” He crossed to the door and looked outside. “And where are my thoroughbreds?”
Calum pretended not to hear and stepped out into the darkness. “Are you coming?”
“Where?” said Angus, following.
“Part two of the plan,” said Calum.
“Oh, and what might that be?”
“Run,” said Calum and John together.
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About the Author
Leigh Barker is the author of:
Bitesize Reads:
Action Adventure Series:
Clan – Season 1, 2, and 3
Soldiers
The Hellfire Legacy
First Responder
The Orpheus D
irective
Men at Work
Fantasy Adventure Series:
Requiem for Eden
Novels:
Action & Adventure (prequel to The Hellfire Legacy series):
A Whisper of Armageddon.
Fantasy Novels (prequels to Requiem for Eden series):
Eden’s Last Hero
Winterwood.
The series are published in Bitesize Read Episodes, where each episode is a one-hour read, with a beginning, a middle and a cliff-hanger ending.
Each series is available in a complete Box Set at a big discount.
‘Clan’ Season 3
Return to Scotland!
Calum’s Country (Episode 1)
Calum’s Army (Episode 2)
Calum’s Watcher (Episode 3 – Next)
…
Books by Leigh Barker
The hugely successful Bitesize Read Series (1-hour episodes)
‘Clan’ Season 1
Rip-roaring Adventures during the Jacobite Rebellion.
Season 1 Box Set (All 13 Episodes at a big discount)
‘Clan’ Season 2
The Adventure Continues
Season 2 Box Set (All 12 Episodes at a big discount)
‘Clan’ Season 3 — In production
Return to Scotland
‘The Hellfire Legacy’ Season 1
2nd Action-packed Ethan Gill Adventure (1st is A Whisper of Armageddon)
Season 1 Box Set (All 10 Episodes at a big discount)
‘The Orpheus Directive’ Season 1 — In production
3rd Ethan Gill Adventure
‘First Responder’ Season 1— In production
Explosive adventures with the FDNY Fire Marshals
‘Soldiers’ Season 1
Explosive Great War Adventures
Season 1 Box Set (All 11 Episodes at a big discount)
‘Requiem for Eden’ - Season 1 — In production
The Eden Adventure Continues
‘Men at Work’ Series
Occasional, mostly ‘True’ stories of anarchy in the workplace…
Novels:
A Whisper of Armageddon (1st Ethan Gill Adventure)
Off-the-wall characters, furious action and suspense
‘Eden’ Fantasy Series (Requiem for Eden Prequel)
Great adventures with our reluctant hero
Eden’s Last Hero
Winterwood