“You Engwish?” wee John asked, his valued sword in hand.
Alick set his porridge down, picked the lad up and flipped him upside down until he giggled so hard he dropped his sword. “Nay, I’m not English, and you know that, John Alexander Grant.”
After he set him down, John found his sword and swung it twice, then said, “I guard the door.”
Grandsire said, “That should keep him busy for a wee bit. There will be enough guards coming in to eat that he’ll have plenty of work to do. They’re quite accustomed to the wee warrior already.”
Alick took a chair and said, “Will this work, Grandsire? With Mama, I mean?”
“Aye, we’ll get her back. I’ll trade my life for hers, but you are not to do anything until you see her face. Understood? We attacked John’s kidnappers before we saw the captives, and I won’t repeat that mistake. ’Twas lucky things turned out as they did.”
Alick looked at his grandfather, actually able to see the strain in his face for a change. The man was an expert at hiding his feelings, but they shone through this time.
He climbed off his chair and said, “I’m going out to the lists for a couple of hours, Grandsire. If Branwen comes down, send someone for me.”
“It pleases me to see you so attached to your wife. Tell me more about how this happened, please.” The man held his hand out toward the chair Alick just vacated, indicating he wished for him to take a seat again.
He gave him a sheepish look and sat back down. “Truly, we’re just getting to know each other. We only met at the last Grant festival, but we spent enough time together for me to know I wouldn’t forget her. And I was possessed with a need to protect her from her cruel father. Her uncle said he’d consider my suit, but I didn’t think it wise to wait. So when I saw a kirk a short distance from the castle, I suggested that we marry at once.”
“Reminds me of Uncle Jamie and Aunt Gracie’s marriage,” his grandsire mused. “We had to get them married in a hurry. We celebrated much later, when Jamie arranged a surprise wedding for her.”
“I remember hearing that story.” He rubbed his forehead. “This whole situation has been hard on Branwen.”
“Aye, her father is a cruel man. You must have chosen a verra strong lass for your wife. I’m proud of you for getting her out of there last eve. Once we get your mother back, all of our lives will return to something more usual for us. I won’t mention the quick wedding. I’ll allow you to give the news to your papa.”
“My thanks.” He paused. “I’ve been protective of her from the start, and my feelings for her grow each day. I know ’tis early, but I am in love with her.”
“Have you told her yet?”
“Aye,” he said with a smile. “Last eve.” Their first night together had been even more wonderful than he’d expected. “I know we acted quickly, but ’twas the right thing to do. Mama may be upset, but I’m hoping she’ll understand when she hears all the circumstances surrounding our marriage. Was it that way for you, Grandpapa? Did you know Grandmama was the one when you first met her?”
“I had what you speak of—an unavoidable need to protect Maddie. Seeing her beaten affected me almost more than anything else in my long life, but I didn’t recognize the pull for what it was in the beginning. Or maybe I just wasn’t ready to admit to it. Now I would call it the pull of our souls. We belonged together.”
“Almost more than anything else?” Alick said in surprise. “What else could have affected you more?”
His grandfather sighed and stared at the flames in the hearth. “Seeing my daughter, your mother, after she’d been beaten. The worry over John. Both were difficult times for me.”
Alick stood up and clasped his grandsire’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back, Grandsire. ’Tis the only option.”
When his grandsire nodded in response, Alick headed out the door and down the walkway toward the stables. He was hoping Alasdair was awake, and with any luck, his sire would soon arrive. To his surprise, his father and Uncle Jamie came out of the stalls, Alasdair behind them. “Da?”
Da came toward him, the worry on his face something that instantly clutched at him, doubling his own worry. What would happen to his father if he lost his mother? Alasdair’s sire had died shortly after his mother…
He shook off the dark thought. “Da, do you know anything else?” he asked.
“Nay,” his sire said, “we haven’t received another message since they took her.”
“We’ve sent messengers everywhere,” Uncle Jamie added. “No one has heard anything about her. I say we head to Glasgow now. I’m tired of doing things in their terms. Why not take a large number of guards and search the city?” Turning toward Alasdair, he asked, “What know you of the new king?”
Although the Grant lairds always learned of what was happening in the Highlands and Lowlands, Alasdair and Emmalin’s castle was closer to the violence. He often heard rumblings sooner.
“They say he has two thousand men gathering to attack castles in the Lowlands in pursuit of King Robert.” Alasdair’s hands settled on his hips “I have no idea where our king is other than north of Glasgow.”
“I agree with Uncle Jamie,” Alick said. “We shouldn’t wait, Da. We must go now, search all of Glasgow. How many guards did you bring?”
“Two hundred,” Uncle Jamie said. “With the men who are already here, we have plenty of warriors to fight. The men we brought must eat and rest, but I say we go today. Plan to leave at high sun unless we hear differently.”
“Sound plan.”
Da asked, “Where’s your grandsire?”
“He’s inside by the hearth.” Alick could tell by the look on their faces they were worried about the old man. A stressful situation like this had been known to damage the health of an otherwise hale elderly person, and this was the second shock Grandsire had withstood in the past months. “He’s concerned, but he’s handling himself.”
And now that they had a plan—one that didn’t involve endless waiting—Alick was handling his anxiety too.
***
Branwen came down the stairs mid-morn, not surprised to see activity bustling in the great hall. She’d missed Alick this morn, but she’d been grateful for the privacy to do her ablutions alone. Now, she couldn’t wait to see him, her mind replaying the sweet memories of last eve.
Lora came up behind her and said, “Where did you sleep? I noticed you were gone.”
She made a motion to hush Lora, and said, “With my husband. Please don’t mention it in front of the others.”
Lora nodded and hid her grin.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Dyna waved them over. She sat with Alick and his cousins, his grandsire, and two older men. A closer glance revealed one of them was his sire. She took Lora’s hand and led her over to the table.
All of the men stood, with the exception of Alick’s grandfather, who stayed seated. Alick said, “Da, this is Branwen, niece to the Earl of Thane. This is her friend Lora. Both are good archers, so I suggest we take them with us.” He introduced both of them to his uncle, also. He paused, wondering if he should tell his father all, then added, “Branwen and I have married, Papa. We’re happy to share details later, but right now we must all concentrate on Mama.” He took his wife’s hand and ushered her to a chair next to him.
His father’s eyes flew wide, but he recovered from his surprise quickly. “Welcome to Clan Grant, Branwen. I look forward to celebrating your marriage as soon as my wife is brought home.” He looked from her to Lora, then asked. “You’re willing to go with us? We could use the archers.”
“Aye,” she answered, then turned to Lora. “I am anxious to help.”
Lora squared her shoulders and said, “Aye, I’ll go along.”
Dyna said, “Come, we can go in the kitchens. Find you something to eat. Then I’ll find you some tunic and leggings to wear.”
“Just like Gwyneth Ramsay wears?” Lora whispered with excitement. “I heard all about her clothing.”
Dyna laughed and said, “Aye, she even made some of them.”
When they returned, the group broke up, many moving outside except Alick and his grandsire. “You enjoy your breakfast,” Alick’s grandfather told them. “I have a young laddie who I promised to play swords with for a wee bit. Emmalin has much to do to handle all this.”
Alick sat next to Branwen on the bench, while Dyna and Lora sat opposite them. Lora glanced around the hall and asked, “How do you recall everyone’s name? I’ve not seen so many people gathered in the same castle before.”
“You learn them, after a while,” Branwen said. “I even know half the Thane guards by now. Though MacLintock Castle is larger than Thane Castle.” She took a bite of her porridge and said, “Oh, ’tis heavenly.”
Dyna grinned and said, “Emmalin has one of the best cooks. Almost as good as the Ramsay and Grant cooks.”
“They’re all that good?”
Alick gave a great gusty sigh. “The Ramsay cook makes the best pastries. Icing and berries. The best.”
“How are you connected with the Ramsays?” Branwen asked. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard.”
“They’re a clan in West Lothian. Grandsire’s sister married the Ramsay chieftain many years ago. Their son is chief now, but they’ve had many who work for the Scottish Crown.”
“Do you think they still do?” Branwen asked. “Mayhap we should be inviting their help.”
“I haven’t heard it of late, but I’m not really sure,” Alick said, wondering if Branwen’s idea didn’t have merit. He decided to save that thought for later and focused on Branwen. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a bairn in a cradle,” she said with a wide grin, blushing a bit.
Lora grinned. “Aye, I’ve never slept in a softer bed. Tell me, when do we leave for Glasgow?”
“Today.” Alick reached for Branwen’s hand and tucked it inside his own. “Probably mid-day. Are you sure you wish to go?”
Both lasses nodded.
“Did they tell you where they hold your mother?” Branwen asked.
“Nay. We expected we’d receive another missive by now, but we’ve heard naught. None of us wish to wait any longer.”
Dyna had a dark look. “King Edward died, his son took over, and now we don’t know what to expect. I don’t like it. ’Tis like a fat snake came out of the water and sneaks around us without anyone noticing.” Usually Dyna could anticipate changes and odd occurrences. She’d missed this one.
Branwen shivered and squeezed Alick’s hand. “You’ll not be far from us, will you, Alick?”
“I’ll be watching over you,” he said, squeezing back. “Dyna will be with you the whole time. She makes the decisions about the archers. Because of our different roles, we won’t ride together. The archers usually ride toward the back.”
“Aye, so long as you’ll be close. I just love these leggings, Dyna,” she added, glancing at his cousin. They were dark green, paired with a soft brown tunic that would help her blend in with the trees. “Many thanks. These are softer than the ones you gave me before.”
Dyna grinned. “’Tis the only way I dress. You’ll see.”
They left two hours later, and as Branwen rode along with the Grants, she couldn’t help thinking of how much her life had changed within a few short days—she’d gone from being her father’s servant to being a married woman, an archer. A fighter.
Finally, her luck had turned.
Chapter Seventeen
They stopped just outside of Glasgow to confer before entering the city, trying to decide how many to take with them.
Alick immediately looked for Branwen and found her off to the side of the group, standing in a cluster of trees with Lora. He made his way to her, then tugged her into his arms and planted a quick kiss on her lips. “How I wish we could do more,” he whispered in her ear. “I have sweet memories.”
She blushed and said, “Me, too.”
Lora’s face instantly turned up to the sky overhead.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” he said to her, stepping back and holding Branwen’s hand, his thumb caressing the inside of her wrist.
“I’m not embarrassed. I’m watching the falcons,” the lass said, pointing up to the sky.
He took one look and said, “’Tis a peregrine and a merlin. Those are Will’s birds. He’s always training falcons.”
“Will’s?” Branwen asked.
“One of our Ramsay cousins,” he said with a smile. Then he yelled to Els, “Will’s falcons!”
As soon as Alasdair and Els glanced up at the soaring birds, two arrows fired in rapid succession, embedding in the trees next to them.
“Maggie!” Dyna yelled, glancing in the direction the arrows had originated. “I know ’tis you, Maggie Ramsay!”
Maggie and her sister Sorcha, one with dark hair, the other gold, dropped down from a pair of trees and strolled toward Dyna. Their husbands, Will and Cailean, appeared from the thicket of trees, following them. Will and Cailean greeted Uncle Jamie and Da first, hugs and shoulder clasps abounding with big smiles from everyone.
“What brings you here?” Da asked.
Alick greeted the four, then Dyna introduced the lasses to everyone. Alick said, “Ramsay cousins. Maggie and Will train the falcons overhead. Cailean is one of their best swordsman and Sorcha is a great archer. Both are daughters of Gwyneth Ramsay.”
“My teachers, all of them,” Dyna added.
Sorcha said, “I trained with you, Dyna.” Then she looked to Lora and Branwen. “I didn’t start shooting until a short time ago, but now I love it. You both shoot?”
“We just learned,” Branwen said.
Alick finally held his hands up to stop all the chattering. “We’d love to catch up, but we must find my mother. What have you heard? Or mayhap I should just ask why you’re here?”
“Jamie’s message,” Will said. “We’ve been in the area for a fortnight.”
“Why?” Da asked.
“Edward II has been here for a while now. He tried in vain to take over a couple of castles. He doesn’t take failure well, so he’s taking his entire army back to England. Everyone in Glasgow is ready for a celebration. There are still a couple of noblemen leaving the inns, but they’ll all be gone by the morrow.”
“Nay,” Alick said. “Not all.”
“Why not?” Maggie asked.
“Because whoever took my mother is there, waiting for us to trade her for Grandsire.”
“For what purpose?” Sorcha asked.
“I’m sure I can guess that,” Maggie said, “They want to use the Grant warriors against King Robert. Edward’s son can’t rule Scotland on his own so he thinks to force someone else to bring Robert down.”
Will added, “But King Robert will not be brought down.”
An uneasy feeling stole over Alick. It made sense, although the Grants would never stand for it, and anyone who knew them would know that. “That could be their ultimate goal,” he said, “but they haven’t shared that with us yet.”
Grandsire, still mounted because of his sore joints, brought his horse over to the group. “Greetings, Ramsays. We welcome you to join us, if you are willing. We don’t intend to leave Glasgow without my daughter.”
“’Tis time to leave,” Da said, casting a glance at the sky. “We cannot wait any longer. What say you, Ramsays?”
“We’ll help,” Maggie said at once. “In fact, I’ll keep the archers with me, and we’ll take a different route and meet you on the far end of town. That way both groups can search for their hiding place.”
Joya came closer, Els following her, and said, “I know the perfect place to check. There’s a road with many manor homes, and I’ve seen Englishmen gather in a few of them. If we take a small group, we can check each of them.”
Alick turned to Branwen and Lora. “Joya was a spy for Robert the Bruce. She knows everything about this area of Scotland, and her knowledge will be invaluable for us.”
&nb
sp; “We’ll take Branwen and Lora,” Maggie said. “Joya, you may lead us to the area you suspect.
Alick said, “I wish to go with you. Leave Da with the other group, but I’ll travel with you and the archers.” He wasn’t about to leave her alone after promising he’d be nearby. Plus, he felt an odd need to be close to her. After all that had happened, he feared she’d disappear on him again.
That feeling he’d had in Thane’s solar was one he didn’t care to experience ever again.
Maggie nodded, and the two groups separated: Dyna, Cailean and Sorcha went with the larger group, which would take a superficial jaunt through the town in the hopes of overhearing useful information, while Joya, Els, Alick, Branwen, and Lora went with Will and Maggie. Joya led them down an eerily quiet path well hidden from the main thoroughfare. There were small huts here and there, but nothing large. They saw no one.
Dusk fell, and they were soon in little light. Joya stopped and said, “Let’s leave the horses here and walk through the trees.”
Once their horses were secured, they headed down a more prominent road on foot. Joya stopped them before they reached the end. Will sent his falcons off into the air to search for something, though Alick had no idea how they would communicate with them.
Joya said, “I’ve observed Englishmen in three of the manors down this road. The two on the end, on opposite sides, and another on the left side, two down from the end.
“Els and I will take that one on the right. Alick, you and Branwen take the one across the street, and Maggie, Will, and Lora can spy on the one before it. Meet back here in half an hour.”
They agreed and each of the pairings took off as quietly as possible, splitting up to be less noticeable. Alick took Branwen’s hand and whispered, “Do you have any questions?”
She replied, “What do we do?”
“We’re going to sneak around the back of the house, find a place to hide, then listen for voices. If anyone’s there, we’ll determine where they are, how many, and get closer if we need to—hopefully close enough to overhear their plans.”
The Scot's Pursuit (Highland Swords Book 3) Page 14