Marti Talbott's Highlander Series, Volume 5

by Marti Talbott

  “Nay, and if you did, I would not mind.” At last, she looked him in the eye and did not quickly look away.

  “I have come to try to get beyond my fear. It is childish and will only serve to keep me from a happy life.” She turned back to Luag again. “Glenna tells me that when I wish to walk, I should tell you. Will that be acceptable?”

  “Aye.”

  “Good.” She curtsied and turned to go back. Then she noticed a woman coming through the men toward her who looked to be the same age as Glenna and Neil. She held a little one in her arms and her smile was genuine.

  “I am Jessup. Glenna promised to bring you to meet me, but I fear she has forgotten.”

  “You are English?”

  “I am. Do you speak the language?”

  “Mother taught me some of the words, but...”

  “Then perhaps you might practice with me. I can always use help with my Gaelic.”

  Catlin was not fooled. If this English woman sought her out, it was not to practice the language. “Would now be to your liking?”

  Jessup was delighted. The girl seemed as intelligent as she was beautiful and regal. “It would indeed.”

  She nodded to Luag, smiled at Vallam and then started to take a walk with Jessup. When she glanced back, both men were following at a respectable distance. She had not spoken the language since her mother died and it took a moment for her to switch to English. “Did Neil tell you about me?”

  “Not precisely. He asked about the lineage and I guessed.”

  “Did you know my mother?”

  “Nay, but I was a good friend to King Richard, murdered by the lad who is now the king. Richard was a good lad, I loved him very much and he loved me. The English need you, Catlin.”

  “How could I be of help? I know nothing of English rule and very little of the people.”

  “All you need to be is Charlet’s daughter and I can teach you the rest. Richard tried to find your mother, but...”

  “Jessup, do forgive me but I can think of nothing but freeing the Camerons. Perhaps after that is settled I will consider what to do about England.”

  “I understand, but please promise you will consider it. England’s new king is just as evil as the men who hold the Camerons captive. Both need someone to save them and it appears God has chosen you.” When Jessup’s baby began to fuss, she excused herself and headed home to feed him.

  NEIL WAS BESIDE HIMSELF with rage and had begun to pace from one end of the great hall to the other. His twenty most trusted men kept quiet and watched him, some sipping wine, some sitting at the table and some standing or perched on the colorful, well-stuffed pillows along the walls.

  Suddenly, Neil stopped and looked at all the faces until his eyes rested on Thomas. “How many lads guard Laird Cameron?”

  “Twenty-five by day and the same by night, but there are others who stand guard both within and outside the fence. The total is closer to seventy, all told. ”

  “If we attack, what will happen?”

  “The guards will fight us. They are fond of their generous pay.”

  “And the lads who do not protect him? What will they do?”

  “They will help us, but they have few weapons save those he sends with the hunters. Cousin, our best hope is to draw them out.”

  “Draw them out how?”

  “That, I cannot guess. Shoes, perhaps?” He instantly realized it was not a laughing matter and regretted his remark until Neil smiled.

  “It is not a bad idea. What else does the lad covet?”

  “Wine, jewels, women, shoes, soft English linen, and the king of Scotland’s horse.” That remark brought a few chuckles from the men, but this time Neil was not impressed. “Forgive me, Cousin. What I mean is, he is as greedy as he is callous. Anything will tempt him, but he will not come out himself to get it. He will send his lads.”

  “I see.” Neil paced back and forth a few more times before he stopped again. “I believe I have thought of something he will come out for.”

  HE WAS TAKING ONLY five men with him and just before Neil mounted his horse, he had one more stop to make. He walked up the path, knocked on the door of his oldest and dearest friends and waited for Dugan to answer. As soon as the door opened, Mayze went into his arms. He held her tight and kissed the top of her head.

  “You have come for it?” Dugan asked. When Neil nodded, both Dugan and Mayze smiled. “It is ready.” Dugan pointed to a flask hanging high on a peg above the door. “We feared the children would get to it.”

  Neil reached up, unhooked the flask and felt the fullness. “You have done very well and I am pleased.”

  “Will it be enough?” Mayze asked.

  “It will indeed.”

  “We would like to go with you,” said Mayze.

  Neil hugged her again and then stood back. “I would like nothing better, but one war is enough. Dugan is our best hunter and I need him here to see the clan is fed.” He locked forearms with Dugan and left. As soon as he returned to the courtyard, he kissed Glenna one more time and promised to be back as soon as possible. Then he mounted his horse and led the men down the valley.

  Just as he expected, Catlin and Julia were near the bottom of the glen waiting with their own provisions on their horses. Catlin’s hair was tied back and her determination was fierce. He stopped, looked her in the eye and finally nodded. “It will be a hard ride and we will not wait for you.”

  Thomas grinned. “Most likely, it is you who will have difficulty keeping up with either of them. Vengeance drove them here and it will hurry them back.”

  THE RIDE WAS INDEED hard. Neil took Slade, husband of Edana, with him, who had an aunt and uncle living north of the Camerons and knew the fastest way. He also took Hannish, husband of Bethia, who had slipped into the Ferguson hold undetected to do away with that man who had betrayed them. Vallam was skilled in making sounds such as a baby’s cry and Luag’s job was to protect Catlin. He needn’t have bothered, for wherever Catlin was, Vallam was also. In only four days they were nearly there. To his surprise, the women did indeed keep up, did not complain and gained the admiration of all the men. Still, he was concerned about them and just before they were about to approach the home of Slade’s aunt and uncle, Neil decided to hide them in a small clearing in the forest where they could rest. The men built a small fire and then filled a pot with water, dried meat and vegetables. Then rested while it cooked.

  Neil sat down between Catlin and Thomas. “There is one thing that concerns me. Once we rid the clan of their laird and his son, who is ready to take command?”

  Catlin did not have to think about that twice, “Thomas.”

  “Me? What did I do to make you wish such a thing on me?”

  Her eyes sparkled in the firelight. “Would you like the long list or the short one?”

  Thomas puffed his cheeks. “I am not a leader. Leaders know what to do and I do not.”

  Catlin argued, “You think too little of yourself and admit it, you were grieved to leave Dara behind. She will make you a good wife and you will take very good care of the Camerons.”

  “I do favor Dara and when we return home, which I remind you is with the MacGreagors, I will bring her with me.”

  “If she is willing,” Julia reminded him.

  This time he ignored his sister. “And I do not at all look kindly on the prospect of fighting the MacDonalds when they again get greedy for land? Nay, I prefer an easy life as a cobbler with the MacGreagors.”

  Secretly, Neil had no intention of losing the three of them and he was pleased Thomas declined. He waited too long to recover his family and hated the thought of a separation. He doubted Vallam was likely to give Catlin up anytime soon either. “Who then?”

  Neither of them had an answer but for the next hour they brought up names, discussed them and decided against each. Some were too old, too young, too weak, too addle brained and all were better suited for other responsibilities.

  Neil frowned. “This will not do. We
cannot simply leave them with no one.”

  Thomas shrugged. “At least we have a few more hours to think of someone.”

  CHAPTER VIII

  HER NAME WAS THANNA and it was to her Lammond Cameron came at night when he could not conquer any other woman. She intensely hated him and often contemplated ways to do him in, but she was not yet ready to die, as she surely would, if she killed Laird Cameron’s son. At first, she felt sorry for him. He was not pleasing to look at with dark eyes, excessive eyebrows that met in the middle and a nose that resembled a hook. But her pity lasted only as long as his first unkind touch.

  She sometimes submitted to other men as well in trade for food and jewels when she could get them. Someday she would escape and use the jewels to secure her sanctuary with another clan far, far away.

  Thanna dreamed of it daily, so when a man she had seen only a few times before knocked on her door that evening, she let him in hoping he would offer a jewel. Even a small one would do. But this man came from the north and was not there for the usual purpose. Instead, he wanted to talk and the more he talked the more her eyes lit up. Before he left, he handed her a small bag of itching power and told her it was a gift from Laird MacGreagor.

  For the first time in her life, Thanna prayed Lammond would come to her and in the darkest hour of night, her prayers were answered. She endured him and then stroked the side of his face as she always did until he fell asleep. As patiently as she could, she waited for his snoring. The louder the snore the more sound asleep he was and when she thought it was safe, she carefully got out of bed.

  In the faint light of her only candle, she quietly picked his clothing up off the floor and noted exactly where his sword and dagger were so she could replace everything exactly the way it was. As she laid his clothing on the table, she glanced at him repeatedly, but he did not move. It took every ounce of her courage, but Thanna pulled the small cloth sack off the shelf, opened it and began to spread the itching power on the inside of his shirt and kilt.

  JUST AFTER DAWN AND just as they hoped, Lammond and his guard raced toward the loch. Hidden in the bushes, the MacGreagors smiled at Lammond’s constant scratching. It was enough to drive even the sanest man daft and each of them were determined to make his discomfort last as long as possible.

  Neil waited until he was almost to the edge of the water, then he signaled and the three men were surrounded by MacGreagors wearing their old blue colors.

  Lammond caught his breath and sank to his knees. “Kill them!” he ordered. But his two man guard did not move. Instead, they gawked at Neil as though he was a ghost.

  “Draw your swords,” Neil commanded.

  The guards knew they were about to die. They watched Neil move away and two of the MacGreagors move in to face them. At least they would die honorably in a fair fight. Reluctantly, they withdrew their swords from their sheaths and soon it was over.

  Lammond’s breathing was heavy as he searched Neil’s eyes to see what was coming next. Then he saw them. Standing behind the giants were Thomas, Julia and Catlin dressed in their Cameron colors. Catlin had a sword in her hand, walked between the men and did not stop until the tip of her sword touched Lammond’s open shirt at the chest.

  “I have come back to kill you, Lammond.”

  “No,” he moaned. He scratched his groin with one hand and his back with the other, twisting to reach farther. Then a tear rolled down his cheek. “I do not want to die.”

  “I did not want you to touch me either.” She watched more tears roll down his cheeks and soon he was sobbing and scratching all at the same time. She desperately wanted to run him through, but she could not. Instead of the fearsome hunter who kept her and all the other women on constant guard, he was now nothing more than a pathetic excuse for a man. She realized killing him would make her equally as evil, so Catlin turned, gave the sword back to Thomas and walked away.

  Neil was relieved and this time, she let him take her into his arms. “Can you manage the rest of it?”

  “Aye.” She smiled up at him, “I am not afraid now.” She quickly hugged him again and then hurried back toward the village.

  Catlin was all alone and unarmed when she walked down the tree-lined road and approached the tall wooden gate with her hands clasped behind her back. Mindful of her safety, she remained just far enough away to keep the Cameron men from easily grabbing her.

  The whole of the village was enclosed by a tall, wooden fence made of slats tied together with leather and reinforced with more slats held in place by wooden pegs. For a moment, she shuddered at the thought of being trapped inside again and had to remind herself Lammond was not there. She spotted one and then a second guard peeking over the top of the fence and was certain they noticed her.

  Catlin heard someone shout her name.

  Even so, it seemed the guards let her stand there for a long time before the gates finally began to open. When they did, there stood before her Laird Cameron himself with seven guards on either side of him. He looked a lot like his son with yellow hair, bushy eyebrows and a hooked nose.

  She often counted the jewels he wore nearly everywhere a man could think to put them. He had them on his fingers, his wrists, around his neck, in his dagger, in the handle of his sword, on his belt and even sewn into the tops of his shoes. Catlin hated him for that alone. How much better he might have provided for the clan, were he willing to part with just a few of the smaller ones.

  His smile was sinister and his eyes were narrowed, but she did not let him upset her. She steadied her resolve and began to shout. “I should not have run away and I offer jewels to pay my atonement.”

  The Cameron smirked. “I will see these jewels.”

  She withdrew her hands, opened the small cloth sack and pulled out the large ruby that Bethia pried out of the English necklace she had taken from her cousin some months back.

  It was the largest ruby he had ever seen and Laird Cameron’s eyes lit up, “Give it to me!”

  “Not until I have spoken to your son for I have grieved him as well.”

  The Cameron glanced from side to side but his guards only shrugged. “Find him!” Three of his men scrambled in different direction.

  Catlin waited. Behind their laird, a few people dared to peek around their cottages and she could see the glee on their faces as they darted back to spread the word. If all was going according to plan, Thanna was spreading the word too and the men who were not on the side of Laird Cameron were happily preparing to carry out her instructions. All Thanna needed to say to gain their cooperation was—“MacGreagors.”

  Soon his guards were back; each claiming Lammond was nowhere to be found. Laird Cameron spat on the ground, “Bloody hell, where could the laddie have got to now?” he yelled.

  Catlin shouted, “Oh, then it was Lammond I saw going to the loch.”

  Laird Cameron nodded and six of his guards raced out the gate, turned and ran toward the loch. “And do not come back without him!”

  Again they waited, Catlin standing on the outside and Laird Cameron pacing on the inside of the gate, but his guards did not come back. Laird Cameron suspected something was greatly amiss, but who would be brave enough to attack him? He stopped his pacing and turned to look into the village. Some of the people were beginning to gather, but he cared not about them. His night guards had gone home for their rest, and just in case it was a trap he needed them. “Call out the rest of my guards!” he shouted.

  His shout was repeated throughout the village and his grumbling night guards staggered back out of beds, dressed and armed themselves. But when they tried, they could not open their doors. For the better part of half an hour, the clansmen had been shoving carts in front of doors and then piling belongings in them, to add the needed weight.

  Laird Cameron’s best men were trapped with no way out.

  Mystified when his night guards did not come to help him, Laird Cameron grumbled, moaned and contemplated what to do next. He had less than ten men left to protect him. Yet
he wanted the jewels and was not inclined to let unfounded fear prevent him from having them. It was, after all, just one woman. He started to charge Catlin, got almost out of the gate and stopped. Cautiously, he scanned the trees on either side of the road, peeked around one side of the fence and then the other. No one was there. Emboldened, he straightened and stepped out.

  Catlin was terrified, but she held her position until he came closer and his guard was, at last, outside the gate. Then an arrow pierced Laird Cameron’s heart and he fell dead at her feet. She instantly turned and ran. His guards drew their swords but when they saw the MacGreagors ride out of the trees, they panicked.

  Some tried to run back inside the gate, only to find several men coming toward them with boards in their hands determined to bash their skulls in. The guards turned again and tried to escape in other directions, but they were too late. In a clash of swords, the MacGreagors soon brought them down until they lay lifeless on the ground near their laird.

  There came an odd silence then and one by one, the clan’s people came out of the gate to see for themselves that the evil had been cleansed from their midst. At first, they were shocked and afraid to believe their eyes. But at the sight of Julia and Catlin coming out of the trees, they began to shout for joy. Soon the grateful people were touching the MacGreagors and hugging, Julia, Catlin and Thomas.

  “What about Lammond?” shouted Thanna.

  Catlin hurried to her and then lovingly touched the side of her face. “You, more than any of us, have suffered his torture. We saved him for you.”

  CHAPTER IX

  VALLAM RAN BACK, UNTIED him, pulled Lammond out of the trees and shoved him toward the crowd. His itching increased, he walked funny holding his legs close together in an effort to scratch one with the other and even when Vallam made him stand still, he used first one foot and then another to scratch the areas where the itching powder had spread downward. He hands flew from his groin to his back, his chest to his buttocks and he was beginning to bleed from his unmerciful scratching.