This was not a story he looked forward to someday telling his grandchildren.
What would become of their clan, should Angus and Duncan hang? He could not afford to think on that prospect now. He had to concentrate on doing whatever he could to ensure the hangings did not take place.
Even if that meant sneaking into the castle and finding Robert Stewart.
And if that didn’t work, he was not above breaking the two men out before they hanged and getting them out of the country. He chuckled softly at that thought and wondered what his dear wife would say to living in France.
“Wee William! Wee William!” Black Richard came tearing through the clearing on horseback. From the expression on his face and the sound of his voice, Wee William felt certain he was not going to like the news Black Richard was bringing.
Wee William stood up from the fallen tree he’d been using as a seat and hurried to Black Richard. “What is it?” he demanded as Black Richard slid from his horse, out of breath and covered in sweat. Or rain. It was difficult to ascertain at the moment for it hadn’t stopped raining in days.
“’Tis Angus and Duncan!” Black Richard said as he stopped to catch his breath. “They’ve been taken!”
Wee William’s brow wrinkled with confusion. “What do ye mean taken?”
Black Richard bent and rested his palms on his knees. Between gulps, he answered. “Someone took them yesterday. A band of brigands, the guards say. At least one hundred men they say. Over-powered the guards and left them naked along the road. They took the wagon and no one knows where they be.”
Wee William chewed on that information for a time. Why not kill the guards? Why would they leave them naked beside the road? Who would have taken Angus and Duncan and for what purpose? Did they mean to ensure they died?
A hundred questions banged about in his mind as he paced the forest floor. If the people who took Angus and Duncan were not friends or allies, then their lives were in grave danger. Perhaps whoever took them were the real traitors and worried over being found out. Killing Angus and Duncan would ensure their secret was safe and they could continue on with their treacherous deeds. That thought made his stomach tighten with dread and anger.
If, however, the individuals responsible for taking them were in fact friends, it still did not bode well for the two men. An escape such as this would make them appear all the more the traitors they were accused of being.
A number of unpleasant scenarios played out in his mind. All of them ended with the deaths of his chief and the man he considered the closest thing to a brother that he had.
Black Richard had managed to get his breathing under control and stood patiently waiting for instructions from Wee William. Several of the other men had heard the news and they stood near Black Richard and watched as their leader paced and shook his head. They were just as bewildered and baffled as Wee William, but stood quietly, allowing him to process the information.
Finally, the giant stopped pacing and turned to look at his men.
“We need to find Angus and Duncan. We know not who took them, but friend or foe, we need to find them before Phillip Lindsay’s men do.”
Black Richard nodded in agreement. But a question lingered. “What do we do when we find them, Wee William?”
Wee William shook his head and headed toward the horses. He pulled his saddle from the ground and tossed it on the bay gelding’s back.
“I have no’ idea, Black Richard.”
If foes had taken the two men, then Wee William could argue that fact in front of Robert Stewart, if he ever found the fool. That fact could only work in his chief’s favor.
However, if friends had taken Angus and Duncan, he knew an altogether different scenario would play out. Aye, he would at the very least be able to breathe more easily knowing they still lived.
At the moment, Wee William was not certain who he hoped had taken Angus and Duncan. No matter who had taken them, the outcome would undoubtedly be the same. Angus and Duncan would hang at dawn.
SIXTEEN
Fury erupted behind his eyes as the maid lay at his feet. The anger roared quietly, like the flames in a blacksmith’s forge. Hot enough to melt iron -- or to kill.
Years of experience had taught him how to kill silently, mercilessly, and without any evidence left behind to point in his direction. He chuckled inwardly. No one would ever think he could do such a thing. People loved him. Adored him. Admired him. Well, almost everyone.
The maid’s death had been unfortunate, but necessary. She had known far too much. She wasn’t even aware that she knew anything and she wasn’t bright enough to put the pieces together. But should anyone ask the right questions too soon….
He couldn’t take the chance. Not yet, not when he was so close to the end goal. Very soon he would have all that he ever wanted.
Shaking his head, he looked down at the dead girl and quietly sighed. It was quite unfortunate for she had been such a pretty little thing. He shrugged it off as another sacrifice of war. And this was war.
He put out the candle with his fingertips and quietly left the larder. It would be hours before anyone found her body and he’d be long gone by then. Without question, the little maid had told him everything that she knew. Her lady was on her way to Stirling, guarded by a band of MacDougall men. When he pressed her further, the maid had admitted to overhearing parts of the conversation. “The lady has a box that the laird gave her. I dunnae what be in the box, but they say it has somethin’ to do with Angus McKenna. Somethin’ that can stop him from hangin’.”
Damn Carlich Lindsay. He would have loved to strangle the auld man too, but one dead person was enough. The maid’s death was going to cause a big enough uproar as it was. Two dead people could very well have brought everything tumbling down. He was too close, far too close to begin making mistakes now.
Meticulously he had planned for every eventuality, or so he thought. Damn Arline Lindsay. Her he would enjoy killing. But he could not be in two places at once. As he made his way quietly out of the keep and into the dark night, he quickly formed a new plan. He hadn’t gotten where he was by letting small distractions get in his way. He hadn’t let anyone get in his way.
He was at least a day’s ride behind Arline and the MacDougalls. Hopefully the fools were taking their time in getting to Stirling. He must hurry if he were to keep her from getting there before Angus was hanged.
In no time he had made his way out of the keep and beyond its walls, making no more noise than a mouse. He had to make certain that Lady Arline Lindsay did not make it to Stirling, at least not alive. And he had to get that damned box away from her.
Who knew what information it held. He cursed under his breath for underestimating Carlich. The man was as auld as dirt for the sake of Christ! What could he possibly know? What information could he have gained laying on his deathbed all these years?
Nay, he couldn’t know anything. ’Twas impossible. Mayhap the auld man had lost his mind and the box held nothing of import. Mayhap it was the auld man’s attempt at one last good deed before death took him. How could he possibly know anything when he hadn’t left his damned room in the past year?
The soft rain helped cover any sound he might have made and washed away any trail he might have left behind. He made his way across the grass and into the woods where his men were waiting for him. He pushed away the uneasiness and convinced himself that there was no possible way that Carlich knew anything. The box was probably empty, or, at the most, it simply held a letter that spoke of all the good Angus McKenna had done for the people of Scotland.
Bah! Angus was just as guilty as he was. He had plotted right alongside him. But plans had been put in place on the off chance the fool had a change of heart or tried to save his own neck. He knew there was naught Angus would not do for his wife and children. Isobel and Aishlinn were ensconced, along with those brats of Duncan’s, in a safe place. He had been very careful with them and they knew not who it was that had taken them.
He knew she wouldn’t come to him willingly but it didn’t really matter. He stifled a chuckle when he thought how Angus would take the news if he ever found out he had taken his precious Isobel against her will. But he couldn’t stifle the chuckle that mental image brought.
Distractions. He could not afford them. He had to focus on the matter at hand. Kill Arline and get that stupid box from her. After that and after Angus and Duncan were dead, then and only then, could he take his pleasures with Isobel.
SEVENTEEN
A frown formed on Daniel’s face when he saw that Lady Arline had slumped over on her mount, hugging the black mare’s neck. A gently born woman such as Lady Arline was not accustomed to thundering across the country, through valley and glen, streams or forests. The journey was taking its toll on her.
He was not angry with her for falling asleep. He was instead angry at the circumstances that had put the girl in this situation. Daniel pulled his horse as close to Lady Arline’s as he could and carefully took her mount’s reins. He brought both horses to a slow stop so that he would not frighten her, causing her to tumble from her mount.
Moonlight shone down on her dark auburn locks casting streaks of silver through her hair. She was a beautiful young woman and he wondered silently what it was like for her to be married to such an auld man as Carlich. The auld man was not long for this world, even Daniel could see that. Mayhap, he thought, her next husband would be closer to her own age.
Though he had done his best to not surprise her too much, she woke with a start as soon as she felt them come to a stop. Her eyes flew open as she quickly scanned her surroundings, forgetting for a moment just where she was.
“I am so sorry, Daniel!” she exclaimed. “I did not mean to fall asleep. Why have we stopped?”
Daniel smiled, taking note that her words sounded slurred, tired. “M’lady, we stopped because ye fell asleep. It will do no one any good to have ye collapse from exhaustion. We can stop fer an hour or two so ye can rest.”
Arline shook the cobwebs from her mind. “Nay, we’ll not stop, Daniel. We must get to Stirling before dawn breaks.”
Daniel let loose with an exasperated sigh. “But m’lady, ye’ll do no one any good if ye fall asleep in front of the Stewart!”
“Is this not the day that your chief is set to hang?” she asked him sternly.
“Aye, but dawn is hours away, m’lady. And we be no’ far from Stirling now. ’Tis why I suggested we stop and let ye rest.”
While she could appreciate his concern over her wellbeing, she had made a promise not to be a bother to him or his men. Though it might very well have made sense to stop and rest, her conscience would not allow it. Every fiber of her being was telling her to get to Stirling as soon as possible. There would be time for rest later, after she had met with Robert Stewart.
“Nay, Daniel, we cannot stop now. I promise I shall rest after I do what my husband has asked that I do.”
He had to admire her determination. “Have ye ever met Angus McKenna, m’lady? Or Duncan?”
Arline leaned over and took the reins from Daniel’s hands. “Nay, I have not,” she answered as she tapped the flanks of her horse. Daniel remained close by as they kept the horses moving at a slow pace.
“Angus be a good man, m’lady. He, all of us, will be forever in yer debt."
She felt rather uncomfortable at his proclamation. “I do not do this so that people will be indebted to me, Daniel.”
A warm smile came to his face. “Aye, I ken that, m’lady. ’Tis one more reason why ye’ll always be held in high esteem amongst our clan.”
Arline was about to protest further when a shout of warning came from ahead. A moment later, flaming arrows began to land all around them, startling horses and riders alike. She had no time to react as her horse began to scream and rear itself up. A flaming arrow had hit the mare in the center of its chest!
With sword drawn in one hand, Daniel was able, with the other, to scoop Lady Arline from her mount before the horse could rear again. Her mare screamed in agony and the smell of burning flesh stung their senses. The beautiful animal reared again before taking off at a full run.
Daniel held onto Lady Arline rather precariously around her waist for a moment before setting her astride in front of him. Arline grasped the horse’s mane tightly and held on for dear life.
The sound of metal crashing against metal, cursing, yelling and grunting broke through the night. Horses screamed as more flaming arrows lit the night sky before finding their marks in men and horses alike.
Bile rose in Arline’s throat as the smell of burning flesh and blood found their way to her nostrils. Daniel had one arm wrapped tightly around her waist and held the reins betwixt his teeth as he fought off a mounted attacker to their right. Arline felt the rush of air as the tip of the attacker’s broadsword whooshed by her leg. With his free arm, Daniel fended the man off with his broadsword. As the attacker lifted his weapon over his head, preparing to send it crashing down on Daniel’s head, Daniel swept his sword across the man’s arm and sliced his throat. Blood sprayed from the gash, landing across Arline’s face, arm and leg.
Her heart pounded fiercely against her breast while visions of her own death whirled in her mind. She closed her eyes, but could not block out the sounds as the battle wore on. She felt Daniel’s grip around her waist tighten as he spun the horse this way and that. He grunted and thrust, guiding the horse with the reins he still held in his teeth.
She realized that Daniel would not be able to fend the attackers off for long with the use of only one arm. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and scanned the glen for either a place for her to hide or an opening for them to escape.
Bodies, dead or dying, littered the ground. Horses kicked and screamed, writhing in pain from the flaming arrows. Arline imagined no crueler fate could befall such beautiful animals and she cursed the attackers under her breath.
Daniel knew his first thought must be of Arline’s safety. He had to get her to Stirling. But it was getting too difficult to battle the onslaught of attackers with just one free arm. Daniel had no doubt that the attackers were here for one thing and one thing only: Arline. Who they were or how they had found out about their mission to get her to Stirling he did not know. He prayed there would be an opportunity to sort that out later. For now, he had to protect her. If he could not defend himself, he could not defend Lady Arline.
His men had apparently come to the same conclusion as Daniel. Within moments, at least thirty of his men made their way through the attackers and came to surround him and Lady Arline.
Sweat poured into Daniel’s eyes. He wiped his face against his shoulder as he tried to gain a better look at their surroundings.
David suddenly appeared beside them. He could see that blood covered both Daniel and Lady Arline. “Are ye hurt?” he shouted over the din of the battle. As the warriors stood surrounding Daniel and Lady Arline, they heard the sound of a familiar battle cry.
Daniel shook his head no as he studied the battle before him. “Nay,” he shot back. “But they want the lady.”
David gave a quick nod before bringing his horse as close to Daniel’s as he could. “Get on,” he commanded as he stretched out his arm.
Arline did not question his direction. She thrust her arm out and grabbed his just below his elbow. In one fell swoop, David swung her around and up to sit behind him. He did not need to tell her to hang on. Her arms went around his torso where she laced her fingers together and held on as tightly as she could.
David shouted a command before kicking his horse into a run. Arline closed her eyes again, praying with all her might that they would survive this night.
This was not the kind of adventure or excitement she had anticipated when she had agreed to go to Stirling. Nay, she had thought it might be fun to sleep out of doors under the stars and quiet moon. Being chased across the country by a group of men apparently wanting to kill her had not been even a remote thought.
With her eyes closed, she could not see what might be happening around her. But she could hear and feel. She felt the horse’s hind legs burst with energy just before it jumped, or rather flew as if it had sprouted wings! Her stomach plummeted to her toes as she had the unexpected sensation of flying through the air. Time seemed momentarily suspended as she gasped and tightened her hold around David’s waist. They landed without incident a short time later and the horse continued to speed across the land.
McKenna's Honor, a Novella, Book Four of the Clan MacDougall Series Page 10