"And when the Sutherlands came to warn us of Eneas's plans, well, Finlay wanted to reject their suggestion that we seek safety here. 'Twas only his fear for Paddy's life and those of the people loyal to you that convinced him otherwise."
"Poor Finlay. I—"
A clamor of voices suddenly arose, coming in through the narrow arrow slit that served as a window.
Rowena ran to look out, Jennie at her heels. The courtyard was filled with people. The gates to the outer bailey stood open, and the grassy field beyond was crowded with sheep.
"Something has happened," Rowena said, alarmed. "I am going to go down and find out what. Stay and keep Paddy here."
Dunmore stood outside her door, his left arm still bound with a thick bandage. Naturally, he insisted on accompanying her. Down the stairs they went, and through the hall, where a group of servants frantically set up trestle tables while others laid out platters of bread and cheese.
Unexpected company Rowena thought as she raced through the gloomy entryway and out into the pallid afternoon light. Pausing at the top of the stairs, she swept the courtyard with a quick glance. The place resembled a giant hive, with armed men swarming back and forth, horses anxiously pawing the ground and dogs running about in circles. The chaos was punctuated by the wail of pipes.
She immediately looked for Lion, found him sitting atop his warhorse, issuing orders in a calm, clear voice. Even from this distance, she could feel his strength, his steadiness. Whatever calamity had occurred, he was coping with it, doing what must be done to salvage the situation.
A man edged past her on the stairs. She caught at his sleeve and demanded news.
"The earl's army's been sighted coming down the glen. We're bringing everyone inside," he said before dashing off.
"The earl." Rowena raised stricken eyes to the sheltering mountains visible over the walls. Unassailable, Lion had called Glenshee, but Alexander would doubtless be ruthless in his quest to avenge himself on the lord he'd once trusted.
How much food and water did they have? How many crofters and herdsmen would seek shelter inside Glenshee. Needing answers, Rowena picked up her skirts and moved down the stairs.
"See here," Dun grumbled. "This is no place for ye."
"There must be something we can do to help." She plunged into the crowd and worked her way to Lion, growing worried when she saw the gleam of mail beneath his shirt and the battle targe strapped onto his horse. "Lion, is it so desperate?"
The sternness in his face melted when he saw her. "You should not be here," he said gently.
She drank in every nuance of his appearance—the fatigue bracketing his mouth, the worry lines fanning out from his eyes and the pain in their golden depths. The pain she had put there. "I heard that the earl comes, I thought there might be something I could do."
"There is one thing," he said, his voice harsh.
"I would if I could," she said in a raw whisper.
He glanced away, then quickly back, his expression shuttered. "It isna fair of me to tear at you over it when…" He sighed. "Ah, well, there's no sense in beating that beast, is there. Aye, there's more than enough to do—supplies to be counted, nigh on fifty people to be settled in a strange place."
"I will see to it." She laid a hand on his thigh, felt his muscles bunch beneath the warm plaid. "Do you go to fight him?"
"Not if I can help it. We ride the hills to bring in any stray Sutherlands, gather the livestock and what crops we can. The rest we'll burn. Let us see how long Alexander and his men care to dine on thistles and roots."
"How long can we hold out?"
"It depends. Months, perhaps. More if we ration our supplies."
"Surely someone will come…"
Lion doubted it. He'd sent messages to the Rosses and the Frasers letting them know what was happening, but urging them to stay clear. And his father could not arrive in time. "The good news is—" he gave her that cocky grin "—if Alexander is busy here, he'll not be off plaguing other folk. Ah, here are the first of your charges."
She turned to see a line of dusty people walk in through the open gate—men carrying packs on their backs, women with bairns in their arms. All looked frightened and harried. "I'd best make them welcome. God keep you, Lion," she said softly.
"And you." He raised her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles before guiding his horse toward his waiting men.
"Ye've an odd way of keeping your vow," Finlay growled.
Rowena whirled on him, the hand Lion had kissed curled protectively. "I said I'd raise Paddy to be chief of the Gunns. I did not make any promises regarding my heart."
"So it's love, is it?" Finlay glared at the departing men.
"It was always love," she snapped. "And if Lion had not been attacked and nearly killed six years ago—" She broke off. "Never mind. I've work to do, if you will excuse me."
Rowena had expected a certain reluctance on the part of the Sutherlands to take orders from a stranger, but when she approached Ailsa, the housekeeper greeted her with a smile.
"There's a lot to do, that's sure, trying to cram so many inside Glenshee."
"The first priority is sleeping places for everyone."
"The hall is already full," Ailsa told her.
"Mmm." Rowena studied the neat outbuildings that rimmed the inner court. "What of the stables? If we put the horses in the lower bailey and swept the stables, they might hold everyone."
After a quick consultation with the head stable man, it was agreed. Everyone from Ailsa to the pot boys in the kitchen lent a hand at clearing sufficient space. Rowena finished settling the first group of refugees into their new living quarters and walked outside for a breath of air.
"Rowena, there you are." Glenda pounced on her, eyes wild with excitement. "Someone told me Alexander had come."
"His army marches down the glen."
"Oh." Glenda released her and hugged herself. "I should have known he'd follow me."
Rowena sighed and led her friend around the side of the building to a more private spot. "I do not think that is entirely why he is here."
"What other reason could there be?" Glenda peered toward the open gate, as though expecting Alexander to ride in.
"He…he wishes to punish Lion."
"Nonsense, he values Lion's opinion and respects his intelligence." All smiles, Glenda walked toward the gate.
Rowena followed. "That was before he learned that Lion would not call up his father's men. Now Lion fears Alexander will attack and kill us all for failing to join his army."
"That's ridiculous."
"Nay, it is not. Glenda, Alexander had my husband and countless others killed for refusing his summons."
"I do not believe you," Glenda said stubbornly. "You do not like Alexander and are making up lies to turn me against him."
"Oh, how can you be so blind to…"
She spoke to empty space. Glenda had picked up her skirts and was hurrying down the road that cut across the outer bailey.
"Wait!" Rowena dashed after her, tripped over a rock and turned her ankle. Down she went, hitting her knees and scuffing her hands. "Of all the clumsy…" She picked herself up, dusting off her stinging hands, and limped on in pursuit.
Glenda had a head start and two sound ankles, which soon put her far ahead. Rowena passed a horse tethered to a rope line, but knew she'd have trouble mounting without help, so moved on. Now she rued having sent her three guards to help build a temporary stockade for the horses.
"Stop her," Rowena called to the first group of people she met—a crofter, his wife and six bairns—staggering under the burden of what was likely all they owned in the world.
"Who?" the man asked dully.
"Never mind." Rowena hurried on, confident that Glenda would not be able to get past the outer gate.
The road cut sharply downward, bounded on both sides by steep rocks, like the narrow neck of a funnel. Men in Sutherland plaid stood guard atop the rocks. Small wonder Lion had praised Glenshee's
defenses, for an attacking army would have to run this gauntlet if it managed to get past the main gate.
"Did you see a woman come through here?" she called.
"Aye," one of them shouted down at her.
Rowena sighed in exasperation. Obviously their orders were to keep folk from coming in, not getting out. The road made an abrupt turn, and she was at the entrance. The stout wooden gates stood open to admit another party of farmers. Beyond them, Rowena saw Glenda striding down the dusty trail.
"Of all the stupid…"
"Lady Rowena, what are you doing here?"
She looked up at the score of guards and found a familiar face. "Sim, thank heavens. We must stop Lady Glenda from leaving." She pointed toward her fleeing friend.
"I'm sorry, my lady. I was distracted and did not recognize the lady. I saw her rush by and thought it was someone going back for a dropped bundle."
"It doesn't matter. Let me borrow a horse to go after her."
"I'll get her."
Rowena debated for only an instant. Glenda was not likely to come willingly, even for her. "It might be better if I went."
Sim gave her his horse, and helped her to mount.
She caught up with Glenda at the base of the mountain, where the road verged on a stand of pine. Her quarry, however, refused to cooperate.
"I am not going back. I am going to find Alexander."
"Glenda, you are making a mistake. The earl is no longer interested in you, and you will only end up looking the fool."
Glenda's lower lip trembled. "What a cruel thing to say."
"The truth oftimes hurts."
"Alexander loves me," Glenda insisted. "He—"
"Well, well, what have we here?" Georas MacPherson's ugly face peered out at them from the brush.
Glenda gasped.
"Ambush!" Rowena cried, and tried to turn her mount.
Too late. The MacPhersons swarmed onto the trail. Georas pulled her from the saddle, covered her mouth with his filthy hand and pinned her against his burly body.
"Let her go at once," Glenda ordered.
"Hell I will."
Glenda's mouth gaped in surprise. "We've done you no harm. I insist you take me to Alexan—"
"Shut up, ye stupid bitch," Georas snarled. "I'll take ye to the earl, right enough. And I've no doubt he'll be pleased to see what valuable hostages I've brought him."
"Hostages?" Glenda repeated, turning confused eyes on Rowena. "What do you mean?"
Georas mashed Rowena closer. "Should be an easy matter of getting inside now we've got ye to bargain with."
"This is ridiculous," Glenda said. "Take me to the earl, and we will straighten out this—this misunderstanding."
Georas grinned. "Aye, that's just what we mean to do, though I doubt he'll be too pleased to see ye, now that he's got my sister waiting back at Blantyre to warm his bed."
"Nay." Glenda's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Rowena, what have I done?"
Doomed us all.
But Rowena had no time to dwell on the matter. A shout rang down from Glenshee, warning that they'd been spotted.
"Mount and ride," Georas snarled, dragging her away.
It was nearly suppertime when Lion returned to Glenshee, triumphantly shepherding twenty crofters and a small flock of sheep. The news that awaited him was grim.
"How did such a thing happen?" he demanded of Red Will.
"Near as I can piece together, the lady Glenda thought Alexander had come for her and went out to greet him. Lady Rowena went after her and the pair of them were captured by a MacPherson scouting party."
"And where were our patrols?" Lion snarled.
Red Will sighed. "Out watching the enemy camp. We had no notion they'd come so close so quickly."
"Well, you should have." Lion turned on the ashen-faced Gunn guards. "What were you three idiots doing while your lady was being kidnapped?"
Harry hung his head and said nothing.
"She sent us to help with the horses," Kier growled.
Dun shrugged. "At least Paddy wasn't with her."
"Dunmore Gunn," Finlay gasped. "That's a callous—"
"Well, none of this would have happened if he hadn't seduced her and brought her here."
Lion snarled a curse and reached for the sullen Gunn, the perfect target for his simmering rage and frustration.
"Easy," Bryce admonished, coming between them, though his own expression was as grim as Lion's. "The question is, what happens now? Do you…do you think he will harm them?"
"God alone knows." Lion shook off Bryce's restraining hand and began to pace. "Damn, why could Rowena not have let the fool woman go?" But he knew the answer to that. She was not one to let a friend face danger alone.
"Lion?" Heckie trotted up, his features grooved with concern. "There's a messenger below, hailing the keep."
Lion raced out of the keep, to find his horse saddled at the foot of the steps. The short ride to the main gate seemed to take hours. He was barely aware of Bryce and the others galloping along in his dust. Nerves ajangle, he mounted the battlements and stared down at the trio of men waiting outside, their white flag fluttering in the evening breeze.
"MacPhersons under a flag of truce…how ironic," Lion muttered. "What do you want?" he shouted down to them.
Georas looked up, his brutish face split by a malicious grin. "Surrender the keep or we kill the women."
"They would not dare," Bryce whispered, and behind them, many men echoed the sentiment. "King Robert is a decent man. If Alexander murders two women in cold blood, we'd not have to find proof of his treason, the king would have his head."
"I'd not test that theory too far. Alexander is a master at twisting the truth to suit himself. He'd have Rowena and Glenda branded witches or some such, to justify his actions. The important thing is we cannot let them die, and Alexander knows it."
"Will you surrender?" Bryce asked. Lion looked around at the circle of grim faces—Bryce, Red Will, Wes and Heckie. They'd been through a lot together, he and this cadre of brave, loyal men. He looked beyond them to the worried Gunns. He thought about his son asleep in the tower and the hundreds of other innocent women and bairns huddled under his roof. If he gave in to Alexander's demands, they might all be killed. "Nay, that I cannot do, even to save Rowena." Bryce scowled. "What then?"
"I'll give the Wolf what he really wants—me."
"Nay!" the men shouted in unison. "You cannot."
"I must. For Rowena, for Glenshee…" And for his son. Lion shivered, thinking of the lad he'd never had the chance to hold, to know, to laugh with, to watch grow into a man. One day, when Paddy was older, mayhap Rowena would tell him about his real father.
"What are we going to do?" Glenda asked for the hundredth time since they'd ridden into the Wolf's camp.
"We are going to find a way out of here." Rowena stomped up and down in their prison, the Wolf's luxurious tent. Furious with herself and with Glenda, she kicked a camp stool out of her way, then turned and faced the woman huddled on a pallet of furs. "We are going to escape from here, because if we do not, we will be the instrument of hundreds of deaths."
"Oh, Rowena, I am so sorry." Glenda rose and tottered over to her. "I—I can only say that love made me blind."
Rowena sniffed. "Aye, it did."
"I misjudged him terribly. I let him use me and my clansmen." She shivered, squeezing her eyes shut. "Did you see the…the bodies pinned to the tree when we rode in?"
"Aye." Rowena swallowed hard and tried not to remember the poor, mutilated remnants of what had been men.
"When I asked Georas about them, he said they were Shaws, punished by Alexander for deserting his army. To think that I—I lay with a man who would do such a thing." Glenda bowed her head, her body trembling.
Rowena sighed and enfolded Glenda in a healing embrace. "You must put it behind you."
"Aye." Glenda stepped back, her eyes blazing with righteous fury. "I want to make him pay. Not just for what he did to me an
d mine, but for your husband and for all the other horrible things you say he's done."
"He does not only need to pay, he needs to be stopped. If we could just… Wait." Rowena spun in a circle, scanning the chaotic disarray, the jumble of blankets and chests and soiled clothes. "Where is that strongbox of his?" she whispered.
"Taking his jewels would surely annoy him, but—"
"I don't want his precious baubles. I want his papers." Rowena pushed aside the armor piled in one corner, gingerly kicked through dirty clothes and plates caked with old food. "You'd think he'd been here months instead of two days."
"Here…here it is." Glenda pointed to the small trunk concealed under a large folding bed. "But it's locked, and he always keeps the key around his neck."
Rowena bent to examine the lock. She retrieved a food-encrusted eating knife from the ground and stuck it in the lock. "Trying to pick this is probably hopeless. Do you know if there is another key?"
"I do not think so." Glenda slumped down beside her. "What sort of papers are in here? How can they help us thwart him?"
While she worked on the lock, Rowena explained about the Wolf's treasonous scheme. "Lion says Alexander has made a pact with some of the more powerful clans, the Campbells and MacKays among them, promising them land when he has the throne."
"Campbells?" Glenda tapped her lip gingerly. The cut had healed, but it was still puffy. "A Campbell did come calling on him late one night. I thought it odd at the time."
"Do you know what was said?" Rowena asked eagerly.
"Nay. Alexander took him into my solar, but when he returned, he did open the strongbox and put something inside."
"Ah." Rowena attacked the lock with renewed vigor. "Look around and see what you can find. Any man who is this untidy may have left something lying about."
They worked until it grew dark, then lit a brace of candles and looked some more. Glenda unearthed lists of men and supplies and even a draft of a letter to the king declaring the Rosses outlaws for attacking the viceroy, but no incriminating note from the Campbells.
Lion's Lady Page 24
