The man was not overly tall, but had the shoulders and upper arms of a man well used to swinging a large broadsword. Gideon swung off his horse then took the few steps necessary to stand before the older man.
"I am Gideon MacGrough sir. Cadell MacGrough bids you good day. He has asked me to stop here and give you what news I have."
The MacFarlane surveyed the condition of the animals then motioned to one of the men standing to one side.
"Ewan, see to these animals. They are fair worn."
He stepped back then motioned toward the door behind him. The cottage was the largest in the group at the head of the small loch.
"Join me lad, let us talk."
The man walked forward then entered the bothy. He motioned Gideon toward the chair across from his as he took a seat at the table.
Gideon sat then looked around the MacFarlane's home. There was a fire in the fireplace where a woman stood. The woman came forward.
"Ha ye asked if the lad has eaten?"
She asked of the MacFarlane.
"Do ye wish ta eat lad? I would offer ye some whiskey as well."
Gideon shook his head.
"Nay sir. I am not hungry. I must hurry. I would be grateful if those travelling with me would be given food."
The man looked up at the woman.
"Cat, if ye would see to it. Bring the whiskey an leave it on tha table."
She did as asked then left the two men alone in the house. Cat had left the door open, through it Gideon could see down the narrow trail whoch led past Loch Sloy. Below lay Loch Lomond.
The MacFarlane poured them each a whiskey. He set Gideon's before him.
"How goes the war?"
"Well enough sir. The Bruce has beaten Pembroke at Loudoun Hill. The Sassenach reinforcements were soundly thrashed and Gloucester is licking wounds in Ayr. I am told that Longshanks is near death as well."
Sipping the whiskey, the man was silent for a moment.
"I will be happy to hear that Edward is no longer on this earth. That will relieve me of a burden "
Gideon sipped his drink.
"My wife, Ailene has been taken by a MacNab. I am on my way to reclaim what is mine."
The MacFarlane tossed back the last of his whiskey then drummed his fingers on the table.
"So ye are the lad that married MacGrough's lass. That puts ye in line as the next chief. As small as MacGrough holdings are I understand there are no others to contest it."
Gideon looked over at the other man.
"I know nothing of succession sir. I do know that she is my wife and I wish her returned to me. I only wish to live in peace in the glen."
The MacFarlane heaved a great sigh.
"There are those of us who desire nothing more than that. There are others who care only for more, more of everything, ye ken? They are not happy until they have and control as much as possible."
He toyed with the cup, tossing it from one hand to another.
"I have nay right ta point at others mind? We ha our own unholy deeds behind us. As to Edward, I gave my pledge ta Longshanks and ha tried to uphold it. I will be glad ta be free of tha pledge."
Gideon looked at the MacFarlane who seemed lost in thought.
"Sir, is it possible to get fresh horses from you?"
The man stood then looked out the open door.
"Och, aye. Surely lad. Come along and we shall have ye on yer way."
Chapter 11
Locked in a small cattle shed, Ailene mentally beat herself for her stupidity. So intent had she been on finding the proper stone to complete her projects she had ignored the potential danger. Now she was trapped in a filthy cow shed on MacNab land. Her captor Alec MacNab, was apparently overseeing clan business while his uncle, the MacNab was away. Away was an interesting word. Ailene gathered MacNab was likely fighting on the side of the Sassenach.
The younger MacNab had attempted to get an admission of guilt from her. He wanted her to affirm his suspicion that Cadell was in the service of Robert The Bruce. It was an affirmation Ailene refused to give him. He had also questioned her regarding the matter of her 'husband'. It was another subject she refused to discuss other than the fact that she was married.
Her marriage was a matter he declared could not be legal as due to The Bruce's excommunication marriages performed were not valid. Ailene maintained since the Bishop of St. Andrews had declared the excommunication invalid, her marriage was legal and valid. Ailene refused to give him any additional information. Her stubborn refusal to cooperate had driven the young MacNab to angrily slap her as he cursed her for being a stupid woman. He had declared she would stay in the cowshed until she became more amenable.
She felt the young MacNab was not as much in charge as he would like to be. His interest in the MacGrough glen and in her marriage led her to suspect he was more interested in the land itself. Ailene moved her jaw from side to side. It was sore but not badly damaged. The food brought to her along with a container of water was a lumpy gruel. She refused to eat it. The water was welcome but she would not eat slop.
A threadbare plaid had been given to her. The shed was so filthy Ailene had to use her hands to scrape away the muck to find a place to spread out the cloth. She was glad it was spring or she might have died the first night.
Alec MacNab came to check on her daily to see if she might be in a more cooperative frame of mind. Ailene only became more determined to be uncooperative. Were she to give him the information he wanted Alec promised to provide her with better quarters. Ailene would not betray her father or Gideon. Feeling the only means left to protest her confinement was to stop eating, she firmly refused food.
Alec fumed at her as he threatened to force feed her. He took her by the shoulders to shake her. Ailene let herself go limp in his grasp. She refused to respond he left her with a curse.
Ailene sat back down then tried to puzzle out what his motive might be. If she betrayed her father, could he then take over the glen by marrying her? She was already married to Gideon. A marriage MacNab refused to consider. Could her captor really have her marriage declared invalid? It was possible she supposed given the MacNab's relationship to the Comyns.
It was the fourth day of her confinement when Alec MacNab again came to talk with her. She did not speak to him nor did she eat the choice pieces of venison Alec brought with him. He brought a stool, folded himself up then sat with her in the byre. Quietly he tried to cajole her into eating. He wanted her capitulation. She knew he would try any means to acquire it.
Ailene was angry; it was a deep seated rage which refused to die. The more Alec tried to break her, the more determined she became that she would not give in. She was a MacGrough, The MacGrough's daughter, she did not intend to allow him to win. The anger she felt was as much anger with herself as anger at Alec MacNab. As this was her own fault, she could not give in.
"Come now. Smell this good wee bit of meat. Ye have only to tell me tha truth an ye will be out of here."
He sat on the stool and with one hand passed the wooden plate back and forth in front of Ailene's face. He was a handsome enough man no more than a few years older than she.
Arms folded over her chest, Ailene refused the food. It was becoming easier to do so. She found that an odd thing. She refused to even look at him or the food he held.
"Are ye daft woman? All ye must do is gie me tha information I seek."
The impatience in his tone amused her. At least she had one weapon to use against him.
"Truth is no what ye seek. I have given ye truth. I have a husband. My fayther is no a traitor."
Ailene smiled at the expletive he uttered. Her father had never pledged fealty to Longshanks. Cadell had somehow managed to avoid it. Her marriage was valid. Gideon was her husband and would remain so.
"Ye are too stubborn by half MacGrough."
The MacNab put the plate on his knees. He shook his head.
Ailene could see he was thinking what he might say to her to induce her to co
operate.
"What do ye want Alec MacNab? I am married in the eyes of tha church. My husband is my fayther's heir now. Ye have done a foolish thing here."
"And where is this 'husband' ye claim to have? Ye fayther is no here. I suspect he is with the rebels."
The MacNab rose then placed the food on the stool. Ailene did not try to rise. She did bring her knees to her chest as she watched him begin to pace.
"I am no a good catch MacNab. I am no pretty, tha land MacGrough occupies is small and we are no wealthy."
She acknowledged to herself the statement was a partial lie because of Gideon.
"If ye just take me back to tha head of the glen and leave me there this will all be forgotten."
"Nay woman! I will have that glen and that keep. Ye are not lawfully married and tha MacGrough is a rebel. I can petition the King for those lands."
Ailene's eyes followed him as he paced the filthy cow shed. He had finally admitted what his goal was.
"And how do ye think to do this? If my marriage is invalid, any marriage ye would enter into with me will be invalid as well. Ye are playing tha fool here. My man will not take this easily nor will my fayther."
Alec MacNab kicked the stool. All went flying into the dirty manure matted straw.
"Aye, ye are no a good catch. Too stubborn, ye need a good thrashing woman."
Ailene laughed at him.
"Thrash me if ye please. I will no tell a priest I have agreed to marry ye. Do what ye will MacNab, I will no change my mind."
He picked up the stool, red faced with anger he shook it at her.
"Then rot in this filth, I care not."
Ailene shrugged.
"Ye may well find your self rotting in hell over this. Ye need ta take me home MacNab."
He stomped from the cowshed then slammed the door. She heard the sound of the wooden bar falling into place. Ailene felt tired, she fell back on the makeshift bed.
The next day Alec MacNab brought the village priest with him. That one tried to convince her to be reasonable. Ailene shook her head in disbelief.
"How can ye speak ta me of this? I have been taken against my will. Ye are telling me to lie! Ye want me ta renounce my marriage and my fayther. What manner of priest are ye?"
Ailene picked up a clod of straw and manure, which she threw it at the priest. With a yelp the man hurriedly left the byre.
MacNab stared at her.
"Ye must give up this foolishness. Gie it up woman!"
He roared at her.
Ailene felt around her, finding another clod threw it in his direction. With a curse, Alec MacNab left her alone in the shed.
The smell of the byre had gotten worse as the days grew hotter. It was a sunny day. Ailene lay quietly in the hot shed trying to not breathe in too much. If they did not come for her soon, she was not sure how much more of this she could stand. The heat and the stench were horrid. She took a drink of water then lay back. Ailene held her nose then breathed through her mouth for a while. Her throat became dry and raspy. She turned her face to the wattle and straw sides of the shed as she tried to ignore everything.
In the evening someone came to exchange her almost empty water container for a full one. A bowl with a lumpy something was left near her head. Ailene did not have the energy to move. Later when the moon came up she sat up then took a long drink of water. In a day or so it would be a full moon. Ailene wandered where Gideon was. By now he knew she had been kidnapped. Surely Gideon and her father were on their way. She just needed to hold on for a few more days.
It occurred to her that they might not come for her. Were they even alive? Her resolve began to weaken. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Ailene did not even bother to try to wipe them away. If every one she loved was no longer on this earth, did she even want to stay in this world? That was a question Ailene was not prepared to try to answer.
She lay in the shed watching as the moonlight created patches of silver on the floor of the shed. The roof was broken in places and the light streamed through the holes. A gentle breeze carried away some of the stench and brought some relief to her overheated body.
Ailene dropped off to sleep. It was a disturbed sleep filled with nightmares of blood and death. She tossed and turned unable to find a comfortable spot after waking from the worst dream she had ever had. Ailene sat up then took a drink of water. She drew her knees to her chest as she began to cry again. She wanted Gideon. She wished for him with all her heart. She began to pray that God would either bring Gideon to her or take her away from this misery.
Gideon sat on his horse in the moonlight. They had reached the keep. Everyone was concerned about Ailene and Cadell both. The entire clan had insisted on being told of the war and how Cadell faired. Gideon bowed to their concern, quickly giving them the news they craved. Then he questioned Seumas as to what he had seen and heard when Ailene had been kidnapped by the MacNabs. It had been a very small force, which had taken her. According to Seumas there had been no more than three men.
Seumas was certain the chief of the MacNabs was not to blame. It was a young lad who had taken her. Seuman was certain it was the same individual who had visited the glen earlier. Gideon agreed. As the MacNabs were supporters of Comyn it was likely the main force had fought at Loudoun Hill. Pemboke had retired to Bothwell upon his defeat. If the MacNabs had lingered at Bothwell the chief was probably not back home yet. The chief of the MacNabs certainly could not have been responsible for Ailene's kidnapping. The timing was all wrong.
It was the general opinion of the other MacGrough warriours that the young MacNab was seeking to steal MacGrough glen by taking Ailene. Stealing an heiress to obtain a holding was something, which had happened in the past and was likely to happen again. How the MacNab lad would justify taking a married woman to wife was another question.
Gideon had ridden to the head of the glen. He sat in the moonlight with half a mind to ride straight to the MacNab holding and find Ailene. Finding her and getting out alive was the problem. As much as he did not wish to do so, Gideon rode back to the keep where he tried to rest. He had thought it impossible but lack of sleep overcame him. Gideon fell into a deep sleep. He did not wake until early in the morning.
Feeling somewhat guilty over having actually slept, he broke his fast with a piece of bread and a tankard of water. Gideon went to find the MacGrough warriors. As he watched each and every man available was walking up the glen toward the stable. Even the older men who had not been to war in a long time were joining the others. They would go in force to take Ailene back.
Chapter 12
Every man and all the young lads were ready and willing to go after Ailene. The young lads were armed with spears. Gideon had eighteen men and lads. They could not mount them all. Gideon tried to get the younger lads to stay so the glen would not be left unguarded. They would have nothing to do with the idea. Seumas assured Gideon the younger men would be able to run along side the horses. Gideon mounted the older men along with the two youngest lads.
Gideon held his horse to a fast walk with difficulty. He wanted to gallop up the track leading over the hills to the MacNab village. He knew he must wait for his forces. The warriors kept pace with the horses, quick and sure on the rocky trail. It was some time after noon when the MacGroughs came to the edge of the MacNab village. They had been seen as they had not tried to conceal themselves from the MacNab sentries.
Gideon pulled his horse to a halt. Seumas trotted up to stand beside him.
"That one!"
Seumas nodded toward a young man standing with sword in hand waiting. With his eyes on the MacNab Gideon called out.
"Ailene, where are you?"
He heard her calling his name from off to one side behind a cattle pen. With a nod, Iver and Lachlan went toward the shed. None of the MacNabs moved to stop them. Every eye was on Gideon and his men.
"What have you done with my wife MacNab?"
Gideon pulled his sword from its sheath between his shoulders.
"So, ye are tha elusive 'husband'."
MacNab spit out the word husband.
"It was foolish of ye to leave her unguarded."
"Nay! It was foolish of you to have kidnapped my woman."
Gideon surveyed the MacNab and the men grouped around him. The forces were almost evenly matched. Gideon had no wish for a skirmish with the MacNabs. He wanted to settle this in another manner. Gideon wished to hurt the other man.
"We have her Gideon!"
Lachlan cried out to him.
Gideon did not turn as Boyd called out.
"She will have my horse Gideon."
Behind him Gideon heard the horse move back as they went about taking care of Ailene.
"Aye. Then you and I have a score to settle MacNab. Do you wish to involve all these men or are you man enough to fight me on your own?"
He watched the MacNab man step forward.
"I will fight you. Then when ye are dead, I will take her ta wife."
There was a collective muttering behind him. Gideon dismounted then stood beside the horse. Parlan on his right took the reins of the animal for him. Gideon walked forward, he threw his plaid back.
"To the death, that pleases me. Come then man, I will send you to it."
Ailene thanked God that Gideon had finally come. The heat had been so oppressive she felt faint. That and she supposed the lack of food combined to force her to lean on the men who had taken her from the shed.
Eyes narrowed against the bright sky, Ailene felt the two men hurrying her across the rough ground. She was not sure what was happening. Taking great gulps of fresh air Ailene slowly opened her eyes fully. Iver and Lachlan were holding her up under both arms.
Boyd was unfastening his leather water container. Iver and Lachan held her slightly away from them. Boyd poured the entire container of water over her head. As it washed down her body, Boyd ran his hands down her face and arms washing off some of the dirt that clung to her.
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