Page 48 of Highland Guard

“I can see the shape of them, how they sit a horse, and e’en a wee bit of the horses. Enough to recognize the beasts as the ones the MacFingals took when they left. Those vain fools near always wear their hair loose as weel, just as those two riders do.”

“So, ye didnae send them to their deaths as ye had begun to fear.”

Harcourt scowled at Gybbon as he turned to begin his way down off the walls. “I didnae think that. They sent word now and then. I kenned they would be back when they found something we needed to know.” He ignored Gybbon’s mocking snort of laughter.

The MacFingals were riding into the bailey by the time Harcourt got there to greet them. He noticed that both men had returned with more than they had left with. Extra very full packs were secured on each horse.

“Did ye go to a market on your way back here?” Harcourt asked even as he prayed the thievery they had so clearly indulged in was not something he would have to strenuously object to.

“Aye, in a way,” replied Nathan, grinning widely. “We decided Sir Adam’s men didnae need to be carrying so much about on Lady Annys’s land so we kindly lightened their burden a wee bit.”

Harcourt shook his head. “And they are nay hunting ye down?”

“May be but nay this way. They think we came from the far north.”

“Come inside then. We can talk while ye have some food and drink.”

It did not trouble Harcourt when he caught no sight of Annys as he and the others entered the hall. All that had occurred in the last few days, from discovering Biddy’s betrayal to her own close escape, had exhausted her. It would not surprise him if she had slipped away for a brief nap before the evening meal was all set out. He knew he should feel guilty over the fact that his greed for her lush body had undoubtedly added to that weariness he had seen in her of late, but he found that he did not.

“So, what have ye discovered?” he asked the MacFingals after they all sat at the table and the two men began to fill their plates with food. “Ye were gone a long while, long enough that I was thinking on which of my kin I would be willing to sacrifice by sending them to Scarglas with the news that I had lost you.”

Ned laughed and shook his head. “Those fool men of Sir Adam’s ne’er suspected us. Thought we were naught but two more men who thought to earn a few coins for swinging a sword around. Only one I was worried about was Sir Adam himself for I wasnae certain if he had remembered us here with ye that time he came or e’en when someone was watching Glencullaich.”

“But he hadnae.”

“He may have,” said Nathan as he refilled his tankard with ale, having downed the first drink with unhesitant greed, “but he is one of those men who doesnae notice the soldiers or servants, only those of a higher birth. He didnae e’en like coming round to speak with us, always using that fellow Clyde to do his talking for him.”

“Clyde is a verra busy mon.”

“Ah, aye, we heard about that poor lass,” Ned said. “She had to pay for all she had done and planned to do but it was a verra hard death. I suspicion ye didnae tell the women everything, aye?”

After a quick glance to make sure they were alone, Harcourt shook his head. “’Tis why the body wasnae brought home for a while. Cleaned her up a bit although ye cannae hide everything, can ye. Callum sent word that I needed to come and help find a trail for the ones who hanged her. So I am hoping all that will nay be known. For the sake of her sisters if naught else. Joan has made no mention of it and she helped them prepare the lass for burial so that may be the end of it.”

“It will be hard for those lassies for a while but I think the people here are nay the sort to hold the sins of one kinsmon against a whole family.”

“Nay,” agreed Nathan. “Good, kind folk here.”

“The lassies are still working out their punishment for setting their sister free,” said Harcourt. “Couldnae just let that go e’en though they didnae hide their crime. Oh, and now that ye are back, ye will probably start wooing the lassies again.” He ignored their grins. “Word of warning. Biddy’s sister Davida is young and verra bonnie and no fool. She e’en saw the wrong in her sister and there isnae any mercy in her heart for the woman.”

“Yet she set her free.”

“Family.” Harcourt was not surprised when both MacFingals nodded.

“Weel, the most important thing we discovered is that Sir Adam is verra busy gathering an army and ’tis a sizeable one.”

Harcourt cursed. “I suspected that. He has failed to kill either Annys or Benet, failed to drive her away with everything from stealing stock to setting the village on fire. Only thing left is to just take the place. He wasnae e’en planning to do that fair. He was using Biddy to find him all the secret ways in so he could send men inside and slaughter as many as possible that way.”

“And Biddy failing in that, getting herself caught and questioned, enraged Clyde,” said Ned. “When the word first came that the fool lass had actually run back to the keep, and then that ye had kenned about her meeting with Clyde, he killed two fools before he grew cold again. And, nay, I am nay sure how he kenned it. Thinking he has one or two lads just sitting round in ale houses gathering news. Only thing I am sure of is that no one here, aside from Biddy, has e’er helped him. The lack of another spy was what so enraged Clyde and he was verra clear about that when he was ranting.”

“It is the kind of news that would travel far and fast. But, she was nay clever enough to have kept it all to herself when she went to him anyway. So, do ye think this army a worthy one?”

“Some of it. He has a small number of men sent from half a dozen kin and money to hire more swordsmen. The quest to take Glencullaich from a four-year-old boy has stirred up a lot of MacQueens. I suspicion they are hoping for a wee piece.”

“It sounds as if Sir Adam will have to fight hard for a long time to get his arse in that laird’s chair. And, if he works some miracle and wins the battle, that knowledge will give me some comfort.”

“Och, we willnae lose,” said Ned. “Got more skills, more wits, and more strength. And big, thick walls. Dinnae forget the big thick, walls.”

Harcourt laughed. “Nay, let us ne’er forget those walls. Especially since we are mostly confident we have sealed all the bolt-holes. The two we might have to use have been heavily secured but are still able to be used. I am nay one to think it noble to die to the last mon, woman, and bairn. Ye can see when that time comes that a loss is racing toward ye. That is when ye start to get the women and bairns out, while ye can still have men ye can set on the walls to protect their retreat.”