Page 71 of Highland Steel

Rona handed the baby to Ailsa and Lockie stopped crying. But Rhoswen’s sister was weak and almost dropped him.

“She’s weak and she can’t even walk, thanks to you,” spat Rhoswen. “If you want them, you come get them,” she cried out in anger.

Bug sidled up next to Rhoswen, slipping her a dagger behind his back. She took it, waiting for Drummond. And as soon as he stepped close to her sister or the baby, Rhoswen swore she would kill the man, just like her father had wanted.

“I’ll come to ye. But only because I want ye, Rhoswen, to witness me killin’ yer sister and that annoyin’ baby the way I should have the first time.”

“You purposely told my family my sister was dead and then started the rumor that you killed her, didn’t you?” asked Rhoswen.

“Ye are smarter than ye look,” chuckled Drummond, making his way across the courtyard toward them. “Yer English king stole my sword and I kent yer faither would bring it back here, meanin’ to kill me with it. My plan worked perfectly, except I didna think he’d bring ye along with him.”

Drummond approached them and held out the Sword of Triumph. “Stand aside, Rhoswen, so ye dinna get more bluid on yer bonnie gown when I take the lives of yer sister and her baby.”

“Nay, ye stand aside, Drummond, and give me back my sword.” Logan dropped down from the battlements, heading across the courtyard right toward them. He took down several warriors as he walked.

“Kill MacKeefe!” shouted Drummond to his men.

“If ye kill him, ye’ll have to kill me, too,” shouted Ethan, stepping out from behind the mews.

“And me,” said Caleb, coming from around the back of the stable. They all looked dirty as if they’d crawled through mud. And Logan was still dripping wet from his swim in the moat.

“There’s three of them,” shouted one of the guards.

“Make that four,” said Hawke from atop the battlements.

“Nay, make that five,” came a young voice that Rhoswen didn’t want to hear.

“Newell, nay!” she cried, seeing her brother with a sword in his hand stepping out from behind a barrel.

“Get out of here, lad,” shouted Logan. “Ye shouldna be here.”

“They’re my sisters and I am going to help.” Newell rushed forward, but a guard stepped in front of him to block his path. Then an all-out battle began. When Drummond turned to see it, Rhoswen’s hand shot out and she stabbed him in the back.

“Arrgh,” cried Drummond, reaching behind him and pulling the dagger out of his back. “Ye fool! Now, I’m goin’ to have to kill ye as well.”

“Ye willna touch her, Drummond.” Logan picked up the sword of a dead guard and with a weapon in each hand, he rushed forward to fight with Drummond.

“My clan is waitin’ outside the gates,” Logan told him. “Ye have no chance, so surrender now.”

“My gate is down and the drawbridge up,” spat Drummond, fighting with Logan even with the wound in his back. “Ye are the one who is goin’ to die here today, no’ me.”

“Ailsa, quickly, get in the wagon with the baby,” said Rhoswen, helping her sister get to safety. She turned to see her little brother fighting with a guard. He was quick and managed to avoid the man. And then Oliver darted out of the shadows to help him with a sword in his hand as well. Rhoswen knew she had to do something before they both ended up dead.

“Newell, Oliver, over here,” she called, and boys came running.

“Rhoswen, I’m going to protect you,” said Newell.

“Me, too,” cried Oliver.

“Leave the fighting to the men,” she told them. “The best thing you two can do is to get up to the battlements and raise the gate and lower the drawbridge.”

“I dinna ken how to do that,” said Oliver.

“I do,” Newell told him, having lived in a castle his entire life.

“Go quickly,” said Rhoswen, looking over her shoulder to see Logan still fighting with Drummond. “Hawke is up there and will protect you.”

“I’ll watch over Ailsa and the child,” offered Bug, crawling into the back of the wagon.