“Aye, we do,” Gòrdan said with a tight nod. “I’ll see her safe.”
CHAPTER 40
It was damp and cold in the gatehouse, but they didn’t go hungry that night. Gòrdan had brought dried fish, oatcakes, and cheese, and Father Brian—bless him—had the presence of mind to wheel the wine barrel out of the keep when he was escaping the fire.
After their cold supper, Father Brian led them in prayer. They bowed their heads to pray for the lives of Connor, Alex, and Duncan, and for the survival of their clan.
While the others dropped off to sleep or spoke in low voices, Ian huddled against the wall with Sìleas, where he could watch the door. He couldn’t be certain the MacKinnons would not return. Although he’d barred the gate and left a few men out on the wall in the rain to keep watch, he wouldn’t rest easy tonight. He didn’t have enough men to hold the castle against a full attack.
He wrapped his plaid tighter around Sìleas and kissed her hair as she rested against his chest. Every time he thought of how close he had come to losing her, he felt as if a great fist squeezed his heart.
“There is something I need to tell ye,” Sìleas said in a low voice.
Blood pounded in Ian’s ears as he braced himself to hear what he knew would be past bearing. But he must bear it and be strong for her.
“Was it Angus or Murdoc?” he asked in a choked voice. For as long as he lived, he would never forgive himself for being too late to save her from being taken in violence.
Sìleas touched her fingers to his face. “No. That didn’t happen.”
Would she lie to spare him? He didn’t want to press her now. When he had her safe, with hours before them to talk, he would find out all that had happened in the castle.
“I speak the truth,” she said. “I wasn’t certain ye would find me before one of them raped me, but ye did.”
Relief flooded through him. Men had their hands on her and frightened her, but at least she had not suffered the worst violation.
“I never doubted ye would rescue me in the end,” she said. “Ye always have.”
Her faith in him overwhelmed him. Ian lifted her hand and kissed her fingers.
“And tomorrow, ye will make certain Hugh Dubh does not become our chieftain,” she said in a determined voice. “Ye will do it for the clan, for Connor, and for all the others. And ye will do it for me.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“What I wanted to tell ye is that Murdoc admitted he had an agreement with Hugh,” Sìleas said. “Hugh let him have Knock Castle—and me—in exchange for murdering Connor.”
“I knew it,” Ian said, pounding his fist on the dirt floor. “I promise ye, I will not let Hugh become chieftain.”
He’d murder Hugh before he let that happen.
She let her head drop against his chest again. “I want to stay awake just to feel your arms around me,” she said in a soft voice. “But I’m so tired, I can’t keep my eyes open.”
“Shhh. Sleep,mo chroí,” he murmured, as she fell asleep in his arms.
Ian roused the men at first light. He was anxious to get his wife to a safer place and to see how Connor and the others fared. And there was no time to spare. The dark days of November were almost upon them; the celebration of Samhain would begin at sunset.
“Ian,” Niall called from the gate. “Come see this.”
Ian heard the urgency in his brother’s voice and ran to join him on the drawbridge.
“There,” Niall said, pointing out to sea, where three war galleys were sailing toward shore.
Damn, damn, damn.Ian squinted through the rain, trying to see who they were. God’s blood, the man standing in the prow of the front ship was none other than his former jailor, Shaggy Lachlan Cattanach Maclean.
Why would Shaggy be coming here? With three galleys loaded with clansmen, it did not appear to be a friendly visit.
“Christ above,” Ian said, “I don’t have time to deal with a pack of murdering Macleans this morning.”
Ian turned as Father Brian joined them on the drawbridge.