One of the children cried out and was quickly silenced.
“This way!” a voice called out. “I heard something!”
***
“Put that knife down before ye slice your thumb off,” Cook said and took it from her. “Ye shouldn’t be doing kitchen work at all, but you’re a danger to yourself today.”
“I’m sorry to get in your way,” Ilysa said. “I’m just worried.”
After pacing her room until she could stand it no more, she had come down to the kitchen hoping to distract herself.
“The chieftain has gone out with some of the men several nights now,” Cook said as he chopped onions with blinding speed, “and nothing’s gone wrong.”
Ilysa had told herself that over and over. Yet she could not shake this feeling of impending disaster.
“The men will return soon,” Cook said. “You’ll see.”
“Of course they will,” Ilysa said and kissed his cheek. “I’ll leave ye to your work.”
As she was going up the circular stairs to her chamber, Ilysa suddenly felt cold pass through her as if someone were walking on her grave. She held her hand against the stone wall to steady herself while her sight grew blurry. Though she was aware of where she was, the stairwell disappeared, and she saw Connor bathed in moonlight. He was reaching his arm out to her, and his tunic was dripping with blood.
As soon as the vision passed, Ilysa raced up the stairs, knowing what she must do. She hurriedly collected the things she would need and put on her cloak.
CHAPTER 11
On the ridge above them, Connor saw the outline of five warriors, clearly visible in the moonlight. Barely breathing, he glanced at the row of children flattened against the side of the hill and prayed they would keep silent.
Through the tall grass, Connor watched the five warriors, willing them to leave. They were close enough that he could make out their voices in the quiet night.
“The MacDonald chieftain was supposed to be here,” one of them said. “Our reward will be great if we’re the ones who find him.”
The MacLeods knew he would be here. As Connor had suspected, one of his own had given him up. But which one?
Connor held his breath as the men turned north and followed the path in the direction of Trotternish Castle. He waited several long minutes after they disappeared before rising to his hands and knees for a better look.
“Are they gone?” Malcom asked.
“Hush!” Connor ordered when he heard the low rumble of the warriors’ voices above him. “They’re returning.”
A short time later, the MacLeod warriors were once again standing above them.
“We should look down this hill,” one of them said.
Connor tensed. Malcom was not a trained warrior, which meant Connor would have to take all five MacLeods himself.
“Ach, no, let’s go back to the boat,” another of the men said. “I have a jug of whiskey and a warm lass waiting for me at home.”
Connor prayed the others would listen to him.
“We’ll leave after we look down here,” the first man said.
Connor heard the familiar swish of their claymores swinging through the tall grass as the five men walked down the hill. After signaling to the family to stay low, he ran across the side of the hill in a low crouch. He had to move fast to circle behind the men before they stumbled upon the family’s hiding spot.
When he reached the path, he scooped up a handful of stones and climbed a large tree. As soon as he was out of sight in the branches, he hurled the stones, sending them bouncing up the path. Then he climbed out onto a thick limb that hung over the path and waited. If he did not hear the men coming toward him soon, he would have to shout to draw their attention. He smiled when he heard running feet.
He let the first three warriors pass and dropped on the last two, driving his dirk into one and then the other in quick succession. Before the others turned around to see what happened, Connor had his claymore in his hands. Three at once could be difficult. He was pleased when one charged him. With a swift stroke, he blocked the attacker’s sword, then swung in a circle and drove his blade deep into the man’s side.
The remaining two used their advantage and acted in concert, one coming at him from his left and the other from his right. Connor picked up the sword of one of the fallen men and fought them back using both swords. More MacLeod warriors could come looking for these at any moment. Damn, he needed to end this quickly.