Legacy of the Mist Clans Box Set (74 page)

HHH

“Kenna, wake up,” Aidan said harshly, shaking her awake.

She blinked up at him in confusion. She was in his bedroll alone. When had he—

“I spotted Hurstal and his band approaching the village,” he said tightly. “We’ve got tae get the horses saddled before they start searching for us.”

Alarm helped clear her thoughts, and she rolled to her feet. Fortunately, all she had to do was return her biodags. She looked over and saw Connell helping Mairi with her bedroll and pack.

Aidan rolled his own up and tied it. “Quickly, help me with the horses.”

She was growing quite adept at saddling a mount and was grateful she no longer needed anyone else to show her. But Aidan always checked the girth straps and tightened them before anyone mounted. She took the reins of the horse that had formerly been Aidan’s and eyed it nervously.

“Ye behave yerself now,” she said and petted its neck.

Aidan saddled the gray courser and it danced, refusing to hold still. “No doubt the farmer hasna let him out of the stall,” Aidan muttered. He looked up at her. “Dinna worry, lass, we’ll be giving him a good run out of this barn; that should settle him.”

She glanced at Mairi as Connell held Adam while she made her way down from the hayloft. “I only hope Mairi is up tae this again.”

“We have little choice.” He opened the barn door cautiously and looked around. “Let us be off.” He led his horse from the barn and Kenna followed. He stopped and held her horse’s head while she mounted and picked up the reins, but compared to the gray’s dancing and snorting, Aidan’s old mount was as calm as a plow horse. Connell helped Mairi onto her horse, fastened the rope, and gained his own. He gave a curt nod to Aidan, who vaulted into the saddle with practiced ease.

Kenna’s heart nearly stopped as the animal immediately reared, pawing the air. But Aidan easily turned him and brought him to all fours. He pointed him down the road, away from the brigands, which, unfortunately, led back to the village they had started from.

Kenna gritted her teeth and kicked her mount into a gallop, following Aidan with Connell and Mairi right behind. They were moving away from their goal of Castle MacGrigor.

They galloped for quite a distance with Aidan pulling ahead then stopping at the top of another rise. Despite the gallop, his horse still had energy to burn and jigged in place, tossing its head. Aidan petted its neck as he looked behind them.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered as Kenna pulled to a stop alongside him.

She too looked back toward the village and saw four dark forms riding hard along the road they had taken. “Only four?” she asked.

“The others shouldn’t be too far behind,” Aidan said. “We’ve got tae gain distance if we are tae double back around them and head for home.”

“Then we ride hard, Aidan. Mairi will just have tae deal with it.”

“Aye,” he said, his tight expression easing as he looked at her. He spun his horse and kicked it into a gallop.

Despite their headlong rush, Kenna fancied she could hear the knights-errant gaining on them. Every time she stopped with Aidan and looked back, the dark forms bobbing along the trail grew closer, but their numbers had not increased. Aidan stopped less frequently, pushing the speed as fast as he dared with poor Mairi clinging to her saddle and her bairn.

Kenna recognized the trail as being close to the village they had left when they began their journey. She thought Aidan might turn onto the road leading to it, but he abruptly cursed and veered right, heading straight north toward Glen Trool proper.

Kenna followed him but glanced over her shoulder back down the road. To her shock, she saw the rest of the knights-errant. Her gaze locked on Hurstal, and fear and rage assailed her. Saints have mercy! That’s why the numbers of those following had not increased. Hurstal had split his group and was now waiting for them. She pushed her mount even faster, noting Connell did the same. Mairi also spotted Hurstal, and her face grew paler. Even though she still clutched at the saddle bow, she kicked her horse, trying to encourage it to keep pace with Connell’s.

They pushed hard, and behind them, Kenna heard the snort of horses and knew it was not her fearful imagination. The bastards were gaining on them.

Aidan turned a sharp bend in the trail, and Kenna, only a pace behind him, nearly ran into him as he pulled his horse to a sliding stop. She did the same, her heart racing as she saw a dozen heavily armed men, some mounted and some on foot, blocking the road before them.

“Hold!” one of the men barked. Four aimed bows at them.

Connell galloped around the bend and also stopped his and Mairi’s horses. He looked to the men before them then spun his mount to face those who galloped behind.

“What be yer purpose here?” one of the men barked.

Kenna abruptly realized they weren’t knights-errant but Scotsmen.

Aidan’s tight expression did not ease. “Trouble with bandits on the trail,” he growled. “I seek tae get the lassies tae safety.”

The men did not lower their weapons. Many carried long pikes with short swords strapped to their belts and round shields slung over their backs. Their clothing and hair was ill kept and they appeared rather travel worn. A giant of a man stepped from their ranks. He was as big as a bear and had bright red hair and a long beard.

“Aidan MacGrigor, be that ye?”

“Sir James Douglas,” Aidan growled.

Kenna looked at him in surprise. He knew these men? But his harsh expression did not ease, and Kenna grew more worried.

Whisperings rippled through the men behind the bear of a man. “It canna be.”

“’Tis true. He be the brother of the Demon Laird.”

Aidan curled his lip. “If ye would kindly allow us passage, we shallna trouble ye.”

The beat of hooves behind them grew louder.

“From the sound of it,” the bear said, “ye bring trouble with ye.”

“English knights-errant waylaying travelers, as I told ye.”

The bear growled a curse. “I’ll be having words with ye after this is through,” he said to Aidan. “Make a hole,” he barked to the men.

The men did so, and Aidan kicked his horse forward. Kenna followed with Connell and Mairi right behind. They trotted through the ranks, but two more men stepped in their path as soon as they cleared them, their pikes at the ready.

“Close ranks!” the bear barked. “Pikes on the line. Form up!”

Kenna looked over her shoulder. Hurstal and his group galloped around the bend. Three men foolishly charged the line at the same moment Hurstal barked orders for them to stop. But it was too late for the three; they plowed into the pikes, their mounts screaming in agony. The Scotsmen roared. Those with swords stepped forward and slew the riders on the fallen horses.

The rest of Hurstal’s men obeyed his ordered and stopped. Horses squealed in protest, some rearing violently. Hurstal turned around and charged in the other direction, the remainder of his men following without question.

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire,” Aidan muttered, watching the skirmish.

“Ye ken these Scotsmen?”

“The leader be James Douglas.” He paused, his grim expression growing darker. “We just stumbled into the Bruce’s men.”

K
enna’s heart pounded against her ribs as her gaze swept over the men forming the skirmish line. If these were the Bruce’s men, the small number certainly wasn’t all of them. “Where are the rest?”

“This is just a patrol, lass. Remember we heard the Bruce was headed toward Glen Trool. No doubt he reached it, and Douglas is now placing sentries upon various roads.

“Mayhap they will let us be on our way,” Kenna said.

“Doubtful. The Bruce will want tae ken why I am so far afield.”

“Ye ken the Bruce?” she asked, stunned.

Aidan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the men around them. “My brother, of course, being laird, kens him well. I have met him on a social level.” He paused and looked at her. “Our paths have crossed several times, being invited tae the same revels and whatnot.”

Kenna swallowed hard. “Does he ken ye be the Hawk?”

Aidan shrugged. “More than likely he has an idea. The Bruce and his family live and breathe political intrigue, and he has his own ways of gathering intelligence. He had a right tae make a bid for the kingship before the war started. He is a powerful man from a powerful family, holding land in both Scotland and England.”

“What should we do?”

Again his gaze swept over the men surrounding them. “I’m still working on that.”

Connell pushed his horse next to Aidan. “Was that who I believe it tae be?”

“Aye,” Aidan said and glanced around. “Connell, forgive me for doing this, but ye must claim Mairi as yer wife and the bairn as yer child.”

Connell’s face lost color and he swallowed hard. “Aidan, please,” he whispered, his expression grief stricken.

“I am sorry, but I fear it be the only way tae keep them both safe.”

Connell stared at the ground for a long moment, and Kenna’s heart twisted at seeing the sorrow in his green eyes. But he looked over his shoulder at Mairi then back to Aidan, and he slowly nodded.

“Thank ye, Connell. Ye’d best tell Mairi.”

He nodded again and turned his horse back to her.

“And ye,” Aidan said, looking at Kenna. “I fear ye will be vexed with me as well.”

“Ye will claim me as yer wife?” Kenna asked, astonished.

Aidan shook his head, and Kenna was surprised when disappointment rose within her. He opened his mouth to speak, but the giant Scot Aidan had called James Douglas approached, and he snapped his jaw shut.

Douglas barked more orders to his men. A few stayed behind to guard the road while he led the others toward Aidan.

“Those were Englishmen. Ye led them right tae us.”

“I told ye,” Aidan growled. “Knights-errant. And I didna ken ye were here.”

Douglas eyed him a long moment. A man brought Douglas a horse, and he took the reins and paused, studying Kenna curiously. “I thought ye be a lad at first. Who are ye?”

“No one of import,” Aidan snapped. “The brigands kept her as a plaything. I freed her, which is why they were chasing us.”

Kenna looked at Aidan, shock coiling through her, and anger quickly followed. Now she understood why he had said she would be vexed with him. He had basically told Douglas she was now a leman.

“Connell be my clansman and the other lass his wife and his wee bairn.”

“Ye be a long way from home, MacGrigor.”

“Aye,” Aidan replied but said nothing more.

Douglas shrugged and mounted his horse. “Come then, His Majesty will be wishing tae speak with ye.”

Aidan kicked his horse after Douglas while Kenna’s gaze shot daggers at him.

Kenna swallowed hard. She could no longer deny the fear rising within her with each passing moment.

HHH

The Bruce had camped his army in Glen Trool proper, and the ride seemed to take forever. Douglas only paused to leave men to stand as guards in various spots along the road. Riding next to Kenna, Aidan pushed his horse closer and took her hand, praying she would forgive him. He knew she had been ready to strangle him. There was no help for it; it was the only explanation for her presence he could think of on such short notice.

He found himself loath to release her, even though he knew showing preference toward her would only strengthen the Bruce’s hold over him. He glanced over his shoulder at Connell, who rode next to Mairi. Her bairn cried and fussed, no doubt hungry, but Mairi was hesitant to hold him to breast with unknown men surrounding her. Aidan couldn’t really fault her for her caution.

The horses ascended a rise, the trail littered with loose shale and quite steep. Aidan gave his mount its head and allowed it to pick its way. At least all of the running had burned away its energy.

They crested the rise, and before them swept a large bowl-shaped glen. In the center was a large grassy meadow; heavy woods flanked the sides as far as the eye could see. To the south ran a fast moving stream. Ahead of them rose the small town that now housed the Bruce’s army. Troops with pavilions and tents filled the meadow, and men crowded the town. But Aidan was startled to realize it was only a handful of men, numbering perhaps in the hundreds. No doubt Longshanks’s forces numbered in the thousands. While their numbers seemed great within the small town, Aidan knew this was a pitiful host.

Douglas barked an order to the men. Those on foot dispersed into the numbers loitering about while those mounted stayed with them, surrounding Aidan and the others. They rode toward a large tower house at the far end. Aidan spotted the herbal shop where he had fetched the healer when Kenna was ill, but did not see the man.

The tower house appeared to have four floors, its windows nothing more than archer loops except for the top floor, where they were shuttered but a bit wider. It had a single curtain wall and a small bailey. The walls and gates were heavily guarded, but Douglas and the group entered the bailey without question. Douglas pulled to a stop at the base of the stairs and dismounted, gesturing for Aidan and the others to do the same.

Aidan did so and wrapped Kenna’s arm in his. He watched Connell help Mairi from her mount and take her arm. Little Adam still cried and fussed.

“Douglas!” a voice barked. “Ye have brought guests?”

Aidan gritted his teeth. He hadn’t heard that voice in years but recognized it immediately. He lifted his gaze to the top of the stairs.

“Found them on the trail, Yer Majesty,” Douglas replied. “Being hounded by brigands. Thought ye would wish tae speak tae them.”

The Bruce was a tall, powerfully built man, but he was not as tall as Aidan nor as broad shouldered. Still, he was an imposing figure. He wore a well-made tunic and trewes with a surcoat over it, a long belt wrapped around his waist. His reddish-brown hair fell to his collar, and his beard was neatly trimmed. A coronet graced his brow. His face was handsome, with a strong, slightly aquiline nose and square jaw. Dark eyes regarded Aidan and his group with surprise.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” he asked. “Young MacGrigor, ye are far from home.”

“So everyone keeps telling me,” Aidan muttered under his breath.

Douglas gestured for him to ascend the stairs. He did so, keeping Kenna behind him. They were too narrow for them to ascend side by side. Mairi followed with Connell behind her. The Bruce stepped inside before Aidan reached the top of the stairs. As Aidan entered, two guards stopped him.

“Yer weapons,” one guard said.

Aidan unbuckled his sword belt then withdrew his two boot daggers and handed them over.

“The lad too,” the guard said then looked twice. “Forgive me, the lassie too.”

Aidan nodded at Kenna, and she removed the two biodags she wore.

The guards gave Mairi and her crying bairn a cursory glance, then they looked to Connell, who grudgingly handed over his sword belt and biodag as well.

The guards let them pass, and Aidan entered the hall. The Bruce had taken his seat at the high table. As they approached, Aidan noted a man dressed in nondescript clothing standing behind the Bruce’s chair. It was the plainness of the man that drew Aidan’s attention, and his hackles lifted.

The man looked at them then bent to whisper in the king’s ear, his hand partially covering his mouth. The king listened, his unreadable expression never changing. As the man straightened, Aidan’s gaze returned to him and red suddenly hazed his vision. He knew this man. Aidan had encountered him before, a spy by the name of Roger Munro, at one time, one of his birds—until he had betrayed Aidan.

Aidan gritted his teeth, but like the Bruce, kept his expression neutral. Still, his thoughts scrambled. It had been years since Aidan had seen Munro, but the spy’s presence changed everything. Every instinct within Aidan pricked him like thorns, but he stopped before the high table and bowed. Kenna managed an awkward curtsey; behind them, Connell and Mairi followed suit.

Munro stepped away from the Bruce and tried to vanish into the shadows. But it had been Aidan who had taught him that trick, and he could still see him. Aidan watched him out of the corner of his eye until the man truly left the room. Aidan had taught him much, but he did not discount the likelihood that the man had learned new tricks.

The Bruce gestured to the table. “Please, sit, refresh yerselves.”

The table branched out in a T-shape away from the high table. Technically, Aidan was a noble of rank, representing Clan MacGrigor in the absence of his brother. If he was truly a guest, the Bruce would have offered him a seat at the high table, but he had not, and after seeing Munro, the slight only reinforced Aidan’s worries. He sat the closest to Bruce and had Kenna sit on his left.

Servants poured wine and brought them fresh bread and cheese. For a moment, Aidan wondered if anything was poisoned. Then he chided himself. He and Munro were enemies, but the Bruce would not be so foolish. He forced himself to take a drink of wine and eat some cheese. Pursued by the brigands, they had not eaten all day. Connell placed his plaid over Mairi, and her bairn instantly quieted as she put him to breast.

“I thank ye for yer hospitality,” Aidan said, even though he nearly choked on the words.

“I am glad ye are hale. Who has accompanied ye this day?”

“This is Kenna, and with me be my kinsman, Connell, his wife Mairi, and his son Adam.”

“What brings ye tae Glen Trool?”

“Business on behalf of my brother and the clan,” Aidan said, unwilling to elaborate.

“And how be yer brother? I must say, young MacGrigor, I had heard some frightful tales. There were those who believed ye would be forced tae step into the role of laird.”

“It was a fear for a time,” Aidan said honestly. “But my brother has recovered. He be married with a wee bairn of his own.”

“Good tae hear,” the Bruce said, lifting his cup in salute, then he nodded toward Connell. “And what would prompt yer kinsman tae make such a journey with a bairn with the safety of the roads being in question?”

“His wife came tae visit family for Christmastide and tae introduce them tae the bairn. They have been here for quite some time. I offered tae fetch them back upon learning the roads grew dangerous. I belatedly realized I should have brought more men. We were hard pressed with the brigands. Lost a horse and much-needed supplies tae the bloody bastards.” He lifted his wine cup to his lips.

“I see. And who be his wife’s family? I should give them quarter when I move my forces.”

Aidan nearly choked on his wine. What family indeed? His thoughts scrambled.

“MacLean,” Kenna whispered so softly he barely heard her.

Praise be. She had said Mairi served her for six months previously. He lowered his cup and cleared his throat. “Her family be in service tae house MacLean.”

“I see,” the Bruce said, looking at Kenna intently. “I hear Laird MacLean lost his daughter tae these knights-errant.” Even though Kenna did quite well at keeping Aidan between them, the Bruce’s eyes narrowed.

Bloody hell! Aidan suddenly feared he had erred terribly. Now that he knew Munro served the Bruce, Aidan worried over all that might mean. How long had Munro served the king? How much information did he have of the happenings in the area? If he knew about MacLean, had he gained that information through Munro? Had Munro recognized Kenna? If the Bruce realized Kenna was Laird MacLean’s daughter, he might forcibly return her to her father.

“That only proves my point, Yer Majesty,” Aidan said, hoping to divert his attention from Kenna. “These brigands need tae be dealt with.”

The Bruce continued to watch Kenna closely. “I fear there be more tae it than that. Because of what the brigands did, Laird Stewart took offense against MacLean, believing him tae be trying tae break the betrothal contract. He gathered his forces and laid siege tae the keep. Laird MacLean is dead, and Stewart controls his holdings.”

Aidan battled not to react, but under the table, he found Kenna’s hand and held it tightly. She returned his grip, and he shot her a sideways glance. She had suffered under her father’s heavy hand, and Aidan knew there was little love lost, but he was still her father. Her face lost a bit of color and she blinked but otherwise showed no outward reaction to this news. Aidan couldn’t have been more proud of her.

The Bruce continued to observe Kenna, but when he too did not see a reaction, he turned his attention back to Aidan.

Aidan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as if they had just passed a test. “Will Laird Stewart answer for what he has done?”

“Dinna worry, I will deal with him, and rest assured when this war is finished, I shall devote my full attention tae ridding our land of this banditry.”

“That be good tae hear.” But he knew until the Bruce could strengthen his position and his forces against Longshanks, he was on the run and ill prepared to deal with the matters of law and justice in his own realm. Right now he was primarily concerned with keeping his head attached to his shoulders.

The Bruce studied him a long moment, and Aidan battled not to fidget under his gaze. Wondering exactly what Munro had told him harried his thinking. Munro knew Aidan could determine what a person was saying by watching their lips move and had purposely blocked Aidan’s view.

Aidan sighed, fighting to slow his racing thoughts. Diplomacy was his brother’s strength. Aidan could manage it after a fashion, especially when he needed to learn information, but he was on his heels and ill prepared to deal with the king of Scotland right now.