The Guardian

While Sileas talked with his father and Niall, Ian drew Gordan away for a private word.

“There’s another favor I’d ask of ye,” he said in a low voice.

Gordan looked at the ground and kicked at the dirt with the toe of his boot. “Ye know I owe ye after what my mother did.”

“Can ye take care of Dina after we leave in the morning?” When Gordan’s head snapped up, Ian added, “Just until I can find someone else to take her in.”

“Is she your mistress?” Gordan hissed, his nostrils flaring. “I said I owe ye, but I’ll no help ye deceive Sileas.”

“Ye misunderstand me,” Ian said, putting a hand up. “There will never be another woman for me but Sileas.”

Gordan’s lips were pressed into a hard line, but he was listening.

“I doubt we would have all gotten out alive without Dina’s help,” Ian said. “I don’t like leaving her unprotected. Will ye watch over her and see that’s she’s safe?”

Gordan looked over at Dina, who was standing alone, hugging herself against the fine mist that had begun to fall.

“She’s made mistakes,” Ian said. “But we all deserve a chance to redeem ourselves.”

“Aye, we do,” Gordan 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. Gordan 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 Sileas, 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 Sileas 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,” Sileas 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.

Sileas 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,” Sileas 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 chroi,” 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.