“Maybe still at the beach,” Finley said in explanation.
“Fin,” Kirsten gasped.
Finley stopped and turned impatiently, panting.
“I canna,” Kirsten gulped. “My side.”
“Wait here; this is where they’ll gather,” Finley said, already trotting backward. “I’ll meet you.”
It would take several more minutes to reach the beach, and she didn’t know if Lachlan or Murdoch would even be there. As long as Lachlan didn’t know Town Blair—Dand and Marcas—were in danger, he was safe. Carsons must be alerted to the danger first, so that Lachlan didn’t go to Town Blair alone. And so she dashed up the path around the town instead, pushing her legs as hard as she had the energy left to do so. Her da would know what to do.
The low longhouse came into shape out of the night shadows, and Finley felt a catch in her chest that had little to do with her physical exertion. Her eyes blurred with tears and her next inhalation was a sob.
“Da,” she called, even before her hand was on the door latch. “Da! Mam!” She pushed inside and ran to the bedchamber door.
It opened before she could reach it, and then Ina Carson was there.
“Finley? What is it? Is Kirsten ill?”
Finley threw her arms around her mother and squeezed her tight for only a moment, but it was enough to reset her heading. “I’ve nae been at Kirsten’s, Mam. I need Da.” She left her mother in the doorway and went to her knees at the side of the bed, where her father was already leaning up on an elbow.
“Da, you must get up,” Finley gasped. “Town Blair is under attack.”
Ina gave a soft cry from the doorway. “What?”
Rory threw off the covers and swung his legs out of bed. “Who?”
Finley stood and moved back as her father alighted, reaching for his shawl, stepping into his unlaced boots.
“It’s the Englishman who burned Carson Town.”
Rory stilled and turned to face her, his expression blank in the sudden light of the lamp Ina had returned with.
“He’s asking for Lachlan. And…and for Thomas Annesley,” Finley said. “He’s horses and soldiers, and it looked as though they’ve taken all the Blairs’ weapons in the town. Kirsten and I saw two Blairs shot dead on the green. I…I think he’s going to kill them all, Da. Lachlan, too, if he can lay hands on him.”
Rory was a blur of motion once again, pulling his old blue bonnet from the hook, fastening the ends of his shawl tightly. He went to the end of the bed and reached beneath it, pulling out an old wooden trunk.
“Have you told the Blair?”
“Nay. I didna find Lachlan at the old house. I came straight here after.”
Rory Carson opened the trunk and pulled out a short, wide sword in a leather sheath. He laid it aside and removed a pair of matching daggers, and began attaching them side by side on his belt.
“Ina, Fin, go on and wake everyone. Call the fine and all to the old house, with whatever weapons they can carry.” Finley’s mother disappeared from the doorway while Rory stood and tied on the sword. “I’ll find Murdoch meself.”
Finley was struck for a moment by the change that had occurred before her eyes. Her gentle, elderly father, the farmer, was gone, and in his place stood an armed Highlander, ready to go to war. He glanced up at her. “Go, Fin. Find yer husband before he can hear from somewhere else.”
The quiet command broke the spell, and Finley dashed through the main room and the open door, running down the path toward the bobbing light of the lamp ahead of her.
Ina stopped at the first house and banged on the door. “The fine is being called! All men and weapons to the old house.” She rapped again, harder, on the door, and then turned her face toward Finley, who was just nearing the end of the path. “Check the beach and work your way back.” The door opened, and Ina repeated her message, then turned and disappeared around the corner of the house.
Finley ran. She encountered a handful of people on her way through the town and set them to task, adding, “Have you seen Lachlan?” At their quizzical looks, she clarified, “The Blair—where is the Blair?”
No one knew.
Carson Town became pricked with torchlight, and the sounds of anxious voices swelled, as did the river of bobbing light that flowed up the path to the cliff house. Finley sidled and pushed her way through the throng to reach the clearing where the bonfire had been lit, and she saw her father and the other elders with their heads bowed together.
“Da!” Finley called and grabbed at his sleeve.
