“We ken this land. They dinna. We ride for Dirlot Castle near Loch More and the River Thurso. I hope we dinna need to seek shelter from Reginald Cheyne, but I believe he would grant it if we asked. He’s on good terms with the Mackays and Sutherlands right now since they’ve kept the Gunns from harrying him. Ma wife is Lady Adelaide Sinclair nae Lady Greer Gunn.” He reasoned they should use her middle name rather something so recognizable as her real one.
“Dirlot?” Greer’s eyes widened. “That’s barely a keep, and it sits in the middle of the river. Albert said there’s a gorge, and the water below is called the Devil’s Pool. That doesnae sound inviting. The rock it sits upon is massive. How do we even get to it, let alone climb it?”
Dirlot Castle sat upon a rock that soared forty or fifty feet out of the water. While it had three floors, it was tiny and could hardly be considered a castle despite its name. It was more like a tall stone croft. Greer wasn’t certain Sir Reginald was in residence since he had other strongholds that he frequented more. She’d passed it one year on the way to a Highland Gathering at the Mackays. She’d thought it more a folly than a home. But perhaps Thor knew somewhere along the river or loch, even in the gorge, where they could hide.
“Ye ken I fostered with Uncle Tristan. I ken the area since he would bring Wee Liam, Alec, Hamish, and me on patrol near there. It was a time when the Mackays and Cheynes didna get along, so he wished for his lads to ken the land if ever there were a fight.”
“I trust ye.” Greer had never meant those words more.
The group fell silent as they charged over hill and dale. The only one to talk was Keenan as he called out distances between them and their pursuers. Thor pulled ahead just enough for the others to see where he led. After they’d ridden for nearly twenty minutes, they came to a crag they all considered a blessing. Their Highland horses could navigate the uneven and precarious terrain far better than the English horses that likely weren’t raised in such countryside. None of the voices that had called to them as they left the village sounded like they were from northern England. It was a relief to Thor, since he supposed only mounts familiar with the moorlands of Northumbria would pose a threat to them.
They slowed their horses to a trot, then a walk, as shale skidded from beneath the hooves. But with direction from the riders, the horses picked their own path as they climbed along the rocky hillside.
“They’ll be at the base in a couple minutes. I canna tell if they have bows,” Keenan updated.
“We must assume they do. We keep Lady Greer in the middle as best we can. We never leave her back unprotected.” Thor knew his two warriors understood that implicitly, but he felt better for offering the reminder. They reached a point where it was too narrow for even two horses to ride abreast. Thor took the lead with Greer sandwiched between him and Dominic. Keenan continued to bring up the rear.
“Their horses are balking at the uneven ground. They’re climbing now too, but they’re having a hard time controlling some of them.” Just as Keenan announced the English’s predicament, a horse whinnied loudly in anger. Frustrated voice carried on the wind as the knights attempted to coerce then force their steeds to continue along the crags. It tempted Greer to look back, but she feared twisting in her saddle would spook her mount or that she wouldn’t keep her seat. She told herself to put as much faith in Keenan as Thor clearly did.
“Over there. Past the outcropping. It drops off a foot past it. But if ye ken that, ye can turn to the left just after the rocks. From a distance ye canna tell that the path shifts. They’ll still see us moving.”
“Can we slow down when we get to it?” Greer knew her horse would follow Thor’s especially since the horse was from the Sinclairs’ stables too. But she didn’t feel confident in her skills to maneuver the beast in such a foreign environment.
“Aye. We must. The moment yer horse’s chest gets past the last boulder, ye must steer him to the left. Guide him before his tail passes the end.” Thor spoke clearly, but low. He didn’t want his voice to carry to their enemy, and he hoped it would calm Greer’s nerves. He understood why she sounded fearful. They were in one of the most dangerous situations in which Thor had ever found himself. He wouldn’t have willingly chosen to lead Greer on this path as a day’s excursion. If they weren’t fleeing, he would have kept them miles away.
Thor was certain Gaisgeach remembered where they were because he barely had to use his thighs at all to guide the horse. The steed turned before Thor even had a chance to move the rein. He hazarded a glance over his shoulder and noticed Greer’s teeth dug into her lower lip so deeply he expected to find dents when they stopped. But she and her mount did well.
They followed the path as it curved before straightening. The ground proved smoother along this strip, so they nudged their horses into a faster walk. They reached flat terrain and spurred their horses into a trot. They heard orders for the men to increase their pace, then they heard a horse scream as it fell. More horses whinnied and neighed as the English halted, their horses rearing and rebelling.
“They’re dismounting and trying to lead their mounts, but the wee beasties arenae having it. I suppose our Highlands arenae as gentle as all their English flower gardens,” Keenan scoffed.
“They’ll get some of them to settle, then they’ll be after us again.” Thor might agree with Keenan’s assessment, but he kept their pace sedate until he was certain they were out of such imminent danger. “This only buys us a few more minutes. We need to get to the bogland where they’re likely to get stuck. We ken what to look for. They likely dinna and will think they can cut across to catch us. If they’re mired in the mud, at least a couple horses are likely to go lame. I’ll take aught that slows them.”
He scanned the terrain they approached, knowing that it had likely changed since the last time he’d ridden anywhere near the area. He spied the difference in plants first. The grass grew taller where he knew small ponds lay. But it was the scent from the peat that confirmed it. The spongy texture could fool someone into believing it was sturdy enough to walk across, but a man’s weight would be enough for him to sink knee-deep into the muddy water that rest beneath the plant. He counted on the knights assuming the peat was solid enough for their horses to tread across.
Thor gave Gaisgeach his head and allowed the horse to pick the best path, only correcting him a handful of times. Greer’s horse followed Gaisgeach and stepped where the lead horse had. They continued the same way as they rode through the muck that sat alongside the bogs. They were nearly across the marshland when a thunderclap filled the air. The storm lay to the south, which was the direction Thor intended to turn them. He looked north instead and found the skies clearer.
“We dinna head to Dirlot Castle. We ride for Broubster Forest. It’s away from the storm and likely closer. We can lose them amongst the trees and find shelter for the night.” Thor estimated they’d already ridden for two hours, and their horses would need rest and water soon. They couldn’t afford for their own animals to go lame. They changed their course and hurried north.
Dominic still rode to Greer’s right as they changed their course. He was the first to spot the body of water. “Isnae that Loch Calder?”
“Aye. We can let the horses rest there.” Thor wanted Greer to have an opportunity to stretch. She wasn’t used to the long hours in the saddle like the men, so he worried that not only would she be stiff, but that the inside of her legs would chafe. When they arrived at the loch, Thor handed off the reins to his horse and Greer’s before helping her from the saddle. She gripped his biceps as she steadied herself. She looked around and spied a bush where she could have a moment of privacy.
“I’m just going to the other side of yon bush.” She pointed, and Thor drew his sword. Her brow furrowed.
“I dinna need ye getting bitten by a snake again. Let me be sure it’s safe, then ye can do what ye need.” Thor took her hand as they walked away from the other men. When they reached the spot, he used his sword to shake the branches. When nothing hissed or scurried away, he felt confident about giving Greer her space. “Wee one, how do ye fare? Are yer legs chafed?”
“A little but naught that will keep me from riding.”
“We all keep a salve in our saddlebags for just that. If yer skin is irritated, tell me, and I will give ye some. Dinna wait until it’s raw.”
“I’ll let ye ken.”
Thor bent down and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I’m happy to examine ye.”
“Off with ye. I dinna need a nursemaid for that or to mind me while I relieve maself. Turn away.” Greer swatted at him with a chuckle. Thor playfully harrumphed before taking ten steps away and kept his back to her. She wasted no time, appreciating the moment’s reprieve. When she was through, she did her best to look at the inside of her thighs. She believed she could manage a few more hours before she needed the salve, but she didn’t want to overestimate her endurance or her skin. “Thor, I think it might be best if I use some of that salve. Naught’s wrong, but I’d like to keep it that way.”
“Are ye decent?”
