“I don’t know for sure. I wasn’t privy to any conversations between MacDougall and the king. I am merely the messenger and her would-be jailor for the journey back to England. I can only surmise from what I’ve learned about the lady. MacDougall is an ambitious man. If he can’t marry a well-connected English or Scottish woman, then he’d settle for a woman from a clan his family had already successfully manipulated. Lady Greer would have sounded perfect given her past. He assumed she would be weak and timid, already broken to a man’s will. It's likely he would have regained what land he could from the Crown and taken what he wanted from the Macnaughtens. Then he would have killed Lady Greer. He will always look for the next best match. It’s said that he’s secretly trying to ingratiate himself with your exiled king behind His Majesty’s back. He plays a dangerous game against King Edward.”
It disturbed Thor that anyone outside of the Highlands knew about Greer. He didn’t shift his gaze from Sir Richard, but he wished to see his father’s and grandfather’s expressions. Neither he nor Greer had shared any of her past. Now all of his uncles and cousins, along with his father and grandfather, had heard the man say Greer was already broken to a man’s will. He prayed his relatives believed it meant Edgar had accustomed her to dictatorial leadership.
“Ye arenae returning to England, and neither are any of yer men. When will the arse licker demand yer imposter king send more men?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me if more are already on the way. My men and I have already been away nearly two moons.”
Thor canted his head as he considered the man’s response. “Did ye ride the entire length of the isle, or did ye sail and come ashore somewhere like Dornoch Firth and ride north?”
“We sailed. We knew it would be assured death to ride the length of Scotland. From there, it wasn’t difficult to pay enough coin to get directions and learn where Lady Greer was.”
“So, more men will come by ship?” Thor pressed. He had a solution. He just needed to be sure he implemented it in the right place.
“Yes.”
“I am going to kill ye. If ye have aught more to share, then I will listen and make yer death swift. Lie to me now and tell me naught, I will drag this out for days.” Thor had no idea if there was anything else for Sir Richard to share, but he would test him.
“After meeting the Gunns at Ackergill Tower, but before the MacDonnells and MacDonalds joined them, their leader tried to sell Lady Greer to us. Matthew said for the right price, he would end Lady Greer’s betrothal to Wallace MacDonnell.”
“Why would he do that? The MacDonalds and MacDougalls dinna get along. If the Gunns allied with the MacDougalls, he’d anger the MacDonalds. The MacDougalls arenae in a position to defend the Gunns against such a large clan with so many branches. Besides, how did Matthew ken the MacDougall would agree if he’s all the way in England?”
“I don’t know that part. I don’t think he had any intention of ever letting the lady come with us. I believe he was going to try to get more coin from the MacDonnells and assert himself as an equal to the MacDonalds rather than their toady. Whatever his plan, it was far too intricate and ambitious for him to pull off. That’s why he and his men are dead, and the MacDonnells and MacDonalds who survived are headed to your dungeon.”
“Aught else?” Thor asked.
“No.”
Thor’s blade drove through Sir Richard’s neck just below his Adam’s apple. A moment of shock froze on the knight’s face as blood erupted from him. Everyone took a collective step back before Thor withdrew his blade.
“We dinna dig them any graves, and we dinna send their bodies back just yet.” Thor looked at Liam. “We send birlinns down to Dornoch to see if the English have arrived. It willna take them more than a day to sail back and forth. If they have, then we work our way toward the firth. If they havenae, then we send men and horses there. From the coast inland and to the north, we put each knight’s body on a pike up their arse along the road. Let the English follow that all the way here.”
Thor glanced toward the keep, recognizing several heads of uniquely colored long hair. As though they might hear him, he lowered his voice.
“Dinna tell Mama or Greer this because it’ll scandalize them, and dinna tell any of the lasses because half of them are likely to demand they join us. But we behead them all, then tie their heads to their hips, their faces toward their cocks. I canna think of a louder message to send.”
The younger men among the group grinned and chuckled. The older men pretended a disapproval none felt. All eyes turned toward Liam, whose lips were tucked between his teeth. He nodded. A wave of deep laughter drifted on the wind up to the women looking down at them from the wall walk.
“Coming,mo ghaol” and “Coming, Mama” filled the air as the men hurried toward the keep. Once inside the bailey, Thor tossed his reins to a stable boy and leaped from his horse. He’d already glanced down at himself and knew blood covered him. He’d run his hand over his chest and back as he rode to the keep, ensuring none was his own that he hadn’t noticed. He watched as Greer’s eyes welled with tears as she rushed down the battlement’s steps. She hurried so much that Thor feared she’d trip and roll to her death. He ran to her and ensnared her waist, carrying her down the last half.
“None of it is mine, wee one. I’m hale. I promise.”
“But there’s so much of it, Thor. Are ye sure ye arenae hurt and just nae feeling it yet?”
“I’ll be sore in the morning, but I’m nae injured.”
Greer cupped his face and kissed him, not caring who might see them. With her eyes closed, she didn’t realize every other husband and wife was doing the same thing as the warriors continued to filter into the bailey. She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, unwilling to end the kiss. Thor was more than happy to oblige. It was the first time he’d returned to a wife after battle. He’d seen the relief his parents always shared, but he hadn’t understood it on an elemental level until that moment. He felt it in his bones and his soul. Life only mattered when he was with Greer. Life only mattered to be with Greer.
“I love ye so much, Thor.”
“I love ye too. Ye have two-and-a-half days.”
“Until what?” Greer’s brow furrowed.
“Until I marry ye on the kirk’s steps. It’s just enough time for Rose to get here. I’m marrying ye the minute ma sister arrives.” Thor couldn’t imagine the ceremony without his twin there. He regretted Auntie Mairghread wouldn’t be there, but he could survive that. He would regret it until his last breath if Rose weren’t there. “Then ye and I are disappearing into our chamber for a sennight.”
“Promise?”
“Aye.” Thor eased Greer to her feet, reluctant to mention the next part of his plan. “I have to ride out in the morn.”
