“I swear it,” Alexander answered, savoring the taste of her and wishing like hell there was a simpler way to do this.
They filed out of the room, all of them taking their posts. Alexander flattened himself into an alcove next to the doorway where Duncan and Sutherland waited to silence Duff and Hew. On his way to the stairwell at the other end of the hallway, Ian paused at Calum’s door and pressed his ear against it for a long moment. Then he jerked away, gave Alexander a quick nod and sprinted down to his station.
The latch to Calum’s door clicked. The squeaking of the hinges echoed down the quiet hallway. “They’ll be here soon. Get those lazy bastards off their arses and get this place clean. I’ll no' have the Campbell nor Crestshire reporting back to the king that I canna handle my clan.”
Crestshire.Alexander knew the name well. Is that who headed the king’s new regiment? A cavalcade of emotions surged through him. He would have to think more on what that news could mean to their cause as soon as they settled this chore. A dagger in each hand, he rolled the smooth hafts of bone in his palms, readying for the kill. He held his breath as the sound of footsteps drew closer.
Duncan and Sutherland sprang from their post. Duncan landed on Hew and Sutherland landed on Duff. The miscreants staggered and struggled, cursing and sputtering indignant roars as Duncan and Sutherland held fast until the two collapsed to the floor and went still.
Alexander stepped out of the alcove, blocking Calum’s way as he spun around to escape Duncan and Sutherland approaching with their bloodied knives at the ready.
“Attack! Attack!” Calum shouted as he bent low and spun, kicking Alexander in his weak leg with a slamming hard thrust of his boot against the newly healed wound.
“Graham!” Alexander roared as his fickle leg buckled and took him down to his knees.
Wild-eyed and mouth ajar, Calum stumbled back a step then vaulted around Alexander and headed down the hallway.
Alexander rolled to a crouching position, flipped the daggers 'til he held them by the tips of their blades then let fly as hard as he could throw. One knife sank high into Calum’s left shoulder and the other blade buried deep into the right side of his lower back. Calum kept moving, hitching his way down the hall.
“Graham, take the bastard! I’ve but nicked him.” Alexander itched to fire off a shot but forced himself to hold fast. They could still finish this without the sound of gunfire stirring all in the keep.
Graham and Magnus charged toward the fray from opposite ends of the hallway but before they could reach Calum, the nursery room door flew open. Catriona burst into the hallway. She held the short sword that Alexander had given to Sawny raised high for a killing thrust.
“Mistress!” Sawny shouted, following close behind her, snatching to get hold of her.
“I mean to kill ye this time, bitch!” Calum screamed out an agonizing roar as he ripped one of Alexander’s daggers out of his back. As Catriona charged him with her blade raised, he dove toward her and stabbed the knife low into her side.
Catriona cried out. The short sword fell from her hands as she and Calum tumbled backward and hit the floor together. With Catriona flat of her back, Calum reared back and stabbed her again before Alexander tackled him and the rest of his brothers closed in.
“Ye son of a whore.” Alexander grabbed hold of Calum by the chin and the back of his head and snapped his neck with a hard jerking twist.
“Mistress, no…no…no!” Sawny knelt beside Catriona, rocking on his knees as his clenched fists pounded his agony against his legs.
Father William rushed to Catriona’s other side and dropped to the floor beside her, ripping away pieces of his robe and using them to staunch the flow of blood gushing from her wounds.
Alexander crawled to Catriona and sank down beside her. Gently easing her head and shoulders atop his arm, he cradled her close as he scolded her in the softest tone he could manage. 'Twas the only way he knew to keep her conscious and stir her will to fight. “Stubborn woman. Look what ye’ve done to yourself by no' listening to what I told ye.”
Face draining of color and eyes wide, Catriona struggled to speak as tears slipped from the outer corners of her eyes and trailed down her temples into her braids. “I’m verra sorry, husband,” she whispered with a weak gasp. “I feared he was…”
“Shh…” Alexander kissed her clammy forehead then nestled his cheek against her. “I know what ye feared well enough.” He caught Father William’s eye, gave a pointed look toward Catriona’s wounds, then locked eyes once again with the priest.Tell me she’ll live,he mouthed.
Father William gave him the lightest of shrugs then looked skyward. “God’s hands,” he whispered then crossed himself.
“I’ll get… I’ll get,” Sawny hiccupped from the other side of Catriona.
“Ye’ll get what, Sawny?” 'Twas all he could do to speak in a civil tone to the boy. How the hell had Catriona gotten hold of the sword he’d entrusted to Sawny? “What, boy? Tell me.”
Sawny lifted his red tear-stained face to Alexander then dragged his sleeve across his nose and face. “I’ll run fetch the healer, Mrs. Bickerstaff. I willna let anyone stop me, I swear it.”
“Can ye shoot a gun?” Alexander twisted and ripped his gun out of his belt. He handed it to Sawny, butt first, but held tight to the barrel until Sawny answered him. “Can ye shoot?”
“Aye,” Sawny swore with conviction as he yanked the pistol out of Alexander’s hand and rose to his feet. “I willna fail ye this time. I swear it on me mam’s grave.” He turned and bolted down the hallway.
“God go with that boy,” Father William murmured as he kept both hands pressed hard on Catriona’s wounds and returned to mumbling silent prayers, lips moving as he closed his eyes.
“Alexander,” Catriona hitched out in a weak whisper.
“Aye, love.” Alexander held her closer while his brothers, cousins, and dearest friend in all his life knelt around them. He softly stroked Catriona’s cheek and her eyes flickered open wider. “Stay with me, Catriona. Dinna ye dare leave me in this cruel world all alone.”
