Nostrils flaring, he bared his teeth, then shot a gaze upward as if silently shouting prayers. After entirely too long for her liking, he returned his focus to her. “Calder and I go to solve the Cause’s problem.”
His forced calmness only worried her more. “What is that supposed to mean? Ye mean to kill the king?”
He huffed a bitter laugh and looked away again. “Nothing as grand as that, m’love. But our quest, if all goes as planned, will be almost as effective.”
“Walpole. Ye are off to kill him?”
“Aye. We intend to ensure Walpole doesna leave Scotland alive.”
“That will only bring more soldiers to the Highlands.” She struggled not to rail at him. “To be more precise, it will bring them to our doorstep. To our people.” Surely he could not be so naïve. “His partner Townshend willna stand for it. The man will use Walpole’s death after his visit to Éirich to convince the king to level our home and hunt down every MacDonald in the Highlands.”
The tension in his stance softened, and he smiled. “I believe this is the first time ye ever referred to Éirich and the clan as ours.”
“Now is not the time for that.” She clapped a hand to his chest and gently pushed. “Ye must not carry out this madness.”
“What would ye have me do? Wait for the bastards to drag me off in chains?” He leaned to one side and peered out the stable doors. “Where is that boy with my feckin’ supplies?”
“How can ye not realize they will blame Walpole’s murder on the MacDonalds?”
His eyes narrowed with a slyness she rarely saw in him. “They will blame the man’s death on the Campbells. Calder and I have worked it out.” He gently but firmly set her aside and marched back outside.
“Robbie!” Teague’s bellow echoed across the courtyard.
Robbie popped his head out the dovecote door. “Aye?”
“Come here, lad!” Teague fixed her with a frustrated scowl. “Why do none of them come running when I call? They stick their heads out from wherever they are and call out ‘aye.’”
“They are young and think that enough,” she said, joining him outside. “What do ye want with Robbie?”
“I want the lad to fetch my supplies, since the first one has gone missing.” His tone softened. “And I wish to tell him to watch after ye while I am gone.”
“I spoke to yer grandmother. Told her all that happened last night. She said ye need to go to the cave where ye were born and stay there for a while. ’Twould be safer.”
“I dinna hide like a woman or a child.” A prideful hiss of indignation spewed from him. “I am taking care of this as I did earlier.”
She grabbed hold of his arm and squeezed. “This is lunacy. Please do as yer grandmother says.”
A loud and long horn blast interrupted their argument.
A chilling darkness hardened Teague’s expression. Mila turned and her knees went weak. Through the newly installed portcullis, she spotted them: English soldiers, a wagon among them. Lairds Drummond, Bellingham, and Devon were inside the cage it held, clutching at the bars, bruised, bleeding, and their clothes torn.
“Close the gate!” Teague’s shout rumbled across the compound like thunder. The men at the gate responded immediately. He grabbed her by the shoulders, gave her a hard kiss, then fixed her with a stern gaze. “Get inside and stay there. Now, ye ken?”
She caught hold of him and kissed him even harder. “Daren’t ye die! Understand?”
“I shall do my best to obey, my precious dove. Now, inside with ye. I shall send Robbie inside too.”
With a quick nod, she turned and ran for the doors. Above the chaos erupting throughout the courtyard, the sound of sobbing reached her. It took her a moment to realize it was her.
Mrs. Cain clutched a fist to her mouth. “Who attacks, m’lady?”
“English,” was all Mila could force out. She had to get upstairs, get dressed, do anything to help, even if it was something as ridiculous as throwing rocks from the rooftop.
Grissa met her at the sitting-room door. “I heard the horns.” She hurried her into the bedchamber. “Who is it, mistress? The horns are only sounded when an enemy approaches.”
“The English.” Mila threw the cloak aside and waved for the maid to hurry. “They’ve already arrested Drummond, Devon, and Bellingham.” She shook her head. Even though she didn’t like the men, she hated their sorry state. “They’re caged in a wagon.”
The sorrowful girl threw on the stays and tied them in record time. “Did ye catch himself? Is he safe inside the wall?”
