“I broke away sections of the wood. The beams behind it aren’t stable. If we set them on fire, the walls will crumble.”
Alex nodded. “Good. We’ll split our forces and distract Harkirk’s men with a direct attack while you take down the other part of the fortress.”
“And what of my brother?” Brochain asked. “Did you find him last night?”
“He’s hurt but alive.” Alex gave no further information, for he hadn’t forgiven the MacLachor chief for putting Adaira in danger.
“And what of his daughter?”
“She’s gone.”
Brochain’s mood grew somber. “We have to get Finian out.” He rested his hand upon his sword. “And your daughter.”
“We’ll free them,” Alex said, “and all the other slaves who were left behind with no clan to help them.” His gaze drifted over to Callum, who gripped the handle of his bow in silent agreement.
“I spoke with Hamish MacPherson last night,” Bram continued. “He promised a dozen men of his own to provide a distraction while we bring down Harkirk’s fortress.”
“What kind of a distraction?”
Bram only shook his head and shrugged. “He didn’t say.”
Alex didn’t like all the unknown factors that would impact their attack, and an unsettled feeling permeated his mood. “Harkirk will be waiting for us,” he said. “He sent the soldiers last night to find out about the fire they saw. Since the men never returned, he’ll know we’re here.”
“That may be,” Bram acknowledged, “but there’s no other alternative. Unless you have another idea?”
“I do,” came a female voice from the trees.
When Alex spun around, he saw Laren standing there. As he crushed her into his arms, he didn’t even care what anyone else thought.
Chapter Sixteen
“Wherewereyou?Andwhy did you leave Glen Arrin?” he demanded, holding her so tightly, Laren could hardly breathe. The worry on his face, along with the sleepless shadowing under his eyes, made her cling to him.
“You needed help.” She touched his hair, dragging his mouth to hers for a soft kiss. “I couldn’t let you face Harkirk’s soldiers with so few men.” The strain upon her husband’s face made it seem that he’d aged fifteen years at the thought of losing her. She tried to soothe away his dark mood, though she was secretly glad he’d been so worried.
“It was too dangerous to stay here with the fire Callum built,” she went on. “A boy came to warn me,” she answered. “He led me to a shelter where I spent last night.”
“Who was he? And where was this shelter?”
Laren shook her head. “I don’t know his name. But he wasn’t English.” She described the location of the shelter to him, then raised her hands to rest upon his shoulders.
“Alex, he knew where Adaira was.” She would have followed anyone with information leading to her daughter. It didn’t matter that she didn’t know the boy’s name. “Lady Harkirk is taking care of her. She came to us early this morning and has promised to help us.”
Alex stiffened at the mention of the Lady. “Why would she venture beyond the fortress unless it was at her husband’s bidding?”
She predicted the direction of his thoughts and shook her head. “No. She was angry with Harkirk. She said she’d be glad if he were killed in battle.”
“Or she might have lured you into trusting her.”
Laren didn’t want to believe it. “She promised to bring our daughter near the entrance of the fortress at sunset.”
“Where Lord Harkirk will be waiting with soldiers to cut us down.”
“I don’t believe that,” Laren argued. “She helped save the life of that boy—she’s kept him in hiding.”
Her husband shook his head. “You’re too trusting, Laren.”
It was clear that he didn’t believe Lady Harkirk at all. And it might be that the woman wasn’t telling the truth. But Laren had seen regret in her face, as though Lady Harkirk wanted nothing to do with her husband’s deeds.
