“Stewart!”Fergus roared, but he realized the other man had moved away.Stewart shouted for horses, and Fergus heard Tempest whinny in fear.There was a sound of racing hoofbeats, then Stewart’s voice again.
“We ride to assault and seize Killairic!”He shouted and Fergus heard the clatter of arms and horses, as well as the stamping boots of soldiers.“My lady will be avenged upon those who saw her dead—and may the Lady of Killairic be prepared to welcome me.”He laughed.“Take your leisure this day, Fergus.I will have a tale of conquest to share with you upon my return.”
Leila!
“Stewart!”Fergus bellowed and shook at the door.He hammered upon it, to no avail, and even with the aid of the others, could not force it open.“He will kill Leila to settle the score,” he whispered.“And I have left her undefended.”
His father would protect Leila but was scarcely at his greatest strength.Fergus could not be certain that Enguerrand would defend her, given that man’s lingering suspicions that Leila had stolen the reliquary.
Fergus turned to the others in appeal, even as the sound of Stewart’s forces riding out carried to their ears.
They must have been preparing to do as much before Fergus’ arrival.
Stewart must have concluded that Isobel had gone to Killairic and had already planned his assault.If he had not done the noble deed and brought Isobel home to rest, he would have been at Killairic to defend it.
Did Agnes have any part in this?
“We must escape this chapel with all haste!”His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but he could see that there was little in the chapel that could be used to their advantage.
“We must aid Lady Leila,” Hamish agreed.
“But the walls are sturdy and the portal is barred,” Murdoch said.
“There is not a single window,” Yvan agreed.“Only a dove hole in the roof.”
They all tipped their heads back to consider the dove hole that Yvan had noticed.It was covered, for it was not Whitsunday, but it gave Fergus an idea.
“And naught that can be used to batter the door,” Murdoch agreed.“We are trapped.”The miller’s son looked fearful at this and glanced toward the shrouded Isobel.
“But it is all timber,” Fergus said and the others turned to face him.“We must uncover the dove hole, then light a fire.The smoke will escape while we burn a hole in the walls to aid our own escape.”
Yvan and the miller’s son moved the table so that it was beneath the covered hold.Murdoch stood atop it, then helped Hamish to climb to his shoulders.The boy’s fingertips brushed the underside of the roof and Fergus feared he might be too short.But Hamish jumped a little and managed to poke at the cover so that it was dislodged.Sunlight came through the hole and the sense of triumph was tangible.
“Who has a flint?”Fergus demanded.
The miller’s son grinned and removed a flint from his purse.“I never am without one, my lord.”
Fergus grinned in turn and accepted the flint, then chose a corner to begin their fire.“To the right of the altar,” he decided.“It faces south and will be the driest.It also faces away from the village.Those remaining may not notice it as soon.”
Hamish took his knife and began to make shavings from the interior of the walls.The miller’s son watched, then did the same.The Templar grimaced, then took his knife to the legs of the table that served as an altar.Murdoch joined the task.Within moments, Fergus had a pile of tinder against that corner.When the flint sparked and the tinder lit, he hoped they would reach Killairic in time.
