“I always knew you were an evil child,” Cinge said. “But you will not get away from me. Malcolm is waiting at the castle and you are going to take him to find the Holy Grail or I swear that I will send every man I have to kill Roderick and his son.”
Chapter 17
The Elliots were riding across the field to meet Roderick and his brothers. When they were ten feet from the Scotts they stopped.
“Look at those Elliots sitting there in those ugly plaids. Dull red and black, they should be ashamed to call themselves Scots,” Angus grumbled.
“Isn’t their motto, Bravely and Justly?” Roderick asked.
“Justly, my arse.”
Roderick knew this brother was irritated and would complain about anything at the moment. “You Elliots are a pain in the arse!” Roderick shouted.
“Well that could be a matter of opinion,” Joseph Elliot said with a sly smile.
“Do ye deny taking six coos off my brother’s land?”
“I do,” Elliot answered. “Angus can no speak for himself? Had to bring big brother along to help?”
“Ye, son of a bitch.” Angus spat, then started to move forward, but Roderick grabbed his arm.
“Scotts stick together,” Roderick said. “And as laird when ye steal my brother’s coos then ye take from the clan.”
“I told you I dinna have yer coos.”
Roderick turned to Galen who had just ridden up, “What did ye find?”
“Six Scott coos. Needless to say, the old mon lies.”
Roderick turned back to Elliot. “Ye were sayin’?”
Elliot smirked. “Mayhap they meandered over here.”
“A lot of men could die today because as my brother said, ye are a lying son of a bitch or you can gather the coos and return them, and we’ll forget aboot it this time.”
“How about I give ye some information concerning yer wife in exchange for three of the beasts.”
Roderick moved so fast that Joseph Elliot didn’t have time to respond. Roderick had slid from his horse and jerked Elliot off his own mount.
Suddenly, swords were drawn on both sides.
“I’m in no mood for yer nonsense,” Roderick spat. “So ye better tell me what ye are talking about fast before I slit yer throat.”
The Elliots were all shouting until Joseph signaled them to be quiet. “A—An English rider dared to cross our land two days ago. When we stopped him, he said he had a letter for Laird Scott, and he was cutting across our land to make for a shorter trip.”
“And?”
“So, we stopped the mon and read the letter to make sure he wasn’t lying.”
“And?”
“Out of the goodness of our hearts, we let him cross our land, but we could have sent him back to England, and then you’d never have received yer message. And for that –” He gestured with this hand. “I ken we should call some kind of truce.”
Roderick wasn’t sure if Elliot was lying to save his sorry hide or telling the truth. Why would he be receiving a message from England? It didn’t make sense. “Ye are trying my patience. What did the letter say?”
“Well, now that will cost ye those coos we want.”
Roderick’s temper exploded as he slammed his fist into Elliot’s jaw, knocking him to the ground.”
