He frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“That doesn’t matter. I’ll explain later. Look, here’s what we’re going to do.”
He smiled as he listened and when she was done he nodded. “That’s just crazy enough to work. Maybe.”
“We better hope so,” Heather replied. “I just wish Gavin were here.”
“Me too,” Bruce admitted. “But we will make him proud of his clan.”
Heather took one last look at the outlaws emerging from the woodland. By her calculation, she had about twenty minutes until they reached the hill that led up to the cave. That gave her time but not much. Would it be enough? She’d just have to see.
Heading into the cave she called for silence. “Listen up. The outlaws have found us.”
Immediately shouting and crying broke out. “Quiet! We have little time to prepare. Anyone who cannot or will not fight take the children to the back of the cave. They will not need to see this. The rest of you join me over here. Will and John, bring me any spare blades or bows. Hurry!”
She stood by the cave entrance, Bruce giving her updates on how far the outlaws had progressed.
“Do we have a chance?” Will asked as he passed her the last of the daggers.
“If we work together,” she replied. “Go take the men to see Bruce, he knows what to do next.”
She looked at the people who were left. Some of the clan had gone to the back of the cave but not many. Frightened eyes looked back at her. Elderly men, young women, nursemaids, kitchen girls, grooms. “How many of you can fire a bow?” she asked.
Several hands went up. “Those who can fire take a bow. Those who can’t take the arrows and be ready to pass them. I want a line of archers above the cave entrance. Keep out of sight for as long as possible. You will be our first line of defense.”
All the war movies Heather had watched were fresh in her mind. She thought of historical battles she’d seen reenacted on TV shows. The main thing she’d learned was that taking an army head on when you were heavily outnumbered was a foolish thing to do.
“The rest of you, take a dagger and be ready to join Bruce’s men when I give the signal. Remember we have God and justice on our side. If we die today, history will remember us well.”
“We will not die,” Bruce called back. “We will win.”
“I hope so,” she said. “How long?”
“Two minutes. Be ready.”
Heather took her place with the others at the cave entrance, a long dagger in her hand. Could she kill someone? She had no idea. All she knew was she would die defending the children whatever it took.
A little voice whispered at her to run and find a door, unlock it and go home.
The clan had become like family. She would never abandon them like that.
At the bottom of the hill the outlaws were beginning to climb. Bruce had vanished with the others. All the approaching army could see was Heather alone in the cave entrance.
“We seek Gavin MacGregor and Heather Frazer,” Jimmy the Snout called from the front of the group. “They have something we desire.”
“I am Heather Frazer,” Heather called back down. “And perhaps we can discuss terms.”
“Or we can kill you and take the key.”
At the mention of the key, Heather froze. Was all this because of her? If it was she should have run. They would have followed her and left the clan alone.
She shook her head, knowing that was not true. They would have slaughtered all they found anyway. There wasn’t a single peaceful face among the men looking up at her.
“I have no key,” she said at last.
“We will soon find out,” Jimmy said, raising his sword. “Attack!”
The first wave came running up the hill. Heather waited five seconds, then ten. The men were no more than fifty yards away. “Now,” she yelled at the top of her lungs.
