"Now slow down, please."
He didn't stop, riding fast up the mountain, angling left toward a thick wood, only slowing once the darkness of the oak trunks surrounded them.
"Wait there," he said, climbing off the saddle onto the nearest branch, clambering up and out of sight while the horse shifted nervously in place.
He returned a few moments later. "We must travel over the top and around the loch and then south. Robert's men cover the other mountainside and all the roads. We will be seen any other way."
She thought about the siege. This wastheLennox MacGregor. This was the moment her mother had told her about. He was running from the siege to get help. Only this time he was taking her with him. She was living through history.
"What's all this about?" she asked as they began the slow journey through the trees, gradually climbing to the top of the mountain. "Where are we going?"
"Robert de Ros thinks he is owed these lands. Walter Espec is his uncle. He gave up his claim to the Highlands after we bested him in battle thirty years ago. Robert was only a child back then but the rumor was he never forgave his uncle for giving up the claim. He wants revenge and Walter is the only man who can call off his nephew."
"How can you be so sure Walter can get Robert to stop?"
"Because Robert is doing this with neither his uncle nor the king’s approval. His only hope is to take the castle before we get news to Walter. We must get to Rievaulx as fast as possible."
"Rievaulx? Why there?"
"That is where Walter is living, he took on the monastic vows as penance for the war. We get to him and he recalls Robert."
"Then you should leave me here."
"What? Why?"
"I will only slow you down. You will travel much quicker without me."
"I promised I would take you home and I can do that on the way. First we need to get past them." He nodded toward the top of the mountain. On the ridge, smoke from a fire was rising into the air.
"Who's up there?" Rose asked.
"I suspect a scout party of Robert's. Do not worry. I will deal with them."
They continued to climb, the horse following an almost invisible track that wound slowly to the very tip of the mountain. Up there the air was much colder, the wind cutting through her bliaut and making Rose shiver.
They reached the peak and stopped. Rose felt a strange sense of déjà vu as she looked back at the castle far below. She'd stood here before just recently. She'd stood in almost precisely this spot, thinking about Lennox MacGregor escaping the siege many times while growing up.
Lennox turned from the castle, pointing to the group of men ahead of them on the ridge. Three men were seated by a fire.
"Lazy," Lennox whispered to her as he climbed down from the horse and drew his sword. "Not guarding. Lighting a fire. Backs to the trail. Their lack of discipline will be the death of them."
"You're going to kill them?"
"Of course I'm going to kill them."
"How can you take on three men at once?"
"I will have God on my side."
"Climb back on the horse and wait for one minute."
"What are you going to do?"
"Just wait there."
"Stop," he hissed, but she was already walking along the mountain track toward the three men.
She felt scared but tried not to let it show on her face. For this to work, she needed to be the most confident person in the world. She could do it. She would sink into this persona. It had to be better than murdering three men in cold blood or watching Lennox get slaughtered.
