"Aodh," Lennox shouted back as he began to lower himself through the branches. "Your aim is off." He looked at the dead wolf slumped against the tree trunk. "You almost missed that one."
"Pitch black, and ten dead and he complains my aim is off," Aodh replied, waving to the trees.
More men emerged from the darkness as Rose jumped down the last few feet to the ground. "Rose," Lennox said, pointing to the half-dozen Highlanders who stared at her incredulously. "These are my men. Men, this is Rose of Helmsley. Quinn bid me to take her to the Wildwood. What are you doing here?"
"We were on our way back to the castle. News of the siege reached us while we hunted. You are fortunate. Most of the men took the north road, but we heard wolves and thought they might be tracking an English scout. We came for a look."
"I don't suppose you saw my horse?"
"No, but there are fresh ones at Southdean. What lies at the Wildwood that is important enough to draw you from the castle in mid-siege?"
"No time to tell you that now. We must move on. They will need your help at the castle."
"How many men does the rat have with him?"
"His entire army from what I could see."
"Then perhaps we would be better taking one of his castles while it is unguarded. Warkworth maybe?"
"Or Tynemouth," Rose said, speaking for the first time.
Lennox looked at her. "No," he said, shaking his head at Aodh who looked all too ready to take Tynemouth on single-handed. "The MacGregors need you."
Rose tapped Lennox on the shoulder. "You said getting into Tynemouth would be hard. Why not enlist your men to help?"
"You are breaking into Tynemouth," David said, moving forward from the others, brushing his thick black hair from his eyes. "Do you mean to retrieve the staff for Scotland?"
"Yes," Rose said before Lennox could silence her.
"Then we have a dilemma," Aodh said. "Help the clan or help you."
"Fine," Lennox replied. "Come with us to Tynemouth, but after we retrieve the staff you must head north."
"It is settled," Aodh said, moving across to Rose. "Now as we travel together, perhaps you might tell us how you persuaded our leader to finally take a woman."
Rose bristled. "I am not his woman."
"Oh? Then what are you?"
"Enough," Lennox snapped. "The wolves may return in greater numbers while we gossip here like fishwives. There will be time for talk when we get to Southdean. David, you take the lead. Aodh, you bring up the rear."
The men lined up, moving in single file through the forest as Philip headed off to the north. Lennox walked behind Rose, wondering why he felt jealous as she talked to his men.
The lights of Southdean were a welcome sight in the distance, the only signs of brightness in a pitch dark night. Behind them, wolves howled in the distance.
7
The moon came out from behind the clouds as they walked, turning the pasture around them into shades of gray. Untidy low walls marked the edge of the path, the long fields beyond divided into strips of peas and barley that rose and fell like waves on the ocean.
Rose’s leather shoes made only the slightest noise as she tried to keep up with Lennox and his men. She wanted to rest but hadn’t dared to ask, hoping they'd reach the village soon. She was not used to traveling so late into the night, especially not on foot.
She glanced at Lennox as they approached an inn on the outskirts of the village. He seemed lost in thought. No doubt he was worrying about his clan. She’d be worried too, if she was one of them. How would the siege end?
"You are thinking," Lennox said, noticing her looking at him. "What about?"
"Nothing," she replied.
She didn’t want to tell him the truth, that she was worrying what would happen if she couldn’t get home again. In her books, the heroines were quite happy to settle down in the Middle Ages but not her.
