“Seein’ men killed is never easy, but that’s what war is,” he told her as he made tea and set it before her. “What was it that upset ye so much? Was it the blood?”
She wondered how to answer without giving herself away. Deciding not to mention her parents’ murder, she finally nodded and said, “Aye, there was so much blood! And the screamin’, ugh, it was terrible tae hear. I’ll never forget those sounds, and the smells either. Seein’ it like that was a shock. I didnae expect tae feel this way.”
That was the truth at least, and she was still shaking from seeing death meted out to Gregory’s men so ruthlessly before her very eyes. But she suspected she would have felt the same if it had been Ewan’s men being killed. Killing, war, it was all the same, bringing suffering, misery, and death.
“Aye, such things linger in the minds of even the most hardened warriors, those that have a heart at any rate. Others enjoy the spillin’ of blood. Them, I’ll never understand.”
“Me neither,” she agreed sadly, thinking of Laird Allan, whom she suspected was one of those men.Why has he nae sent reinforcements already?she wondered angrily. Without an answer she turned her thoughts instead to Gregory’s unfortunate slain men and what their bid for freedom could mean. “Why d’ye think they tried tae escape?” she asked, looking up at Ewan over the rim of her metal mug.
“The siege is beginnin’ tae bite, and they’re runnin’ low on supplies, I’m guessin’,” he replied. “Galbraith’s been waitin’ taehear back from Allan about those reinforcements since before the siege began, but they still havenae arrived. Things must be getting’ pretty uncomfortable behind those walls by now. Galbraith believes I killed the first messenger he sent tae Allan, so he thinks the reason why the reinforcements have nae come yet is because of that. Nay doubt his plan was fer those warriors tae get through, or some of them at least.”
Isla was suddenly curious at his choice of words. “Why d’ye say Galbraith “believes” ye killed the first messenger?”
“Well, ye were there at the castle gates. Ye heard me tell him so,” he replied, now seated opposite her, sipping his mug of tea.
“But is it true?” she asked.
“Nay. That was just a useful lie. His man got though all right. As far as I ken, he’s still lookin’ fer Allan tae ask fer help. And findin’ the man when ye want him is nay easy task.”
“So, Laird Allan’s reinforcements could be on their way here even as we speak?” Isla asked, working to conceal her excitement.There is hope!
However, Ewan’s small laugh challenged her new optimism. “Aye, they could be. But I’d take an educated guess and say they arenae.”
“What makes ye so sure of that?”
“Och, I’m nae sure of anythin’ in this situation. But I ken what sort of man Allan is, I ken how he thinks. He’s predictable tae a certain degree. He daes what suits him, and that’s what I’m wagerin’ on.”
“What? Are ye sayin’ that even if Galbraith’s messenger finds him, he’ll nae send any troops?”
“Aye, that’s exactly what I’m sayin’. In fact, I’d bet me granny’s teeth that Galbraith’s messenger is lyin’ dead face down in a ditch somewhere by now. Or soon will be.”
Isla could not prevent the gasp that burst from her lips. Ewan looked at her with sympathy in his dark brown eyes, clearly misunderstanding her shock at his suggestion that Allan would murder Gregory’s messenger and ignore the plea for urgent assistance. His next words, earnestly spoken, confirmed it. “There’s naethin’ tae fear. Ye dinnae need tae worry about havin’ tae fight in the battle if Allan’s men dae come before the siege ends. Whatever happens, I’ll make sure ye’re safe.”
“Thank ye,” she replied, touched by his reassurance, while her mind raced with thoughts of Allan’s possible betrayal. It was something she had not considered before, and she was certain Gregory had not either. If he had, he might have given more consideration Ewan’s invitation to talk peace.
However, she recalled the shouted conversation between the two lairds outside the castle gates. Ewan had made his distrust of Allan very clear to Gregory when trying to coax him into peace talks. Gregory had responded by calling him a liar and a thief,rejecting his claims that Allan was criminal who had stolen part of Ballentine lands and would betray Gregory’s faith in him as a reliable ally.
“Ye think Laird Allan will betray Galbraith, is that it?” she asked.
“I’m bankin’ on it.”
The notion chilled her through and through. During her days spent with Ewan walking about the camp, talking strategy with Colin and his serjeants, she had come to respect his abilities as a commander. Enemy or not, she always found his judgment sound.
Besides that, she had seen his disappointment when Gregory had rebuffed his invitation to make peace. He had made it plain he preferred to avoid bloodshed, hence his choice of a siege instead of a battle. It chimed so completely with her own views, she had to admire the trait. If he seriously believed Allan would betray Gregory’s trust, then she was inclined to believe him.
“Why? What d’ye think he’s plannin’ tae dae?” she asked.
“I think he’s plannin’ tae wait until his spies tell him both of our sides are weakened, and then he’ll bring his men. He’ll try tae kill me and me and me men, so he can take over me clan, of course.” His face was impassive as he spoke.
That’s what Gregory hopes fer. That’s what I should be hopin’ fer too.
Yet the thought of Ewan lying dead in his own blood on the field, like Gregory’s warriors, was unexpectedly painful to her. And though she was secretly plotting his assassination by her own hand, she suddenly found she did not want him to die.
“But I dinnae think he’s gonnae stop there,” Ewan continued mysteriously.
“What d’ye mean?” Isla asked, startled from her bleak train of thought.
“I think that once he’s gotten rid of me and routed me remaining army, he’ll attack Galbraith, kill him and his family, and then take over his clan too.”
