Behind him, Graham's plans were already in motion. Messengers would ride tonight, gathering the men needed for the raids. Within days, MacDougal lands would burn.
And Ashcombe would watch from comfortable distance, confident that eventually, inevitably, justice—his justice—would prevail.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
"Are ye sure this is safe?"
Alpin glanced back at Mhairi, who stood at the base of the tower stairs looking up with obvious trepidation. The spiral staircase was narrow, worn smooth by centuries of use, and admittedly looked more treacherous than it actually was.
"Perfectly safe," he assured her. "I've been climbin’ these stairs since I was a lad. They're solid."
"They're ancient."
"Aye and still standin’. That's a testament to their quality." He extended his hand. "Come on. The view from the top is worth it, I promise."
Mhairi eyed his hand, then the stairs, then him. "If I fall and break me neck, Donnach will never fergive ye."
"If ye fall, I'll catch ye. Now stop stallin’."
She took his hand, and they began the ascent.
The stairs were indeed narrow—barely wide enough for one person, let alone two—which meant Alpin had to go first with Mhairi following close behind.
"There's a railin’," he pointed out as they climbed. "Hold ontae it if ye need to."
Mhairi reached for the iron railing that ran along the outer wall, her other hand still gripping his. They'd made it perhaps ten steps when her foot hit a particularly worn stone and slipped.
She flailed, a startled gasp escaping her.
Alpin spun immediately, his hands catching her waist and steadying her before she could fall backward.
"I've got ye," he said, his voice calm despite his racing heart. "Put yer foot here, this stone's more solid."
He guided her foot to a safer step, keeping his hands on her waist until he was certain she had her balance. She leaned into him slightly, breathing hard, and Alpin resisted the urge to pull her fully against him.
"Sorry," she muttered. "I told ye this was dangerous."
"Ye're daein’ fine. Just take it slow." He released her reluctantly and turned back to continue climbing. "And keep holdin’ the railin’."
They climbed more carefully after that, Alpin pointing out which steps to avoid and where to place her feet. Every few turns of the spiral, there were narrow windows that let in light and provided glimpses of the landscape below.
"Look," he said, pausing at one such window. "Ye can see the village from here."
Mhairi peered out, her shoulder brushing his arm as she leaned closer. "It's beautiful. I didnae realize how far we could see from up here."
"Wait until we reach the top. Ye can see fer miles."
They continued upward. By the time they reached the top platform, they were both breathing hard from the exertion.
The tower top was open to the sky, surrounded by crenellated walls that came up to Alpin's chest.
From there, the entire MacDougal territory spread out before them—forests and fields, the river winding through the valley, villages scattered like toys across the landscape.
"Oh," Mhairi breathed, moving to the edge to look out. "It's..."
"Worth the climb?"
"Aye." She turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. "I can see everything. The village, the farms, even the burial site where we went."
