“He has.”
Patrick knew he was hedging. “But?”
“Before he died, I persuaded Colin Campbell to tell me the three names.”
Patrick swore with comprehension. “So that’s what you’ve been doing, tracking down the men who raped her? My brothers-in-law and their cousin Argyll are going to be furious. They took a big risk for you with the king. Jamie Campbell took surety for you, as I recall.”
Niall’s jaw hardened. He knew what Jamie had done in taking personal responsibility for him—and he felt badly about it—but it wasn’t as if Niall had a choice. “Would you be doing any differently?”
Patrick gave him a look of disgust but didn’t bother to answer. They both knew he would be first in line behind him.
“Annie is going to be furious when she finds out. She was mad enough about your killing Colin Campbell.”
Niall frowned. “I would think she would want justice.”
“She does,” Patrick said dryly. “She just wants it to come from her hand. My sister has more MacGregor in her than I realized.”
Niall suddenly understood and gaped at him in horror. “Good God! You aren’t actually supporting this madness? You can’t mean to train her with a knife to allow her to go after the men who raped her?”
The two who were left, that is.
“Of course not,” Patrick said with disgust. “But unlike you, I know when not to get in her way. She was going to learn to use a knife whether I authorized it or not. This way at least I could make sure she did so safely with someone who would die rather than see her hurt.”
Niall didn’t like hearingthatat all. “After what I saw today, I’d be surprised if those lessons continue. They both looked horrified by what happened.”
Patrick shook his head. “I warned her that it wasn’t a good idea—for either of them. But I have to admit she surprised me. From what I saw, she wasn’t bad.”
Niall figured that was a bit of brotherly exaggeration.
Patrick shrugged and continued. “When I thought about it, I realized learning to defend herself wasn’t a completely irrational idea under the circumstances. No matter how much I wish it, I can’t always be there to protect her. Besides, I think she needs to do this—for herself.”
Niall was afraid he understood exactly what Patrick meant because he knew Annie. Which didn’t make him happy right now. She didn’t trust anyone to protect her. She didn’t trust him or Patrick or any other man whom she should have been able to count on. And why should she? They’d let her down.
Guilt squeezed his chest so intensely it was hard to breathe.
But even understanding where the need came from, it chilled him to think of the trouble she could get in if she pulled a blade on the wrong person or, worse, actually did try to go after the Campbell soldiers who’d raped her.
“If anyone should be training her, it should be me,” Niall said grimly.
Patrick laughed but didn’t disagree. “Good luck convincing her of that. And even if you could, given what you just told me, why should I allow it? Your situation on the wrong side of the law hasn’t exactly improved. Do you think I want my sister being hunted by the king’s men?”
“It won’t come to that.”
“If you are counting on Jamie Campbell to intercede on your behalf with Argyll again, I think you are overestimating your sister’s influence.”
“You obviously don’t know my sister very well.” It wasn’t Caitrina’s influence with her husband that he worried about; it was her annoyance with Niall for putting her husband in a bad position. But he wasn’t going to tell Patrick MacGregor that. “If all else fails, I have a plan. Annie will not be in harm’s way. Do you think I’d be here if it were any other way?”
“That still doesn’t explain how you are going to convince her to agree to let you train her. She doesn’t want to see you.”
“Let me worry about that.”
If Niall sounded more confident than he felt, he hid it well. He just hoped he knew Annie as well as he thought he did.
* * *
Wanting to avoid prying eyes and questions, Annie didn’t return to the castle right away. Instead she hid out in a secluded corner of the garden until she could collect herself and dry her tears before returning to her chamber.
“Black” Duncan Campbell might be a murdering despot, but Annie had to admit that he did know how to build a modern castle. She had been too young to remember the old MacGregor keep as it had been when her parents were alive, but she knew it was nothing like the massive, modern Z-plan tower house that Black Duncan had built on its ruins. The center of thezwas a three-story rectangular-shaped tower that housed the great hall, kitchens, and other private solars. On opposite corners of the central tower were two four-story round tower houses that added a dozen rooms for family, household servants, and guards.
