“Naw, M'laird,” Jack replied. “Nothin’.”
Alex sat down on the grass. On any other night he would have enjoyed this experience, resting at peace in the quiet darkness while listening to the owls as they went hunting. But tonight he was too anxious, and he had a job to do.
Presently, they heard a rustle in the undergrowth beside the river. It was too dark to see much, and whoever was there was very stealthy, but at last the Glengour party ascertained, by the direction of their whispers and the faint sound of panting, that there were three men and three dogs.
This time the raiders did not stop at one sheep. The dogs had rounded up five ewes and their lambs into a neat bunch, and were about to lead them uphill to cross the river when Alex shouted, “Good evening gentlemen!”
The men cried out in fright, and their terrified faces were illuminated suddenly as the soldiers’ torches flared up.
“I am Laird Lindsay,” Alex announced. “May I ask where you are taking my sheep?”
None of the men spoke. The soldiers had pushed the men into a row, and Alex walked up to them. “I see,” he said silkily. “You thought you would trespass on my land to play with my sheep.” He looked into each pair of eyes in turn. “Tell me, what is to stop me from executing all of you this minute for poaching and trespass? I would be fully within my rights.”
“Ye widnae dae that, M'laird,” one of the men said in a tremulous voice.
“Would I not? Who would stop me?” He looked around at the blank faces of his men. “These men are all loyal to me. But be at ease; I will do you no harm. Not yet, anyway.”
The three were not tied, but with six armed men and one big laird escorting them, they did not make any attempt to escape.
Back at the castle, the sheepdogs were taken away to sleep in the stables and the three shepherds had slightly less comfortable accommodations in the dungeon.
“You will not be harmed,” Alex informed them before they went to the cells. “You have my word. Give me no trouble and I will give you none either. Goodnight.”
He had never been so glad to get to bed; he was exhausted. Robina was asleep, but she woke up and yawned when he climbed into the bed beside her. She put an arm over him and kissed him.
“How did it go?” she asked drowsily.
“We did what we went there to do,” he replied softly. “I will tell you tomorrow.”
“No lullaby?” she asked with a chuckle, and then waited, but it was in vain; he was already asleep.
In the morning it was time to say goodbye to the Forsyths. Donna cupped Alex’s face in her hands and looked up into his eyes with genuine love. “Look after yourself, Son,” she said gently, kissing his cheek. “And look after my girl and your wee one. I will be back when it is born.”
“Thank you, Mother. It is so good to have a mother again, especially one like you. Have a safe journey.” He helped her into the carriage and turned to Bearnard, who was embracing Robina.
“Make sure you look after her, Alex,” Bearnard said, “or you will have me to answer to, and I am tougher than I look.”
Alex hugged him. “Robina and our child are in very safe hands, Father,” he replied. “I would give my life for them.”
I believe you would,Bearnard thought admiringly.
“Goodbye, Father, Mother,” Robina called after them. “Next time you see me I will be a mother!”
The carriage rolled over the drawbridge and out of sight, then Alex bent down to kiss Robina’s stomach again. “And I will be a father,” he said in wonder. “After all these months I still cannot believe it.”
“You had better start believing,” Robina said dryly. “Or you will have the biggest shock of your life! Now tell me, what happened last night?”
After hearing the story, Robina insisted on going down to see the prisoners with Alex.
“It might put them at ease,” she said thoughtfully. “They are probably family men, and they will reason that they will not come to harm when a lady in my condition is around to see it, is that not right?”
Alex frowned at her. “I think it is a fanciful idea, but have it your own way!” He laughed and put his arms around her, kissing her forehead, then her stomach, as he seemed to be doing more and more these days. “It can do no harm.”
He led her downstairs and sat her down in front of the cell on a hard wooden chair on which he had placed a soft cushion, and checked to see that she was comfortable.
The prisoners were surprised and somewhat bewildered to see a pregnant woman in front of them, and Robina laughed silently as they exchanged looks of consternation.
She began to talk to them and soon had them at ease, talking about their wives, their homes, and their hopes for their children. She discovered the names of all their family members, and that one of their wives was also pregnant.
