Adam held up a hand, asking for silence.
“Hear me out,” he went on. “If we do that, he will come into the village with very few men, because he thinks that he killed most of our defenders yesterday. I will write him a letter asking him to come and formally receive the Lairdship. If, as we think, he comes with only a few men, our numbers will be bigger than his, especially if we seek the help from the tenant farmers.
“We attack Robert McElwee first, and this is most important. Every army needs a leader, and so does every gang of thugs. If we kill McElwee first then they are leaderless and weak, then we can overcome them. I will teach you how to do it. Sharpen your axes! And have no conscience about it. If you do not kill him he will certainly kill you!” Then he spread his hands and his eyes roved over the crowd.
Emilia helped everyone understand exactly what Adam was saying. People began to look relieved; smiles even broke out here and there.
“However,” he said reasonably, “if you would rather surrender, I will not stop you. I bow to your will.”
There was a pause that seemed to last forever, then one of the men spoke up. He stepped forward, his arms crossed, chin thrust out with determination.
“That evil swine attacked us when we were nae daein’ nothin’ tae him,” he pointed out. “If we gie up he will take everything’ we have. We have nae choice. We must fight him or he will wipe us oot!” Others nodded in agreement.
Then the man smiled. “An’ if a Sassenach decides to figh’ tes no Scot that won’t!”
There was a rumble of laughter. Adam was amazed that these poor people who had everything to lose—even their lives—could still laugh about it, and he reflected that it was one of the things that he loved about the Highlanders.
“A Sassenach figh’ for Scots, I would pay money to see that. If only I had any!” said another man. Everyone began laughing and cheering at the top of their lungs now.
Emilia looked at Adam, who was trying not to laugh too hard because his wounds were hurting.
She knew that the matter had been settled and the plan agreed upon. Now all he had to do was put it in motion.
In the meantime Adam hoped the French would not be late.
Eleven days, Adam thought.Eleven days. Five to gather them and six to travel. Five days had already passed. Now Adam would have to wait six more. He could not go to open war with McElwee before that.
Then he would have to find a way to pay them.
Emilia saw the strain that the last few hours had put upon Adam. He looked weary to the point of exhaustion, and her heart ached for him. She went to find Father Gordon and asked if Adam could borrow the use of his bed for an hour until he felt rested enough to train the men on how to use their axes as weapons.
“He is so tired, Father,” she said anxiously as she watched Adam sit down with his head in his hands.
“He can use the bedroom I keep for the bishop when he visits,” Father Gordon replied. “It is very seldom used anyway, and he looks as though he needs some sleep.” He gazed at Adam for a moment then said heavily, “He is certainly a brave man. I sometimes disagree with him, but I will always stand behind him, even though he is a Sassenach! It will indeed be ironic if our savior is an Englishman.”
Emilia smiled at him and eased Adam out of his chair. He let out a groan and straightened up stiffly, then Emilia put her arm around his waist and led him into the bedroom Father Gordon had indicated. She tucked him under the cool sheets and administered a tiny drop of milk of the poppy for his pain, then she turned to go.
“Stay for a wee while,” he murmured. His eyes were begging her.
Emilia sat down in the chair beside the bed and smiled at him. “You are beginning to speak like a Scot,” she told him.
He took her hand then held it up to his lips and kissed it. “Have you stopped loving me?” he asked softly.
“No,” she replied. “I will never stop loving you, Adam. I told my mother that we had argued before you went and she laughed.”
“That seems like a strange thing to do,” he frowned.
“She said that any couple who says they do not argue is lying,” Emilia replied, brushing back the hair from his forehead. “She says that it shows that the passion is still alive and well in our relationship.”
“She is a wise woman,” he laughed, and then he gazed at Emilia, taking in every detail of her face, her shining red hair, and her long white neck. “I love you,” he whispered. “I did not think this thing could ever happen to me. I thought I would never find any sane woman who could possibly love Adam Cameron.”
“Stop thinking, Adam,” she whispered. “Just feel it and be happy.”
He reached up to pull her head down to his and their lips touched softly, but it ignited a fire between them. She felt his hands skim over her breast and hip, then rest on her stomach as he gazed into her eyes. She saw his navy blue eyes darken as they looked at her, and his lips parted as he drew aside the blanket on the bed. He did not take his eyes off hers as she crawled in.
“Father Gordon will not be happy about this,” Emilia whispered.
“Father Gordon be damned!” he growled. “We may all be dead tomorrow. Let me kiss my Emilia for a while if we cannot make love.”
