“We cannot count on Sutherland or MacIntosh. They’ve gotten into bed with Stewart, and I do not expect any support from them,” Iain said.
“MacKenzie might be persuaded to fight. MacKay, too. Though I hear Fergus is turning into a farmer,” Robert said.
“Graham, I could use your input here,” Angus said.
Graham folded his hands in front of him. “We are missing one key point in this. The reason we sought to attack Edinburgh Castle in the first place was to find your father. We are no closer to locating him. I agree that we must react to this threat. But we can be in more places than one.”
“But we do not know where he is,” Angus said.
“No, we do not—but she could find out,” Graham said, and pointed at Annabella. Her face flushed and her eyes were wide.
“You want her to betray the king? That’s treason, Graham. And beside which, why would she? She has been our prisoner and we cannot expect loyalty from her.”
“Can we not?” Graham asked Annabella directly.
“You have all missed one very important point in this,” she said.
“Oh? And what is that?” Angus asked her.
“The first part of the king’s message allows you to release me. You can do that and no lives will be lost.”
“Never. Not until my father is located and returned to me.”
“But I thought you said you would release me if he comes here.”
“A momentary lapse in judgement. Believe me, if he comes here, he will find out that we MacDonalds do not give up what is ours.”
He was surprised to hear Graham and Annabella gasp at the same time. What had he said?
“Are you telling me you are claiming her as yours?” Graham asked.
Angus looked at him for a moment, trying to comprehend what had just been said. He had meant his father, title, and lands. But did he consider Annabella his? He had no right to. The woman had done something to him from the moment he’d laid eyes on her. But he had no right to her. As much as we wanted to bed her, keeping her here would not result in his father’s return. Angus’s guts coiled at the thought of losing her and still being no further ahead in finding his father. If he released her now, nothing would have been gained except for him wanting that which he could not have.
“How do we know the Stewart will not attack, anyway, even if she is returned?” Robert Balloch asked.
“We do not,” Graham said.
Angus turned to Annabella. There was only one way this mess would be straightened out, and he realized she was the key, after all. Could he make her see it?
“If your king comes here, much blood will be shed. The same will happen if my father is not found and returned to his rightful place. Do you understand, Lady Annabella?”
Her brows drew in tight and she wrung her hands. It was clear she grasped his meaning. He was putting her in a very bad position, he understood that, but the end result could save many lives. The question was, did she have the courage to do what he needed her to do?
“I will do what you want, MacDonald. But I want a favour in return.”
“And what is that?”
“You will be the one to deliver me back to my family. You and you alone.”
“Surely you do not expect the Lord of the Isles to ride across the country without a guard?” Graham said. “I will not allow it. Angus, ’tis a trap!”
“Aye, it could very well be, but we have no other choice. I will return Lady Annabella to her cousin at Linlithgow Palace, and she will do everything in her power to discover the location of my father. You will keep your word, Lady Annabella.”
“Yes, I will keep my word, MacDonald. I do not want to see anyone here harmed, and I will do anything I can to prevent it.”
Angus sat back. He was putting her in a dangerous position, but something told him she was much more resourceful than she let on. In any case, once he dropped her at Linlithgow, he had no intention of leaving until he was certain she was safe.
He’d seen the secret message in her first letter. He believed that she meant them no harm, but he could not share that information with the other men. For now, he would trust her.
