“My love…” he murmured against her tear-stained cheek. “My Magdalene.”
“So she’s not a lunatic after all,” King Robert said with a curious smile as Gabriel shook his head. “I thought as much when I saw her last year with a stout stick in her hand—ready tae beat off any that might threaten the nuns. You’ve wed a brave and clever woman, MacLachlan—aye, I heard of your marriage. There’s not much of import that escapes me in Scotland…and clearly, not much escapes her, thank heaven.”
Robert the Bruce nodded his appreciation to Magdalene, who still hugged Gabriel as if she would never let him go. Yet shouts of alarm from the bailey that attackers with a battering ram were approaching the fortress, made him stiffen.
“My army come to rescue me,” was King Robert’s simple explanation, his wry laugh at once easing Gabriel’s tension. “A wee bit late if Earl Seoras had gotten his way—and you hadna proved as honorable and courageous as I’d heard you tae be, MacLachlan. Come. Join me tae greet my men—aye, all of you who fought with me and not against me! My forces have grown threefold this day and I’ll need every last man tae help free Scotland from England’s tyranny—God protect us!”
“Aye, God protect us!” echoed hundreds of voices while Gabriel eased Magdalene away from him just as Cora reached her side.
“Take her and keep her safe,” was all he had time to say before he and King Robert were swept away in a great surge heading outside.
A last glance over his shoulder flooding him with relief that Cameron, Conall, and Alun had joined together to guide Magdalene and Cora in the opposite direction, toward the tower.
* * *
“What will happen now?”Magdalene queried almost under her breath as she stood next to Cora, both of them staring out the window at the clamor and commotion.
The torch lit bailey had become a crush of men and horses, the gates of the fortress thrown open to admit King Robert’s forces.
No doubt his men as astonished by those that had been enemies now joined in solidarity with them, as relieved that Seoras’s most important prisoner still lived.
Cora had accompanied Magdalene to her room and they had at once gone to the window and thrown open the shutters, while Gabriel’s captains had left to go rejoin him.
Now Cora only shook her head as if she didn’t know how to answer Magdalene, though her brother’s widow reached out to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Her brother’s widow.
Aye, for Seoras was dead…slain in a blink of an eye by Gabriel while Magdalene had watched in awe and horror from the dais as the battle raged in front of her.
He had stood so tall and fearsome above the rest, his bloodstained sword a vengeful thing as he had slashed and pivoted to face fresh attackers—though he and Alun had quickly been joined by those determined to fight alongside them.
Magdalene had kept her gaze so riveted upon Gabriel that she hadn’t realized Cora had come to stand beside her until she’d felt a slim arm slide protectively around her.
Much as Debora had always done, making Magdalene’s eyes well with tears as the battle had ended almost as abruptly as it had begun.
Gabriel safe and alive, and King Robert victorious—aye, Magdalene could see them now at the center of the teeming throng in the bailey…Alun, Cameron, and Conall pushing their way through the crowd to join them.
“Finally the Campbells have triumphed,” Cora murmured, Magdalene meeting her tear-filled gaze. She realized then that Cora must have been too overcome with emotion to answer her, and this time it was Magdalene to give her hand a squeeze.
Cora looked different in the torchlight illuminating her face…as if the misery and unhappiness torturing her earlier that day had been washed away. She looked younger and so beautiful, her hair black as a raven’s wing and her deep blue eyes glistening bright.
Magdalene prayed then and there that her brother’s widow might meet a man one day who would love and adore her—och, she longed so desperately for Gabriel’s arms around her again that her heart ached!
“The MacDougalls will no longer grind us beneath their boots. My people will be as great a clan as ever known in Scotland.”
“So they will,” Magdalene agreed, rubbing Cora’s fingers. “Mayhap King Robert will reward Cameron and Conall for saving his life. At least a dozen men rushed to slay him, but your cousins fought them off, every one!”
“Aye, they’re as brave and fine as your Gabriel—and it’s time they take their own place in Argyll. Both of them making their way with their swords but so deserving of more…especially now.”
“Aye, especially now,” Magdalene echoed, her heart going out to Cora at the tears spilling down her cheeks.
“I willneveragree tae marry again for clan and honor.”
“No, Cora…never again.”
“I’ll live out my days in a convent if I must—”
“Ah, but you willna, I’ve prayed that love will find you!” Magdalene broke in gently, trying to cheer her. “You must pray, too, and heaven will hear you. How could it not after all you’ve suffered?”
