A moment more and Conall had reached Cameron, who stepped forward to meet him.
“Gabriel has sent word that the MacDougalls are reorganizing themselves tae fight against us.We’ve stayed within these walls for too long!We’ll follow the plan he’s made for his own lands, half of us remaining tae protect the fortress while the rest will ride out each day and patrol the countryside.Our strength and might must be displayed for all tae see—and you, Conall, must leave today with your warriors and family tae your lands and castle tae the north.King Robert tasked us with preventing Clan MacDougall from regaining power and by God, we willna fail him!”
“Aye, we willna fail him,” Conall echoed grimly, but already Cameron had turned back to his men—with Conall’s among them, he saw now as warrior after warrior gave him a nod of allegiance.
After nearly a week spent in tireless training at Campbell Castle, his men, combined with the warriors King Robert had sent with him, were as cohesive a force as he could have hoped for.All of them ready and primed for battle from the deafening roars that split the air.
Wearing armor and bristling with weapons, they would make a mighty presence indeed to any that might be thinking of revolting against King Robert’s rule in Argyllshire…yet Lisette and Colin would be accompanying them.Thankfully his castle lay no more than two hours’ ride from the fortress, but the journey would be a dangerous one—
“Lisette is a warrior’s wife—a baron’s wife!”Cameron shouted at him above the uproar as if discerning Conall’s thoughts.“She’ll see now the responsibility that title entails, but dinna doubt her courage, brother.She’s displayed enough of it since you snatched her from Dumfries, aye?”
Conall nodded as Cameron gestured for his captains to clear the great hall, though the men exiting did not cease their shouts and clamoring for battle.
His ears rang from all the noise, and he could imagine what Lisette must be thinking to hear such commotion carrying up to the tower.Lorna, too, no doubt pacing and raging in an opposite tower—Conall scowling at the thought of her.By God, what was to be done with her now?
“Lorna…” he began, but Cameron waved him to silence.
“You dinna need tae concern yourself with the woman.I’ve ordered five of my men tae accompany her tae the border of Perthshire but no further, for I need them here.Her kinsmen will bear the task of returning her the rest of the way tae her husband.If you wish tae bid her goodbye, you’d best hurry.They’re soon tae ride out…and you’re welcome, brother.”
Cameron slapped him on the back and made to leave him, but Aislinn rushing forward from the direction of the kitchen made Cameron pause to sweep her into his arms.Only after a bracing kiss did he release her to stride after his men, Aislinn’s lovely face flushed as red as her hair as she glanced at Conall.
“I’m so sorry, brother, but there’s no time for a wedding feast now.It was to be a surprise for you and Lisette with Gabriel and Magdalene planning to attend—ah, God!Those accursed MacDougalls must be mad to think of rising up against the MacLachlans and Campbells.”
In spite of the gravity facing them, Conall couldn’t help smiling that Aislinn appeared ready to do battle, too, and would have pulled out a sword to emphasize her words if she’d had one strapped around her waist.After what Earl Seoras MacDougall had done to her, throwing her and her ill-fated companions into a dank hole beneath a prison cell to rot—och, but Seoras had earned his just reward and rotted himself now, in hell!
“Aislinn, will you go tae Lisette and tell her we must leave at once for our new home?”
“Aye, we’ve much to do.I’ve already ordered wagons filled with the provisions that would have been prepared for the feast and several servants have stepped forward to accompany you, along with one of the nursemaids.They’ll help Lisette to get everything running smoothly.A young priest as well only just arrived at Campbell Castle.We already have Father Simeon to minister to us, so we don’t need two of them.”
“A priest?”Conall queried, but then he shrugged, imagining that the castle King Robert had granted him had its own chapel in want of cleric.“I must go.Cameron told me that Lorna is soon tae leave—”
“Good riddance, too, the harpy!You may have cared for her once, Conall, but you’ve been graced with a true gift from heaven in Lisette.Have you told her yet that you love her?Cameron and I have seen it as plain as daylight upon your face and I was almost ready to kick you to get you to see it—”
“Aye, sister, she knows it well.”Conall gave Aislinn a quick embrace and then took off after Cameron before she could berate him any further, however fondly.
As soon as he stepped outside, the day still gray with heavy clouds portending more rain, he grew tense at the look Lorna gave him from where she stood ready to mount a dappled mare.
Her green eyes filled with bitterness and her chin tilted defiantly.
Conall didn’t wish to linger over any goodbye, just to thank her for bringing him Colin.As soon as he drew closer, Lorna rushed toward him to his surprise and threw her arms around his neck to plant a fervent kiss upon his lips.
He stepped back at once to disengage himself from her, but still she clung to him, threading her fingers in his hair.
“My parting gift tae you, Conall Campbell…the seeds of doubt well planted.”
She glanced upward then, laughing as he followed her gaze to the tower window where Lisette stood holding Colin in her arms.
Her face pale and stricken, while Sorcha appeared beside her to take the sobbing boy and then recede from view.Lisette remained there…staring at him, until a moment later she left the window, too.
“Damn you, woman—damn you!”Conall didn’t care that he was rough with Lorna as he pulled her by the arm to her horse and lifted her into the saddle.
She laughed still, a cold, brittle sound, but when he thrust the reins into her hands and squeezed her fingers, fiercely, she gasped in pain.
“You brought me my son, Lorna, but hear this now.You willna see Colin again until he’s grown into a man and will decide for himself if you’re worthy of his acquaintance.He will know that Lisette showed you kindness and wished for you tae stay so you might have more time with him, but you dinna deserve such compassion even if circumstances hadna changed.Now go!”
Conall slapped the mare’s rear before Lorna could retort.The horse’s lunge forward made her shriek and struggle to regain control as Cameron’s men closed in around her and rode with her from the bailey.
Conall did not wish her harm, but at that moment, if Lorna had fallen and broken her neck, he wouldn’t have blinked an eye.
