One of the other men Arran had worked with, a Mr. McKay, pointed his gun at Arran. “What are you doing here,un petit crapaud?” he asked, calling Arran a little toad in French. “You deserted the North West Company and turned against us. You do not deserve to live.”
“I give myself up,” Arran said to Lavigne, not acknowledging McKay, or caring if he appeared to be a coward. He would do anything to save Eleanor and Miriam. “I am your prisoner.”
Lavigne dismounted, his face white as he surveyed the dead men all around them.
James was somehow still alive, though he held his forearm, blood covering his hands and clothing. Archie was also alive and was on the ground, pressing a stomach wound of one of their fallen men. Miraculously, they had survived the onslaught of the guns, while others lay moaning in anguish. West did not move on his horse.
Arran was sick with grief. How had it come to this? Miriam was now an orphan, in every sense of the word. And Eleanor? How would she return to England now?
Lavigne approached Arran, and Arran knew his former friend was his only hope.
“Kill the toad,” McKay shouted. He leapt from his horse and ran toward Arran, a knife extended.
Lavigne pushed Arran out of the way and knelt in front of McKay. It caused the other man to stumble and fly toward the hard prairie ground. His face hit the dirt and he rolled to a stop on his back.
“No,” Lavigne shouted while he rose, rubbing his shoulder where McKay had hit. “There has been enough bloodshed for one day. These men have surrendered.”
McKay started to rise again, anger and loathing in his eyes. He wiped his mouth and spit out dirt and blood.
“Grant,” Lavigne said to the leader. “These men are our prisoners now. We cannot kill them.”
“I can help.” Arran was desperate as he addressed Cuthbert. He was willing to do anything to spare Eleanor and Miriam, and see to Fiona and all the other widows and orphans. A year ago, he would have died in this place, defending the fort at all costs. But now? Now, there were far more important things than the colony and his promise to Lord Selkirk. “I can help you negotiate with the fort to surrender,” he said quickly, keeping one eye onMcKay. “I will personally see that all the colonists are removed to Jack River House.”
“Arran.” James stepped forward to deny his promise. “Dinna—”
“No.” Arran turned and silenced James with a raise of his hand. He could not watch another friend be cut down today. “We will give them what they want. We must.”
James stared hard at Arran, clenching his jaw tight.
“I will do whatever you ask,” Arran said to Cuthbert. “But, please, spare the rest of these men and those at the fort. There will be no resistance, I promise you.”
Semple groaned from where Arran had left him behind his horse.
Cuthbert sat quietly, his eyes calculating as he looked from Arran, to Semple, and to the fort. “Take MacLean into custody,” he said to Lavigne. “We will bring him to our camp until I decide what to do.”
“And our men?” Arran asked. “May we bury them?”
“Leave them.” Cuthbert prodded his horse over the fallen men and went to Semple.
“I am not mortally wounded,” Semple said through gasps of pain. “If you could get me conveyed to the fort, I think I should live.”
Cuthbert stared at Semple in open abhorrence, but he nodded at one of his men. “See that he’s brought to the fort.”
“Thank you,” Semple said, tears on his cheeks. “Thank you.”
Arran’s chest rose and fell on short breaths. He started to move toward West, but Lavigne stopped him.
One of the Bois-Brûlés pulled at West’s arm. The man fell hard and shapeless on the ground, a sickening lump of a man. The Bois-Brûlé leapt onto his horse and took off to the north.
“Please,” Arran said to Lavigne. “He’s my—my friend. I want to see if he’s still alive.” He prayed to God that he was, even as the truth stung his gut.
Lavigne had already done much for Arran, but he allowed him to go to West.
Arran knelt on the ground and put his finger on West’s neck to feel for a pulse.
There was none.
Rage burned deep in Arran’s chest, and it took all his willpower not to turn and unleash his fury on those who had just killed this man of God.
