“All right, all right.” Connor threw his hands in the air, gesturing for the room to settle. “What of Campbell and his men?”
“They are all shut up inside,” Cookie answered. “Nay one has seen a single guard since ye left. All the windows and doors to the castle have been closed. The whole place has been fortified. He has called his men inside. They have all retreated into the castle.”
“This is it,” another frightened woman added. “They are going to siege our village. We are going to be mere casualties in this blasted war. They dinnae care about us or our families.”
A cry of outrage went up through the tavern. Brid's own thoughts were racing in her head, trying to make sense of what they were telling her. She wanted to scream and shout that whatever was happening was not Seamus and Flora's doing. She wanted to tell them that this town wasn't going to turn into another site of mass devastation, like her own home had become. But she couldn't make empty promises, and Campbell was as unpredictable and unforgivable as the Highland skies.
“I need to see this for myself. Brid and I will ride out to the edge of the main road. The rest of ye, stay here and stay calm. Once I ken more, then we will ken what to do.”
She, along with the rest of the room, settled, if only a bit, at Connor's directions. He stretched out a hand towards her, and she gripped it as though her life depended on it. Pushing through the crowd, he led her back outside and back to their horses. She internally winced, knowing she would have to get in the saddle again.
“Ride with me,” he called out the second she dropped his hand to make for her own horse.
“Why?”
Her cheeks flushed at the idea of being that close to him. She couldn't think of a single reason that would dictate her need to be on the same horse, and she doubted that Connor would be forward enough to make a request like that. At least, he hadn't shown that kind of boldness with her before. She didn't know what would make him start to show it now.
“I intend on sneaking up to the blockades. It will be easier to do with only one horse. And if something goes wrong, and we have to run, I want to ken that ye are right there with me.”
“Och.”
Those were two very good reasons he gave. She still found it hard not to read further into his request, though. Some part of her, and she wasn't sure how big of a part that was, wished that even in the midst of all this chaos that Connor would still be direct in telling her how he felt. She wanted his feelings to mirror her own.
Shaking those thoughts from her mind, she once again took Connor's extended hand and let him hoist her into the saddle. She hardly had time to get herself settled before he climbed behind her. Not bothering to waste a second, Connor reached around her and grabbed the reins before he kicked the horse into a trot.
There were many things she had come to know and even expect from Connor; his loyalty, his steadfastness, his quick thinking. But what she hadn't expected was the way his frame perfectly wrapped around hers. His shoulders covered her while his head nearly rested on top of her hair. The warmth that enveloped her as they rode went deeper than the heat his body gave. It was more than him simply shielding her from the elements. There was an underlying comfort and familiarity to him that made her lean back into him and settle into that warmth.
The ride to the edge of the village was the fastest trip they had made in over three days. It was a simple mercy that had Brid saying a silent thank you nonetheless. As Connor had said, he stayed away from the main road and approached the barricade from behind the trees.
“Be as quiet as ye can,” he whispered in her ear.
His breath sent shivers down her spine, but almost as soon as they came, they vanished, and she was awash with chills.
“It is just as they said,” she muttered in horror.
Several old oak trees had been chopped down near the roots and stretched across the road. Stacked tall and wide, therewas no getting around them, especially not with the handful of guards who stood in front of them.
“Those are Finn's men. I recognize them from the few days we spent at Drummond Castle. I think I trained with the blonde.”
“I dinnae understand,” Brid told him, a bit louder than she should have. “Why would Finn send his men to block off the roads?”
“Perhaps it is to keep Campbell's men from getting in. We must give him the benefit of the doubt.”
As much as Brid appreciated Connor's kindness towards her brother, they both knew that Finn was a bit beyond such kindness. He had been so controlling, so suspicious of everyone and everything, that she didn't think him capable of acting out of generosity. She told Connor as much.
“Ye saw what he did at Drummond Castle, after we left the monastery. Finn does nae care about protecting the innocent or ensuring there is a clan left when all of this is over. He only wants to prove that he is better than Seamus.”
Connor sighed heavily behind her. They both knew it was the truth, even if she was the only one willing to admit it out loud.
“I'm going to approach the guards. Perhaps they will remember us and can tell us what exactly is going on.”
“I am going with ye.”
“Brid,” Connor admonished, “dinnae be foolish. Ye must stay here, out of harm's way.”
“What is yer plan, then? Take the horse and leave me in the woods on foot? Or will ye go on foot, only to be outnumbered?”
He sighed again. Their days traveling had worn him down too.
