Page 70 of The Highlander’s Kilted Affair

Audor then spoke once more to Killian. “Send three groups tae surround the house. Tell them that if they come upon Clan Keith’s men, they dinnae hesitate. Kill them where they stand. The laird and his men shouldnae be on this land. They ken the consequences. I want an end tae this.”

“Good,” Killian growled, before turning back to address the troops behind them.

“I want Keith,” Donald spat. “Dae ye hear? I want him. The man murdered me wife, and…” he hesitated. “And he might well have done the same tae me daughter,” the man croaked. “He’s mine.”

Audor and Benedict shared a look, before turning their attention back to Donald. While Benedict would have loved to be the man to slaughter the laird, he could hardly compare his wounds to Donald’s. The man had the right and deserved the chance to avenge the death of his wife. He had suffered greatly since her demise. It was only right that Laird Keith die by Donald’s sword.

“Very well,” Audor said. “So be it.”

“Benedict?” Donald growled, looking directly at him.

Benedict nodded. “Aye, Donald. I hear ye. But if ye lose yer chance, and I get mine, I’m taking it.”

Donald nodded. “That’s fair. But rest assured. I willnae.”

They watched Killian and most of the soldiers split off into three groups, heading to surround the house on all four sides. A group of about twenty soldiers remained with Audor and the group, and moving down the hill, they approached the trees that surrounded the house.

At the tree line, they dismounted and continued on foot. All with their swords drawn, ready to smite any man that they might meet.

After creeping through the wooded area for nearly ten minutes, and not coming upon any of Clan Keith’s men, the house came into view.

Silently, Audor ordered the soldiers to halt, while he moved a little closer to get a better look. When he returned not a minute later, he whispered, “I can only see two men on guard at the front. I imagine there are likely several more inside. The men on guard will be an easy and silent kill. It’s those inside I worry about.”

“Let me deal with them,” Benedict growled.

“We’ll all deal with them,” Audor replied. “This battle is a joint venture, Benedict. Everyone here wants the laird dead and Evelyn returned tae us.”

“Right, let’s go,” Benedict said, waving the soldiers forward.

Benedict slipped through the trees and moved around the right-hand side of the house followed by four soldiers. The idea was not to alert Laird Keith of their presence. They didn’t want the laird to react by killing Evelyn before they had chance to get to her.

The guard paced back and forth in front of the house, and as he turned to start pacing the other way, Benedict launched out of the trees, grabbed the man by his mouth, pulled his neck back, and brought his huge sword across the soft flesh of his throat. The man went down with hardly a sound, and looking up, Benedict watched as Audor used the exact same move on the other one.

Killian and the other soldiers were bound to be somewhere close, and as though thinking about him had conjured some connection, Benedict heard the whistling sound Killian used to alert them of his presence.

“We’re good tae enter,” Benedict said to Audor and Donald when the three met at the front door.

Audor turned to the men with them.

“Remain here and ensure naeone, and I mean naeone, gets through this door.”

The men nodded, and forming a wall, they stood facing out into the trees, ready for whatever might come their way.

Benedict tried the handle of the front door and was surprised that it gave way under his touch. It creaked slightly as he pushed it open, but he ventured forward anyway.

Immediately, a guard stepped out of a room to his right, and without thinking about it, Benedict lifted his sword before the guard had a chance to reach his. He struck the guard across his body, slicing into his clothing and through to his flesh with ease.

Clearly, the other guards heard the ruckus, and two others suddenly appeared. Audor and Benedict battled them side by side, and soon enough, three of Laird Keith’s men lay dead at their feet.

Without a word, Audor pointed through the house. He touched his ear, silently relaying that he had heard voices. Benedict and Donald nodded, and followed him down the narrow corridor.

Just as Audor was about to open the door, the sound of battle came from outside. There was a great roar of many voices. Far more than the few men they had left to guard the house. Clearly, the rest of the army had found Keith’s men and were taking care of them.

With another nod to Donald, Audor grabbed the door handle, and flung the door open.

Evidently, they had not been quiet enough, for as the men piled into the room, they were met with Laird Keith, standing against the far wall with a dirk at Evelyn’s throat. Benedict gasped, and yet, while this was hardly an ideal situation, he was relieved to see her alive. A quick scan of her body told him that, from what he could see, she remained unharmed. They had managed to get there in time.

“Stay back or I’ll slit her throat,” Alisdair spat.