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Caladora sighed thoughtfully. “Oh, let me think…a couple of weeks ago, I think.”

“What?” Jordan cried. “Why so long?”

Her cousin shrugged. “Because they frighten me and I dunna like demanding things of them.”

Jordan’s eyes narrowed. “Well, they dunna frighten me. I shall get us soap and water, and a proper bath, too.”

When Malcolm returned several hours later with a bit of dinner for them, she had her wish.

*

Dunbar had called the clan chiefs together again, and within a half a day, they were gathered. The men sat skeptically before Dunbar as the McKenna chief laid out his grand plan, telling them of his recent capture and of Thomas’ death. When the lairds tried to argue against taking on Northwood again, Dunbar was adamant that this time they would be successful. After all, all of the English troops would be riding to McKenna Keep to rescue the earl’s wife, leaving their own fortress vulnerable.

Into the night they argued and fought until one by one, the chief’s began to give in. ’Twas easier to give in that continue beating their head against a wall. Dunbar, when convinced he was right, was immovable.

Yet no one was glad to hear that Thomas was dead. The man had been a loyal border earl for many years. They had made the mistake of allowing Dunbar to convince them that Thomas was a traitor, when in fact he had been wiser than all of them by seeking peace. But they were afraid to oppose Dunbar and side with Thomas because at the time they, too, doubted Thomas’ loyalties. Now, months after the fact, they knew it was a mistake, but it was too late to turn back. And no one would admit it, not even to each other. So they were alone and isolated in their guilt.

Now Dunbar wanted to split up his force and send half to attack Northwood while her guard was down while the other half set up the defenses of McKenna Keep. Ambitious, even for him, but he was so charismatic and logical that even they began to believe it possible. With Northwood gone, mayhap Dunbar’s overall scheme would indeed work. So far, all the clans had acquired from their initial assault was a lot of widows and orphans and none of the promised border wealth.

Yet, so be it. By midnight they had all agreed what needed to be done and assembling began immediately, outside in the small bailey by the light of a thousand torches. Men were moving and preparing, thinking that mayhap this time victory and glory would finally be theirs. Their faith lay in their clan lands and in the mutual hatred for the English.

They were tired of fighting; aye. The bout with King Henry’s troops had weakened them considerably, but as true hearty Scots, they were not entirely beat. They still had the drive and stamina to try one last time. They were seasoned and good soldiers, lacking the peasants they had employed in the first rounds of the battle for the border. But there were two obvious flaws that would eventually defeat them, whether or not they knew it.

Firstly, they put their faith in Dunbar McKenna. Secondly, they would be fighting The Wolf. If the first didn’t kill them, the second surely would.

*

Jordan, clean and bathed, her hair freshly washed and dried and pulled softly back at the nape of her neck, was dressed in a huge voluminous white linen surcoat that Malcolm had managed to scavenge. The sleeves were long and full, closing tightly around her wrists to keep the draft out. A tiny braided black and leather cord ran around the neckline, crossed between her full breasts, and then continued to run beneath them before joining in the back of the surcoat. It was actually a quite lovely and feminine thing and she wondered where in the world Malcolm had managed to come across it. It was even clean. With her black boots and black hose on for warmth, she was extremely comfortable.

Caladora found it exceedingly wonderful to have Jordan’s strength to lean on now. She was an unassertive woman, though sweet as honey, but since Jordan’s arrival she’d had a bath, her hair washed, and her old dirty surcoat taken away to be washed. Meanwhile, Malcolm had scavenged a lovely peach-colored surcoat for her which was a blessing in that it brought some color to her cheeks. Yet she, as well as Jordan, were extremely curious where Malcolm got the dresses from. But they didn’t ask for fear he stripped them from dead bodies.

And, they were suspicious for other reasons. Why was he being so nice to them when he but killed the rest of their kin?

Exhausted, Jordan and Caladora had fallen asleep soon after the bath and small meal, crowded together on the small bed but taking comfort in one another.

Jordan dreamed of William. He looked as he did when they had first met, his left eye restored and his face perfect. He was smiling at her, sitting in a large chair with a babe in his arms. Suddenly there were a dozen children crawling around him, over him, and he was delighted. ’Twas a comforting dream that quickly faded into blackness, yet her husband remained on her mind fully.

Even in her sleep, she knew he was coming for her. She was as much a part of him as he was of her and she knew in her heart they would be together again soon.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

William stopped his army a mere two miles from McKenna Keep. The knights slung their shields and unsheathed broadswords, the bright moonlight gleaming wickedly off the steel. ’Twas bright enough to read by, which was why William was not the least bit hesitant about attacking at night.

McKenna Keep was shielded by a small forest of trees, blocking the approaching army’s view of the keep as well as blocking the keep’s view of them. Yet his spies told him the army was mobilized around the outside of the wall and the bridge was down, which William thought was extremely strange behavior if they knew his army was advancing.

“Why in the hell is the drawbridge down if they are expecting us?” he demanded to Paris and Kieran.

“Mayhap they are not expecting us at all,” Kieran said. “If the army is assembling on the outskirts of the keep, mayhap it is for another reason. Such as, coincidentally, preparing to launch another attack on English border earls?”

William nodded, “Of course. ’Tis the only explanation,” he said. “Lads, it seems as if we will be doing Northwood and her allies a favor this night. Mayhap it is a good thing my wife was foolish enough to get herself captured so that we could come here and destroy the marauding army. Had she not been taken, we would have found out too late.”

He was making light of Jordan’s situation, making it easier for him to deal with it. Paris nodded rapidly.

“She is a brilliant tactician,” he agreed. “Mayhap your military prowess has rubbed off on her.”

“Aye, she planned this,” Kieran wrestled with his chestnut destrier. “She is not so foolish, after all.”

Ranulf gave William the high-sign that the troops were battle-ready and William raised his arm in response.