Page 20 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai
She had him, and he knew it.
“Let us talk then.We can inform Dougal and the men of any changes once we are in agreement.”
“Good.Changing what you and he have agreed on makes little sense, if the plan is solid.Start please by telling me what the two of you discussed.”
“The plan is to have a small group of five to seven proceed with a frontal attack at low tide.They will draw the guarding force from the walled keep.Once the guard is exposed, the rest of our men will approach by boat and attack the flanks of our opponents.”
“If I recall correctly, you said that guard numbers fifty men.That is twice our own number.Yet you think it is wise to divide our force?”
“The abbey guard will outnumber our initial force by so great a number that they will be over-confident,” he ground out the words.
“And likely will not send all their men to deal with the initial attack,” she pointed out.“Even if those who are sent are dispatched by our first sortie, you will have much more difficulty defeating the men who remain in the keep.”
He waved a dismissive hand.“We intend to use the boats as fodder for fire to burn down the entrance and thus enter the keep to defeat the remaining guards with our full force.”
She pondered as she washed down a bite of pottage with ale.“That could work, if there is no iron gate barring the way.”
“When last I sent spies to observe, the only entrance to the keep was a wooden door.”
“And how long ago was that?”
“About three years.”He had the grace to look a bit embarrassed that he relied on such old information.
“At the very least you should send someone to discover if anything has changed in that time.You said the island was only a day’s ride distant.Discovery can be made while the rest of us prepare.”
“I agree.That is a good addition to our plan and will not delay us over much.”He made as if to rise.
“Thank you.However, I have more questions.”
He sat back, poured a tankard of ale for himself, and took a fortifying gulp before speaking.
“Such as?”
“You seem to know much about the landward approach to the island.What of the seaward approach?You mentioned that the island has tall cliffsides with the abbey positioned on top.How do the people of the abbey get supplies, food and other items?Does the abbey have visitors?If so, how do the visitors come and go?Getting past the guard is only a first step.How do you expect to get to the abbey itself?Once there, how do you plan to find your mother and sister?”
“Since we do not know what to expect once we defeat the guard....
“If we defeat the guard.”
His jaw clenched.“We will defeat the guard.As I was saying, we do not know what to expect.So, Dougal and I thought it best to leave that part of the rescue unplanned.We will take advantage of any opportunities that present themselves.”
She shook her head.“My brother is prone to such incomplete planning.However, a more thorough plan has a better chance of success.”
His gaze narrowed.“What would you suggest, given your wide experience with defeating greater forces.”He nearly sneered the comment.
“You obviously have not heard the tale of how my sisters and I defeated hundreds of English soldiers without drawing a single blade.”
His brows rose, and he sipped at his ale.“I’ve heard rumors of such an event.You will have to tell me how it was done.”
“Dougal was present at the time.He can tell you.I suspect you will find it entertaining.At present we must needs complete this plan so we can put it into action.”
Rhuad shrugged.“I agree.”
“In addition to learning more about the defenses of the guards’ keep.We need more information about other means of accessing the abbey.We also need better information about how to find your mother and sister.”
He sat up straighter.“That could be done.Whoever we send to observe the keep defenses could seek information at Baile Iasg, the fishing village nearby.He could even ask one of the fishermen to take him out beyond the island to study the seaward approach.Doing so wouldn’t take much more time than the task of noting the keep’s defenses.”
“I would expect that a thorough job of gathering information might take a single man no more than two days,” she remarked.“Four total with a day’s travel on either side of time in the village.”
