Page 78 of How to Heal a Highland Heart
Beside him, Lady Moray spoke. “That girl forever has my debt. I pray the punishment for her deeds this day are not too grave.
Robert nodded. Elizabeth de Burgh had mettle, that much was certain. It would remain to be seen if it was not beaten out of her after today.
“What will ye do now?” Lady Moray asked.
Robert thought briefly of his father ensconced in Durham at one of their English manors. He would need to send a messenger to give his father fair warning of what had occurred this day. What he did with that information was on his head.
“My lord?” Lady Moray said.
He caught the lady’s inquisitive gaze. “I’ll send word to my father of my actions—”
“Honorable actions,” she said, reaching out and squeezing his forearm.
He inclined his head in gratitude, certain his father would not feel the same. Swallowing a sudden swell of emotion for the rift he had placed between himself and his father this day, he said, “then I’ll ride to Hugh Eglinton’s Castle. I’ve received word that the nobility leading the rebellion have been given safe haven there to meet and plan, and amongst the party is also William Wallace.”
Lady Moray’s eyebrows arched. She bit her lip for a moment then spoke. “Ye ken many of those men fight in the name of Balliol. They fight for his return to the throne.”
“Aye,” Robert replied. “But Balliol abdicated and I have heard that the Comyns—” saying the name of his family’s bitter enemies who years before had put the force of their great power behind their cousin Balliol to have him named as the man with the best claim to the throne over Robert’s grandfather, always made Robert’s throat tighten. “—are imprisoned by Edward. I go to fight for Scotland, as I did this day.”
She nodded. “I pray for ye that it will be enough to see ye well.”
“I’ll gladly take yer prayers, he replied, sensing deep within that he would need them.
“I’ll send a messenger ahead of ye with word of yer deeds for me to my husband who is at Eglinton Castle,” she revealed with a secretive smile. “That way, ye are more likely to keep yer head when ye approach the Scots. Many think ye a traitor.”
“I know it well,” Robert said, “but I will face it and prove them wrong. Do nae risk yer man.”
“I owe ye,” she whispered fiercely. “Ye saved my men. I will pay my debt by aiding ye in hopefully saving yer life when ye approach Eglinton. Grant!” Lady Moray bellowed and within a breath a young Scottish warrior appeared. Lady Moray smiled at the young man mounted beside her. “Grant rides like the wind. He should reach the castle before yer large gathering of vassals.” Robert inclined his head at her words. To Grant, she said, “Ride to yer laird. Take word of Bruce’s actions here today, and tell my husband, Bruce is our friend.”
“I will, my lady,” the warrior said, before turning his horse and galloping away. They watched him in silence for a moment before Lady Moray spoke again. “Dunnae tarry, Bruce. Scotland needs yer fighting strength. Ride hard.”
“I vow it!” he swore, turned from Lady Moray, and gave the signal for his men to follow suit. Niall brought his horse beside Robert’s and together they led the men away from Moray’s castle. As they did, Robert felt Niall’s steady gaze upon him. “What is it?” Robert finally asked.
“Please tell me this means we dunnae ever have to go back to the English court and pretend to admire the English king nor like English food.”
Robert chuckled, some of the tension unknotting from his shoulders. “God willing. Niall, I will ride to Eglinton with my men to join the rebellion are ye certain ye wish to ride with me? What of yer clan, yer wife, yer daughter?”
“My clan is secure under my brother’s care in my absence. As for my wife and daughter, it is thanks to ye that my daughter is alive. Dunnae think I’ve ever forgotten, nor has Calissa, how ye saved our Brianna when those English knights captured her. Brianna is safe at home with Calissa, and I will stay with ye and fight for our land and to free our people.”
“If ye ride with me, ye may ride to yer death,” Robert said, his tone grave.
“I’ve ridden next to ye since we were young and trained together at the Earl of Mar’s castle, Robbie. If I’m to ride to my death, there is nae anyone I’d rather be beside, but I think we ride to freedom. Let us see it together, aye?”
“Aye,” Robert agreed. There would be no changing Niall’s mind, and Robert both appreciated his friend’s loyalty and feared for him. But Niall’s decision was set, and there were no arguments left to be made, so Robert urged his steed into a gallop to which his men matched the pace.
They rode relentlessly through the remains of the day, over hard terrain, under the baking sun, and into the early evening hours. When he finally spotted Eglinton Castle in the distance, he ordered the party to halt and turned to Niall. “I’ll venture up alone,” he announced, determined to protect Niall should the other Scottish nobility greet them with swords and wish to fight, despite Lady Moray’s sending word. Many saw them as traitors, thanks to his father’s orders to continue obeying Edward even when the Scottish nobility started to rebel against his rule, and Robert was not convinced Lady Moray’s words would have much effect on those who distrusted him.
“The devil ye will,” Niall replied, his tone hard. “I’m nae going to linger back here with the men and let ye get all the glory. I’ll go with ye, thank ye. All those who dared to call us traitors will ken the part I played in striking against de Burgh and, therefore, the English king.”
Robert opened his mouth to argue and then promptly shut it. It would do no good. “Ye’re as stubborn as a goat,” he grumbled instead. “And I do nae have time to mince words with ye. Come along.”
Niall chuckled as they moved their horses down the path that wound up to the castle gates. As they rode, Niall said, “It’s heartening to see that ye have finally learned I’m the stronger of the two of us.”
“If ye think I’d ever believe that,” Robert teased, “ye must have hit yer head.”
“Name yerself,” a guard bellowed, interrupting their banter as they approached the gate.
“Robert the Bruce.”
