Page 91 of Wild Highland Rose
"'Twould seem so, but I thought there were more of them."
Cameron studied the men and horses. "I don't know, maybe. It's hard to tell how many there were before. The trees on the mountain obstructed the view."
Marjory nodded, her eyes never leaving the small band of men approaching the tower.
"How many Macpherson men are in the gate tower?"
"I canna say with certainty, but definitely no' as many as would normally be about. The feasting left many o' them abed this morning."
"How many in the tower total?"
"I'd say around eighty maybe a wee bit more. But there are Camerons there as well. Torcall always leaves some of his men to keep watch."
"Not exactly what I wanted to hear."
"Aye, and it only gets worse. There are also women and children in there." She bit her lip, nervously and then drew in a sharp breath. "Look, over there." She pointed to the northwest side of the tower.
Cameron squinted against the sun, trying to see what had captured her attention.
She placed a hand on his arm. "There, near the edge o' the loch"
His eyes widened. A second group of men was approaching the tower, but unlike the others, they were dismounted, leading their horses. Their movements, even from this distance, looked suspicious.
"Well, well, that accounts for the missing men. I'd say there's about ten of them." They watched intently as the small group crept along the shore. "What could they possibly hope to gain by splitting up?"
"I've no idea, unless the first group is meant as a decoy."
"Possibly." Cameron ran a hand through his hair. What he wouldn't give for a pair of binoculars right now. "But what gooddoes it do them to approach the walls? They're impregnable aren't they?"
"Aye." She frowned suddenly. "Except for the Tinker's gate."
"The what?"
"'Tis a gate in the west wall. It leads to a narrow causeway along the northern wall. The wee road ends in a passageway leading under the battlements, directly into a storage room near the kitchen. My father had it built along with the passage from the kitchen to the great hall."
"So why is it called the Tinker's gate?"
"Because that's where Father would send the traveling tinkers when they came. Sometimes they'd camp on the wee bit o' ground between the wall and the loch, but we haven't used it since he died."
"How would Torcall know about it?"
"He wouldn't. Unless someone at Crannag Mhór told him."
"Well it looks as if someone did." He frowned, his gaze still on the scene below him. The men to the north disappeared from view, obscured by a small rise, but he could still see the others. They had reached the gate tower and were clustered around the entrance, waiting to be admitted. "Will they be allowed in?"
"They shouldna. With Fingal injured and me out of the tower, I left word that no one was to be admitted without my leave. But as I said, there are Camerons inside the tower—" Marjory grasped his arm suddenly, her fingers digging into his skin.
The men to the north appeared again, still inching their way toward the tower. This time without their horses. It was hard to see them against the dark green of the meadow and the blue-black of the lake, but every once in a while the sun would glint off of the metal of a blade. If he shaded his eyes from the glare, he could just make out their movements.
"Damn. It looks like you called it. They're heading for the passageway. While your men are busy with the army at the gate, Torcall and son will waltz right into the tower."
Marjory's eyes widened and her grip on his arm increased. "We've got to stop them."
"If we just go roaring in there without a thought, we won't do anyone any good." She released her death grip on his arm. "The only thing we have on our side right now is surprise. Torcall has no idea we're seeing this."
She nodded grimly, but he could feel her body against his, her muscles knotted with tension.
"Look, I can't imagine Torcall making a move before he's certain all of his men are in place." He reached over to brush her hair back. "I'd say that buys us a little time."
