Page 96 of Wild Highland Rose
"Where's Torcall?"
Allen's mouth split into a thin lipped imitation of a smile. "He's no' here." He advanced a step into the room. "'Tis just you and me,brother."
"That's all o'them then." Marjory stood with Cook as they watched the last of the women wade into the water. "You're next."
The older woman turned, her eyes wide with concern. "Aren't ye coming?"
"Nay, I'll be of more use here."
"But yer a woman."
Marjory smiled. "So they say, but I can wield a sword as well as most men and, at this point, I dinna think they're likely to stop the battle because a woman has joined the fighting." Her smile faded. "Besides, there are people I love in there. I canna just walk away and leave them."
The woman laid a firm hand on Marjory's arm. "But he willna thank ye fer putting yerself in danger."
She shook off the hand. "I've no care what he thinks. 'Tis Aimil and Fingal I'm speaking of. They're still in there somewhere and I owe it to them to try and make sure they're all right. And I owe it to myself to try and protect the land my father left me."
"But 'tis only land, Marjory, surely it isna worth dying fer." Cook peered anxiously into her face.
"'Tis my legacy. My father would expect me to keep it safe. Now, off with you. You canna change my mind and you'll only be in the way here."
She hesitated, indecision marring her normally pleasant features.
"I said, be gone."
With a sigh the older woman hoisted her skirts and waded into the water. The first of the women had already disappeared around the end of the wall. Satisfied that they were as safe as they could be.
With a sigh, Marjory turned back to the tower.
It was time to avenge her father.
28
"I'm not your brother." Cameron spat the words, feeling adrenaline kick in. He tightened his grip on the claymore and held the silver shield aloft.
"I think that's been made clear enough." Allen snarled. "I suspected something when we first found ye on the mountain, but Father would no' listen. He's always had a blind spot where yer concerned. But even he couldna ignore what that witch has done to ye."
"Marjory hasn't done a thing." Cameron hissed, circling around the larger man.
"Tell it to Father," Allen laughed, the sound vile. "He'll see her dead. Which is exactly the way I want it."
Understanding dawned. "Torcall annihilates the Macphersons, and Clan Cameron takes out your father."
"Yer bright for halfwit." His smile was cruel. "If things go as planned, I should be head of Tyndrum afore winter."
"Aren't you forgetting about me?"
"Nay, that's the best part o' it. Yer a crazy man, fighting against yer father. There's no' a man in Scotland who'll blame me for killing ye." Allen moved quickly for such a big man.The jab came and went before Cameron even had time to blink. Looking down, he saw a fine line of blood seeping through the linen of his shirt.
"Ye bleed awfully red fer a devil," Allen taunted. "Perhaps yer no' a demon after all." He moved as he spoke, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. "No' that it matters, I'll see you dead either way."
Cameron forced himself to stare into Allen's eyes. He'd heard somewhere that fighters often gave themselves away with their eyes. He fervently wished that the same would be true for Scottish warriors, and more importantly, that he'd be able to recognize it when it happened.
He shifted to Allen's left, crouching to better balance the weight of the sword, waiting for Allen's next move. Somehow in the movies these things always seemed to happen faster.
Before he completed the thought, Allen's eyes shifted. Reacting purely from instinct, Cameron twisted right an instant before the blow fell to his left. He could actually feel the rush of air as the blade swung by.
"No' bad. Ye move better than I would have expected." Allen grinned. Cameron felt a lot like a mouse being sized up by a very crafty cat. He pulled in a ragged breath.
