Page 10 of Taken By her Highland Enemy

“Then, you are hardening already, just as I’d hoped.” He stood and drank again, moving towards the cabinet to pull out two glasses. “Come, we shall have a drink together. Pay no mind to the hour. I want you to take over once I am gone, daughter. And this gives me a little bit of hope. Come with me today to see how I deal with these men in the next village. You will learn something.”

Isabelle was relieved that her father had not caught her desire for him to move away from The Scots for any other reason. But now she felt sick, thinking that her father thought she desired to become like him. She knew very well what he would do to those unsuspecting men. He would run them through with his own blade while the rest of the village watched and screamed. She shut her eyes against the image. Perhaps by going with him, she could somehow orchestrate a way to prevent it? Her mind raced with the possibility as her father filled her glass with wine.

“Isabelle? Did you hear me?”

She jumped a little at his voice and then nodded. “I will come with you, Father.”

“Good. I also want you to see how I will handle the man who keeps posting up signs, asking for rebellion against the British. The King does not yet know of it, and I hope he never does. This country is cursed, daughter and these rebels will get justice.”

Isabelle kept her expression calm while her father’s voice lowered to a grumble again. “Do you know where he is, Father?” she asked softly.

“Not yet. But I will.”

“I see. Well, do not think of him yet, for your temper has calmed from this morning.”

“Yes, the wine does its work. But I fear it will come out again once I see the soldiers who left us last night.”

“Will they also be punished, Father?”

He nodded over his glass. “You know, I had forgotten that. Excellent idea, daughter. We shall attend to it at once. Martin!”

Isabelle watched with horror as her words were taken as plans once more. If only he would listen to her all the other times. She stood to follow him out, dreading what would come next.

* * *

“Ye bloody bastard! What has taken ye so long?” Lukas said good-naturedly to Eamon once they met outside the tavern in the bright morning light. “We are ready tae fight Englishmen, but I had hoped tae see a few more in yer ranks.” With a frown, Lukas eyed the four men that rode beside Eamon.

“Aye, I had the same hopes, lad, but once we heard the numbers of Cutler’s men from the spy, the MacManus clan stayed back. And we sent my brother’s men back tae their village tae guard. So we will nae fight taeday. We ride ahead tae lure Cutler away from this area at all costs. Sean, these are my men: Lukas, Harold, Errol, and Dirk.”

He pointed to each of them in turn, and Sean nodded to them all. Lukas was dark-haired, but the other three were fiery red-haired, bearded with long hair. They had the true Scottish look. Sean said, “And these are my men Donovan and Gareth. I am glad that ye will join us on our journey. We go now towards the meeting place of the spy.”

Lukas said, “Och, that boy ye were meeting with, lad? So, where do we go then?”

“Get on yer horses, and let’s ride. We will camp just before the meeting place that Gareth and the spy created. Gareth and Donovan, ye will need tae ride ahead tae get the word out so that Cutler and his men know about our movements. They must know before they get tae the village. Or the MacManus clan. We will meet ye at the camp and the meeting spot when ye return. I hope my spy will come.”

Gareth and Donovan nodded, and they rode on ahead while the remaining men lingered behind. Sean eyed the trees with caution. “Brother, Cutler’s men could be lingering in the woods at any time. They might jump out and take us while we ride. I say we move as quickly as we can. We must nae linger.”

“Aye, brother, but ye know Englishmen. They only can fight in a line, like proper soldiers. They will nae hide behind rocks and trees. That is our skill.” He grinned to himself and looked to his men. While they rode with speed, he told them of the news of Cutler’s increased soldiers. He knew that while the MacManus men had trembled to fight against such a number, his men were hardened fighters. The four of them had been together for years, fighting and looting, and caring only for themselves. This was the first time in which they fought for another.

The only way Eamon had been able to convince them to join him was due to Cutler’s great wealth. Lukas said, “Aye, we’ve nae qualms about the size of the number. We will fight from the trees and the rocks, just as we always have. Is that nae right, men?”

Dirk, Errol, and Harold merely grunted in assent. They did not look like men to be argued with, and they were used to a rough life. Eamon was satisfied for the moment, and he thought Sean looked a little bit brighter as well. Hope was growing.

They rode quickly, following Gareth’s directions to the assigned meeting place. They reached the spot in the late afternoon, and since it was a large trunk on the main path, they rode up the hill and hid in a clump of trees behind a pile of boulders, tying their horses to the stiff trunks.

Sean looked around. “Come, brother, we must look around tae see if anyone lingers. I dinnae like nae moving while the sun is still in the sky.”

Eamon took up his sword and followed after Sean as they loped around the thick, huddled trees. He was grateful for the large stones as well. That would give them a place to hide from arrows if the need came. “Aye, I understand ye. But we are well-hidden. It is essential that we stop to meet with the spy so that we can hear of their movements.”

“I hope that Gareth and Donovan made it in time. They should be nearing the village.”

Eamon knew Sean was worrying, so he tried to comfort him. He shook his head. “Nae. We would have seen them or at least heard them along the way. They are a large group, after all. Come. Let us eat. There is naething in these woods. At least nae yet.”

Sean reluctantly returned to the small group of men. They had started a fire and were beginning to cook a few rabbits they had found as they rode. Eamon and Sean sat among them, two men taking turns to surround the camp, searching for signs of anyone. They were waiting for any word that Gareth and Donovan had returned. Eamon could feel fear settling in as the darkness grew, and he sent up a silent prayer, hoping against all hope that they would be kept safe.

---