Page 64 of A Constant Blaze

“Then I do yield for any sake you like,” the Norman said coolly. “You fight better than any man I’ve come across.”

Malcolm lifted his sword. “I once found myself with a lot of time to practice.” He reached down, and the young man, still somewhat wary, took his hand. Malcolm pulled him to his feet.

“Bernard de Brus,” the Norman said. “At your service.”

“De Brus?” Malcolm repeated. “Your family has the lordship of Annandale.”

“We do. But I am a younger son and at present find myself captain of the king’s garrison at Alyth.”

“Congratulations,” Malcolm said politely. “Then you are pursuing the raiders who’ve been attacking the villages from here to the coast?”

“We lost them yesterday evening. I’m trying to pick up their trail before they move again, or the rain comes. Which it will,” he added with a glance of displeasure at the still-lightening gray sky.

“Inevitably,” Malcolm agreed.

De Brus, as if suddenly realizing his openness was not being reciprocated by his erstwhile opponent, regarded him with a quick, suspicious frown. “And your interest in the raiders?”

Malcolm smiled faintly. “What makes you think I have one?”

“You asked me. And you’ve been following the same signs I have, in the same direction.”

He wasn’t stupid, the young Norman. “We met a family some way back who told us they were fleeing from the MacHeths.”

“And you are?” de Brus pursued.

“Malcolm.” The Norman was not going to be as easy to misdirect as he’d hoped. Another, riskier plan sprang into his mind. He began to mull it over while he met de Brus’s gaze.

“Just Malcolm?” de Brus said.

Malcolm considered. He quite liked the Norman captain and didn’t wish to lie to him. “Some have called me the Crusader.”

De Brus’s face cleared. “Ah. That explains a lot.”

“Less than you might think,” Malcolm murmured. “I have a suggestion, Captain. Why don’t we combine forces to capture these villains?”

De Brus eyed him. “You don’t name them MacHeths.”

“In truth, I’m not convinced they are.”

“They don’t behave like MacHeths,” de Brus agreed. “They’re staying too long in the same area. Normally, they commit lightning raids and vanish, only to pop up several miles away.”

“Exactly what I thought.”

De Brus regarded him. Although he seemed to be trusting by nature, he was clearly no fool. But the crusader epithet had worked its magic. The man was disposed to trust him. “How many men do you have?” the Norman asked.

“Come and see,” Malcolm invited.

*

The camp wasmostly packed away and the packhorse being loaded up, while the women stood around and broke their fast on yesterday’s priory bread when Malcolm emerged from the trees with a Norman soldier.

Halla’s heart lunged with the sudden fear that Malcolm had been captured. But an instant’s observation showed that it was the other way around. Only the Norman hadn’t quite grasped it yet. Both were still armed and conversing with perfect amiability.

Muiredach materialized between her and Mairead. “He’s brought a Norman soldier here. One of the king’s men.”

“So it would appear,” Halla agreed calmly, walking forward to meet them.

“He’ll have his reasons,” Mairead said to Muiredach as they followed.

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