A Highland Pearl (Highland Treasures Book 1) (25 page)

Torchlights and shouting came from the battlements of the
castle. Fiery arrows zipped through the air in the direction of the tunnel’s
entrance—one or two at first and then a barrage. Hugh MacKenzie’s rough
voice could be heard above the ruckus, shouting orders. Andrew clasped Maidie
and Sven in his arms and they squatted down to make a smaller target. The
tunnel entrance lay out of range for the missiles and well MacKenzie knew it.
The fire was but a display of his temper. He may be many things, but not the
brute who would put Maidie’s and Sven’s lives in danger. Two arrows that landed
in nearby trees on branches now void of leaves, sparked and fizzled but soon
died out. Andrew feared MacKenzie warriors were close, and the group’s position
compromised. If fate had blessed him this night, all of the MacKenzies and
Camerons went inside the castle walls with the arrival of the Munro
sluagh
.

Colin returned pushing a boulder he could barely manage. The
small group moved slightly so he could roll the boulder onto the top of the
tunnel door. The door moved under the heavy pushing of the MacKenzies, but the
boulder seemed enough to hold it down until they could escape. Andrew grabbed
Maidie’s hand, who then took Sven’s and they rushed through the trees in the
direction of the Munro campfires. Maidie stumbled, but Andrew held tightly to
help her regain a footing.

The campfires grew closer. A voice called through the night, “Stop
where you are.”

Hopefully, the voice was that of a Munro. The chief took a
chance and yelled, “
Caisteal Fàrdach A Chaoidh
.
”

The voice answered with the same battle cry and came forward
from the trees with others following. “Chief, what are you doing out here?” the
stunned warrior asked. “We saw the burning arrows coming from the castle, but
reckoned ‘twas no’ you out in the darkness.”

“’Twas about rescuing this lass and her son from the
MacKenzies.” Andrew raised Maidie’s hand.

The group of warriors surrounded the small party. “You went
inside the castle, Chief?” their leader asked.

“Aye, we did, this mon and I. Another went with us, but he was
slain inside the escape tunnel.”

The thought of Tavish falling under the MacKenzie sword caused
pain to shoot through Andrew’s heart like an arrow, piercing it to the core.
Tavish had served faithfully from his youth. He was an excellent warrior, and
now his body lay where it could not be retrieved for proper burial. Tavish gave
his life in service to his chief without question. He gave his life for Maidie,
the woman he secretly admired. Andrew had recognized a spark of passion in the
young lad’s eyes when he looked at Maidie. The warrior had been close to her as
her protector for many days, and who could not help adoring the lass?

The Munro led the way to the campfire where other warriors
greeted them and rose to give them a seat beside the fire. One placed a heavy
coat over Maidie’s shoulders. She nodded a thank-you to the thoughtful man and
returned Andrew’s
ionar
. Another brought a dram of ale for each in a
wooden cup.

“Will you be staying with us this night, Chief?” the leader
asked. “We can make a shelter for the lass and her son.”

“Nae, I wish to get back to the tanist. Do you have any
horses?” Andrew finished the last drop of ale. Someone refilled his cup.

“Nae, but I can send a mon to the tanist’s camp and fetch some
for you.”

“Aye, ‘tis a good plan.” The chief nodded affirmation with
fatigue muffling his voice.

A warrior stirred the fire then added a piece of wood. The
flames jumped with warm brilliance adding to his fatigue as the wound in his
belly ached. Maidie rested her head on his shoulder while Sven put his small
head in her lap. Andrew wrapped an arm around his love, pulling her close. He
inhaled the sweet fragrance of her silky hair and felt its softness against his
cheek. Maidie turned her face toward his. He kissed her forehead. Love for this
bonny lass surged through his heart. He would keep her close and never let harm
touch her again.

Chapter Twenty-One

“I’m so sorry for Tavish,” Maidie
whispered.

“Aye, so am I. He was a good and faithful warrior. He has
served me since a lad the age of Sven.”

“Feuding and war are terrible things. Fighting causes so much
heartache. I wish and pray for peace.” Maidie’s sweet breath fanned against his
neck when she spoke.

“So they are,
a ghràidh
. I will find a way to put an
end to this warring between our clans. Too much has been lost.” Andrew
tightened his embrace around the woman so dear to his heart.

He looked across the fire at Colin, whose eyes closed, and
motioned to the man standing close by. “Tell the
gille
to wrap up in his plaide and stretch
out on the ground until the horses arrive. He’s about to fall off the log.”

The warrior walked over to Colin and repeated the order. Colin
smiled at the chief, then stretched out beside the fire wrapped tightly in his
plaide. Andrew decided Maidie and Sven would be more comfortable lying down. He
motioned for the man who had served them.

“The horses will be awhile in coming, will you make a place
for the lass and her son to recline?”

Maidie sat up and looked into his eyes. “Nae. I’ll stay here with
you. Sven is good also.”

He felt pleased she wished to remain with him. “Aye so you
will,
gràidhean.
You will stay beside me for the rest of our lives.” He
kissed her cheek and she smiled before laying her head on his shoulder once more.

Andrew stared at the fire. A log hissed then burned through
the middle, split and fell into the flames, sending sparks flying into the air.
His tired mind tried to think through a plan for bringing peace to the clans,
but no plan he plotted seemed feasible. However, with Maidie back in the folds
of Clan Munro, the MacKenzie’s son would no longer be betrothed. The MacKenzie
may consider the marriage of his son to Davina. With Tavish gone, mayhap Davina
would be more receptive to the arrangement. Andrew smiled to himself in the
dark. Mayhap a truce could be arranged between the clans after all.

A warm peace filled Andrew’s heart as Maidie snuggled closer
to him with her warmth radiating through his body. How sweet the feeling of
holding her close. He rested his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. He
dreamed of the woman with hair of spun gold and eyes the color of the sky on a
bright summer’s day, dressed in a fine white linen gown. The large pearl hung
on a heavy gold chain around her graceful neck. With long nimble fingers, she
motioned for him to come to her. He rose from the log and with great care
approached the lady. A smile spread across her red lips as she motioned him
onwards. He walked toward her, but made no progress. He reached for the pearl,
but it was too far away. She kept motioning and he kept walking, reaching for
the pearl. She stopped. He edged closer. She reached behind her neck and unhooked
the heavy gold chain, then placed the chain and pearl in his hand before
vanishing. He awoke at the sound of horses approaching.

Andrew shook Maidie. “The horses have arrived. We must go.”

She looked at him with sleepy eyes. “Thank the Lord. We’re
going home.”

“Aye
,
a ghràidh
.
We’re going home to Fàrdach Castle.” Andrew removed his arm from Maidie’s
shoulders and stood to meet the men and horses.

Colin rose from his resting place and Maidie roused Sven. The
rising sun peeped from behind a cloud to lend its light to the camp. The chief
thanked his men for their care, helped Maidie up to the saddle of a horse, and then
placed Sven behind her. Colin, then Andrew mounted their destriers. Surrounded
by Munro warriors, Chief Andrew led the way through the forest to the camp of
his brother. They must now prepare to move out. Fàrdach Castle, his home,
awaited his return.

The men were up and about when Andrew and his party rode into
the camp. Some seemed surprised to see them, because they didn’t know of the
events of the night. He dismounted while the accompanying warriors did the
same, then helped Maidie and Sven from their horse. Maidie’s tent still stood,
so he decided she needed to rest before beginning the journey to Fàrdach. He
wanted time to parley with Hugh MacKenzie in getting Tavish’s body. The lad
should be buried on Munro soil. Tavish had no family but those of Fàrdach
Castle, and he should rest among the ones who loved him.

“Come,
a ghràidh
, and rest for awhile before we begin
the journey home,” he whispered in Maidie’s ear while leading her toward the
tent. “I’ll have some food sent to you and Sven. You’ll have to share your bed
with Briana. She’s asleep inside.”

“I will be happy to have Briana with me. We need to get
acquainted.”

Andrew led Maidie to the tent. He ordered a bowl of gruel and
a dram of ale for Sven and her, then looked around for Gavin but did not see
his brother.

“Where is the tanist?” Andrew asked Cook.

“He left with Erskin when a messenger rode in this morn and
said the MacKenzie wanted to parley out on the grassland in front of the
castle.” The cook spooned out two wooden bowls of gruel from a large pot over
the fire. “Will you eat some gruel, M’Laird?”

“Nae, Colin and I will eat an oatcake if you have one. I must
find my brother.” Although hunger pangs rattled his stomach, Andrew could not
take time to eat.

The cook handed each of the two men an oatcake. They quickly
ate the cake, drank a swallow of ale, and then mounted their horses. Andrew
spotted the group of men deliberating in front of Castle Lach. Warriors of both
clans surrounded them. Tavish’s body wrapped in his plaide lay across a horse.
The Munro group parted to let their chief and Colin through. The faces of Hugh
MacKenzie and Ewin Cameron contorted with anger. Hugh hushed his shouting when
Andrew rode in.

Gavin greeted him with a broad smile. “Chief Munro, seems you
have the MacKenzies and Camerons in a stew with your antics of last night.”

Andrew nodded toward the two chiefs. “What are your demands
for my warrior’s body?”

Hugh MacKenzie, with a face to match his red hair, seemed
about to burst and shouted, “I demand the deed to Chanonry Castle and Maidie Munro.
The things you stole from me, you thief. We made a fair exchange.”

“Now look, Hugh,” Andrew struggled to stay calm. He clutched
the saddle’s pommel until his knuckles turned white to keep from pulling the
man off his horse and choking the life out of him. “You burned my village.”

“Your reivers stole my cattle and killed my men,” MacKenzie
shouted louder.

“Only because you stole our cattle. We were trying to get back
what belonged to us,” Andrew could not keep his voice under control, so he
stopped for a breath. “Hugh, we could blame each other all day. I wanna give
Maidie and Sven back to you, but I will give the deed to Chanonry Castle. ‘Twas
yours in the beginning, and I desire peace between our clans. Our feuding hurts
only the innocent.”

Hugh looked at Ewin Cameron. The Cameron shook his head. Hugh
turned back to Andrew. “I must speak to Cameron.”

Andrew nodded, and the two men left the group to speak in
private. Their gestures and loud voices indicated bitter disagreement. Hugh
shouted one last time then rode back to the group while Ewin Cameron made his
way to the castle.

“Ewin and I disagree. He wants his niece and her son at all
costs, but I say you can have the wench. She wanna be a fit wife for my son
anyway. Too many other bonny lasses needing a fine husband.”

Andrew seized the opportunity to mention one and set Hugh’s
mind to thinking about Davina. “I have a bonny lass in mind for your son, Hugh,
if you care to discuss the matter at a later time.”

“I suppose you’re thinking of your sister.” A smile cracked
the plump face of the MacKenzie chief.

“She’s a bonny lass indeed. ‘Twould be fitting for our
families to be joined in marriage.” Andrew returned the smile.

“I will think on the matter. Now, where’s the deed to my
castle?” MacKenzie rubbed his beard and licked the foam from his lips.

The chief of Clan Munro reached into his
ionar
, pulled
out the parchment, then handed it to Hugh MacKenzie. Hugh reached with chubby
fingers to snatch the document, tucking it safely inside his vest with a half
smile.

Andrew laughed. “Is the quarrel settled now, Hugh? No more
MacKenzie reivers on Munro lands.”

“Aye, and no more Munro reivers on MacKenzie lands,” the large
chief answered.

Andrew extended a hand. “Let’s shake hands on the bargain. I’ll
take your handshake and word as your bond.”

The MacKenzie rode closer then took Andrew’s hand in a hearty
handshake. “You’re surely the Black Falcon of Ferindonald, Andrew Dubh Munro.”
Hugh MacKenzie turned toward Castle Lach and rode away with his band of
warriors following, leaving Tavish’s body on the ground.

Andrew motioned for two of the Munro men to secure the warrior’s
plaide-wrapped body on the back of his horse. He then turned to Gavin, “Let’s
go home, Brother.”

“Aye, I’m ready,” Gavin answered with a broad smile for his
chief. “You’re surely the Black Falcon of Ferindonald, Andrew Dubh Munro.”

Andrew smiled at the tanist before the two men turned their
horses toward the camp and home. Maidie awaited, and naught would keep her from
him again.

***

Fàrdach Castle loomed large before the
tired party of travelers. How wonderful the sight to Maidie, for she thought
she would never again see the mighty fortress. The citizens of Drumainn lined
the street of the small village shouting greetings to the returning Laird. Small
children ran beside the horses until called back by adults.
Maighstir
Tam stood in the doorway of
the abbey and tipped his tonsured head toward Maidie. She smiled in return.
They passed the cottage where she had lived with Kenneth eons ago, so it
seemed. A loaded wagon stood beside the entrance, and a young couple carrying
pieces of furniture waved from the yard. Flora stood in the doorway of her
cottage but turned inside when they passed. Gavin gave a long look in the
direction of the empty doorway.