Page 78 of Bride of the Mad Laird
“Mayhap eight, yet they cannae be sure, as I said.”
“So, we must set out at first light. We’ll take a few of the lads who were wi’ us the other night at ‘S Airde Bein. I wish tae ken if we are dealing wi’ the last of MacDougall’s men or whether he’s sent a fresh cohort.”
Tòrr sighed heavily, his thoughts flying to the promise he’d made to Lyra to continue their evening delights. “Well at least we were granted enough time fer Faither Pádraig tae publish the banns.”
Edmund swilled the last of his whisky and headed for the door. “Let us pray that the Good Lord brings us all back safe tae Dùn Ara so that ye can marry the lass and put an end tae this skirmishing.”
* * *
It was still dark when the men left the keep the next morning. The party consisted of Tòrr, Edmund and six of their guards. At least their numbers matched the possible number of gallowglasses they were likely to encounter.
Before they set off, Tòrr scribbled a hasty note for Lyra, regretting his absence. He pushed the parchment under her door before he walked down the passage, imagining her sweet form, warm and safe beneath her coverlets, the scent of lavender and strewing herbs in the air.
This foray, no matter how he wished it was not necessary, would, with luck bring them sufficient peace for the reading of the banns two more times and for their wedding to be solemnized without delay.
The sun was already climbing when they reached the ambush spot pointed out by the two guards. They saw no sign of the two missing men. The knot in Tòrr’s stomach tightened as they searched for any sign but found nothing.
The earth had been well-trodden yet the tracks leading away were clear. He could make out the marks left by his two guards heading north to Dùn Ara and the rest heading south.
They rode on until they came to ‘S Airde Beinn and resumed the same position they’d been in two days before, when they’d first encountered MacDougall’s men.
This time they found the place empty. The bodies from their past skirmish still lay where they fell, the crows and buzzards making short work of them. Clearly, the other men had not ventured to this spot.
That meant they would have to continue their search.
By the end of the day there was still no sighting of the men they sought and it was decided to make camp. They did not light fires, not wanting to give away their position and they hunkered down, cold and exhausted.
Once again, Tòrr turned wistful thoughts to Lyra in her soft, warm bed at the castle.
The following morning, he hesitated before ordering the men to the more rugged country further west, where there were many mountainous places in which a troop of men could hide. Instead, they went east.
When, at the end of their second day of fruitless searching, Edmund approached him, Tòrr nodded. “Aye. We must head west. I have been reluctant to take that path, as we will be leaving the Dùn Ara castle all but undefended.”
They followed the tracks of a large party of horsemen, through the rough hill country and along the coast.
Edmund knelt and examined the tracks on one stretch that was muddied grass. “I’m guessing a party of more than ten horses made these tracks.”
Tòrr nodded. If these were MacDougall’s men, they were a long distance from Castle Duart.
“I ken they are taking a roundabout way to MacDougall's castle, supposing we willnae follow.” He gave a sharp laugh. “If we continue much further, I suspect we will be walking intae another ambush.”
“Aye. It may be wise tae turn back and let the swine go. At least they will be leaving our lands.”
They continued to the nearest village, wishing to replenish their supplies as best they could from the few local fisherfolk and small farms that clung to the coast.
They came to a scattering of poor dwellings close to the shoreline. Edmund and Tòrr dismounted as a tall, thin man walked from one of the cottages to greet them. He looked Tòrr up and down suspiciously as he introduced himself.
“Ye’re the laird?” the man, asked disbelieving.
“Aye. We are searching fer a party of rough men who have been menacing our lands.”
“They were here days ago. Like ye, they wished to ransack our supplies.” The man spat contemptuously on the ground.
“We’re nay here tae ransack, lad. We wish water, and if ye have any provisions ye can supply I’ll pay ye in coin.”
The man nodded. “We have little enough and even less since the thieves were here. I can give ye water, mayhap some bread, naught else.”
“What can ye tell us about these men?”
