Page 8 of Seduced By the Reckless Highlanders
“What is the news, mistress?” James asked expectantly.
Every time they met, the rebels arrived hopeful and left somewhat less so. They had sent messages to all the lairds in the area asking for their help in alleviating the famine that was gripping their land, caused in part by the laird’s greed. Unfortunately, all the other clans in the area had found themselves in the same unfortunate position, and none of them had been able to come to their aid. In fact, many had not even answered.
However, this time she had an announcement to make that she hoped would change everything.
“Lads,” she began, “I have just heard a bit of news from the castle that might change everything for us.”
She looked around at their expectant faces and drew out the suspense as long as she could, then gave them a grim smile.
“My father has told me that there is an Englishman coming to the castle to make an alliance with the McTavishes,” she told them. “This alliance is, of course, a marriage to me. Needless to say, that marriage will never happen, although I have judged it best to cooperate with the old tyrant ’til our plan is carried out.” She scowled as she referred to her father. “The man will be coming with a convoy of goods with which he hopes to trade when he arrives here, but my father will never get his greedy hands on them.”
Keira stood up and began to pace around the small room. “My father says that this man, Lord Adrian Wentworth, Earl of Champling, is very wealthy.” Her eyes moved around them once more. “But I do not think that his plan is to marry him to me, but to hold him for ransom. That way, not only does he have the goods the earl is bringing, but the earl himself, whom he can hold for ransom. You might think that this is a fanciful notion on my part, lads, and I have no actual proof, but trust me. I know how his mind works.”
“That is a good plan for the laird,” Ben observed thoughtfully, “but is his family no’ likely tae send an army to rescue him?”
Keira shook her head. “It would have to be an army of thousands,” she answered. “And their presence would stir up so much hostility that it would not be worth their while. My father is a bad man, but not a stupid one. He knows that it would be far simpler for the earl’s family to pay up and be done with it. Of course, that would end any chance of a marriage to me, but I would not lose any sleep over that!”
“An’ how is this our business?” Hugh McLean asked.
“Whatever is in those wagons is valuable to my father,” Keira stated. “If it is valuable to him, it is valuable to us at least fivefold. We must find a way of laying our hands on it.”
“Are ye talkin’ about an ambush, mistress?” Colin McCrae asked. “That would be very risky since none o’ us are trained horsemen.”
“Yes,” Keira agreed. “But we are not all here, are we? There are at least twenty more of us, and all of them can ride. Horses are not a problem since I can get many of them. As well as that, I have something—or, rather, someone else—who can work with us.”
They looked at her expectantly.
“My father’s wife,” she said, grinning. “My stepmother. I have not spoken to her about our little band yet, but she nowthoroughly hates my father, and I think she will be easy to recruit. She would be enormously helpful on the inside, and even if she does not decide to work with us, I don’t think she will betray us. Should I ask her to join us?”
“Are ye sure of her?” Ben asked doubtfully. “She will no’ carry tales tae yer father?”
Keira shook her head firmly. “You don’t know her as well as I do. The poor woman is desperate to get away from him.”
“Then I think ye should speak tae her, Keira,” Colin said firmly.
There was a murmur of agreement, and Keira was happy for both the rebels and for Adaira. She was sure they could help each other.
4
Dougie Prentice was not the kind of second-in-command who meekly followed his superior officer’s orders. He offered his own opinions and sometimes contradicted Murdoch, although he never disobeyed him. The two of them made a good team and were firm friends despite the difference in their ranks. As well as that, the fact that they were both tall and handsome men made them very popular with the ladies. This helped their work, too, since the women were favorably disposed toward them and could unwittingly be a good source of intelligence.
Now, as they sat down in the tavern, cups of ale were delivered by a smiling bar lady before their backsides had even touched their seats.
“Thank you, Mary,” Murdoch said, smiling at the young woman as he dropped a penny into her hand. “I am so thirsty today, and I must say that the ale at this inn is the best in the whole district.”
“Thank ye, sir,” she replied. “Every little bit helps when ye have so many mouths tae feed!”
Mary was twenty-one years old and had five children, including a set of twin boys. Her life was extremely hard, andalthough a penny was not much, it would buy a meal for the family.
“Maybe when they are a little older I can try to get jobs at the castle for the little ones,” Murdoch offered.
He felt infinitely sorry for her, but there were so many families in the same position, and he could not help all of them. Mary was better off than most because she actually had a job. He sighed as he watched her.
“Thank ye, sir, but that is a long while away,” Mary observed, smiling at them.
“You know, I would marry all the women in the valley if I thought it would help,” Murdoch remarked. “They do it in Persia.”
“I don’t think it would catch on in Scotland,” Dougie remarked, laughing. Then he grew solemn. “Why does the laird make life so bloody hard for them? It is just not fair, Murdoch!” He thumped a fist on the table.
