Page 94 of The Icy Highlander's Virgin
"Clan Morrison's banners, m'lady. And Ross. And..." The messenger swallowed hard. "And MacGrath. They're nae just supporting Boyd—they're actively participatin’ in the assault."
"MacGrath," Lachlan said grimly. "They're known for bein’ opportunists for generations. If they smell weakness..."
"That's nae the worst of it, m'laird," the messenger continued, his young face pale with the magnitude of what he had to report. "They're nay longer attackin’ random farms. The entire combined force is movin’ on McLaren castle itself. Captain Frederick estimates they'll reach the walls by tomorrow morning at the latest."
"How many?" Lachlan asked, though he dreaded the answer.
"Near two hundred men, m'laird. All mounted, all well-armed. And our scout got close enough to see they've got siege equipment—rope and grapples, scaling ladders, even what looked like a small ballista."
The scope of Boyd's conspiracy was far beyond anything they'd imagined. This wasn't just a rebellion by a disgruntled councilman—it was a coordinated invasion by multiple clans, planned and funded and equipped for serious warfare. Someone had been organizing this for months, possibly even before Erica's marriage to Lachlan.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The enemy forces were still in the process of establishing their siege lines when Lachlan's company arrived. From their hidden position in the treeline, they could see Boyd's alliance spreading across the valley like a slow-moving tide, setting up camps and positioning their equipment for what would clearly be a prolonged assault.
"They're nae fully in position yet," Frederick observed, studying the enemy movements through the gray morning light.
Lachlan could see the truth of it. The ballista was being assembled near what would become the main siege line, but it wasn't operational yet. Scaling ladders lay in neat piles, waiting to be distributed. Most importantly, the enemy hadn't yet completed their encirclement of the castle—there were still gaps in their lines that a small, fast-moving force could exploit.
"That's our advantage," he said grimly. "They're nae expectin’ us. They think they have time to prepare properly."
From the castle walls, McLaren banners flew proudly, and Lachlan could see defenders moving along the battlements. Ewan had clearly recognized the threat and was preparing his men to defend the castle.
"We cannae break a siege with fifty men," Frederick said grimly.
"Nay," Lachlan agreed. "But we might nae have to break it. We just have to turn it into somethin’ else entirely. Signal to the castle."
Frederick made the bird sound, and on the castle walls, there was immediate movement as the defenders heard the signals and began preparing for coordinated action.
"Now," Lachlan said, "we show these mercenaries what happens when they threaten McLaren."
The old hunting trail that Erica had described proved to be their salvation. While the main body of their force remained hidden in the treeline, Lachlan led a small scouting party along the narrow path that wound around the eastern hills. From this vantage point, they could see the castle's desperate situation more clearly.
The siege had been well-planned. Boyd's allies had positioned themselves to control all the main approaches to the castle, with the bulk of their forces concentrated near the main gate where their ballista could do the most damage. But like many besieging armies, they had focused their attention on the obvious threats and left their flanks less heavily guarded.
"There," Lachlan said, pointing to a section of the siege line where the spacing between enemy positions was wider. "That's where we hit them."
"Signal arrows?" Frederick asked, checking his quiver.
"Aye. Three shots straight up when we're in position. Ewan will be watchin’ for them."
They made their way carefully down the hillside, using every bit of cover the terrain offered. The rain that had been threatening all day finally began to fall, which would make their approach more difficult but would also help mask any sounds they might make.
As they drew closer to the castle walls, Lachlan could hear the sounds of active siege work—the thunk of axes against wood as scaling ladders were prepared, the shouted orders of sergeants organizing their men, the creak of rope and timber as the ballista was adjusted for better targeting.
But he could also hear something else: the defiant calls of McLaren defenders on the walls, led by Ewan's familiar voice shouting encouragement to his men.
"Hold the walls, lads! They want our castle? Make them pay for every stone!"
The sound of the old man's voice, strong and determined despite the odds, filled Lachlan with fierce pride. Ewan was doingexactly what needed to be done—keeping morale up and making the attackers work for every advantage.
"Ready?" he asked Frederick, who nodded and drew his bow.
The signal arrows arced high into the gray sky, three bright points of light against the clouds. On the castle walls, Lachlan saw movement as the defenders prepared for coordinated action.
"Now we find out if yer wife's huntin’ trail knowledge is as good as she claimed," Frederick said with grim humor.
"She kens this land well enough," Lachlan replied with complete confidence. "If she says we can flank them from the ridge, then we can."
