Page 57 of The Burden of a Scottish Chieftain
“You’re the chieftain, MacVey. I’ve seen you. What do you want with Egan?”
The two had a net of about six fish. “I see you have some mackerel. Do you get them often? And how big is the largest skate you’ve ever caught?”
One man grinned and his hands stretched out from his body, demonstrating the size of the skate he’d trapped. “Had to get him with my cousin’s big boat. Could not have pulled him up with our small boat. But he was a big one. Delicious. My wife likes the pollack. We caught a fair-sized one this morn.”
Lennox peeked into their net. “He’s a beauty.” Then he set his hands on his hips and said, “I’ve a score to settle with Egan. You related to him?”
“To that bastard? Nay. Wish he’d disappear. Gives our parts a bad name. I’ll help you in any way I can to get rid of him. I don’t like him or the way he conducts himself.” The man pursed his lips and pointed beyond their village. “He don’t belong here. We sent him off.”
“Do you know where he lives now?”
“Deep in the woods,” the other man said. “You’ll need more than you, unless she’s good with a bow. There’s four of ’em. None that are big, but all nasty. They threaten us at times, so we mind our own business. Tried the sheriff once, but Egan knows when to hide and how to disappear.”
“Horses?”
“Only one that I seen. They travel back and forth between the hut in the woods and a spot on the coast on the far side of Drimnin. You’ll see it. There’s a small hut there too. An old couple lives inside, but they’re no trouble. He controls them.”
“My thanks to you.” He handed each a coin, knowing they could use it in Tobermory.
“Protect your wife, Chief. He likes ’em young. Uses ’em and sells ’em.” He kept his voice down out of respect for Meg, but Lennox was sure she’d heard every word.
He turned to depart, but then spun back around. “Have you seen a golden-haired lass of about five summers in the area?”
“Chief, if there were a lass of five around here alone, he’d have her. I don’t trust him at all.” Then the man spit into the bay. “We’d be in yer debt if you got rid of him.”
Lennox moved over to help Meg off the rocks and led her back to their horses, helping her mount. Once he climbed up, he nodded to the two men and headed down the path.
One called out to him, “Take the path between the two large oaks, marked with two rocks.”
A few moments later, he led Meg toward the forest, stopping as soon as he saw the hut deep in the woods. “Lass, do you have your axe?”
“Aye,” she said.
“Keep it handy. There are four of them, as I’m sure you heard. If you can take one out with your axe, I’ll take the other three. Have you a dagger?”
She shook her head. “I’ve only used one for cooking.”
“I have two, so you may have one since I plan to use my sword. I will not have any mercy for the fools.” He reached into his saddlebag and pulled out a sheathed dagger then made sure it was clean before handing it to her. “Aim for the neck. If you stab an arm or a leg, you’ll only pish them off enough to hit harder. You have to go for the neck, the inner side of the wrist, or deep into the flesh of the inner thigh.”
She nodded, paling a bit, but she sat up strong.
Lennox knew he’d been foolish to come across without a guard, but the lass had gone out of the keep so fast, he’d not had the time to yell for any to follow. And he certainly hadn’t expected to be all the way into Drimnin with Meg. His expectation was to travel to Loch Aline and back home again. That was two days ago.
He prayed he hadn’t made a huge lapse in judgment, but Lia was close. He could feel it.
Dismounting, he helped Meg down and led the horses into a small copse to keep them hidden, hanging their reins on the bushes. He took Meg’s hand and then crept around the hut, coming in from one side to listen for voices, scan for any activity.
There was a burn not far away and the rippling sound of a waterfall in the distance. It wouldn’t be surprising if bairns were kept in the cottage. Water would be needed to keep them alive and clean.
He heard nothing, and Meg shook her head to let him know she didn’t hear anything either. Moving over to the hut, he held his ear to the door, then opened it. The windows had fur coverings, so the place was dark, but quiet. He moved over and lifted one fur to light up the chamber, only to find it was a one-chamber hut, rows and rows of small pallets on the floor—pallets the size of bairns.
But they were all empty. There was no one inside.
They were about to go around back when four men rushed them from the opposite side, tearing out of the forest, two going toward Lennox and two toward Meg.
Lennox had his sword unsheathed at about the same time Meg pulled out her axe. She threw it and caught the man square in the chest, dropping him to the ground instantly.
Lennox swung his sword, surprised to find one of his attackers bearing a strong weapon while the other held a small English sword. He took the one with the smaller weapon down quickly, but the other man was much beefier. He’d have to be on target to finish him off.
