Page 64 of Eloping with the Laird
His eyes widened. ‘Nay. I wasn’t sure it was safe to tell anyone.’
Enora approached. ‘So why now?’ she asked, popping her hands to her hips and narrowing her gaze at him. Moira was equally suspicious of the timing.
‘Ye are kind. I could not see ye and yer bairn hanged. Nor yer maid here.’
‘Have we met before?’ Moira asked. There was something familiar about him.
He smiled. ‘Aye. I’m Cullen. Ye may not remember me, my lady, but when I was a lad, my mother had taken ill after Father died in battle. Ye came to the village just after ye married into the clan and brought us a basket of food and told me to report to the castle for work. That I could be the man of the family now and care for my mother and sisters.’
Her heart filled at the memory. ‘I remember now. You had floppy brown hair, and a little dog that nipped at your ankles.’
‘Skipper.’
‘How is your family?’
‘My mother passed a while back, but my sisters are well, and with my work here, I can help care for them until they marry. We would not have fared well without yer kindness. And when the laird bid me bring ye the note, I thought to warn ye, but I lost my nerve. I even followed ye back to Blackmore from the village the night of the storm just to make sure ye arrived home safely.’
She nodded. ‘I thought someone was following me that night, but then I saw the stag and thought I was imagining things.’
‘Aye,’ he said quietly. ‘It was me. I should have told ye then in the village of what I knew, but I was worried of what might happen.’
‘If the Frasers found out,’ she added.
‘Aye. But I can help ye escape now. There is still time,’ he offered.
She studied him. Could he get them out of Dunnes Castle without any of them being harmed? Uncertainty abounded. It would be a risk.
‘Leave and take my lady’s maid with you,’ Moira commanded.
‘Nay. I will not leave ye here,’ Enora rebutted.
‘It is the best way for you both to escape. I have to face this or I will never be free.’
‘Then we all stay and I will speak on yer behalf, my lady.’
‘They will cast you out or worse for such an offence, Cullen. And what of your family?’
‘I told them of my plan. They wish for me to try to save ye. Without ye, we all would have perished by now.’
She squirmed under his praise. How many more men and women of the Fraser clan had she walked by without a thought? And what of the McKennas? Had she not done the same? She could do more for them all, she knew that. His story was a heady reminder of the power and influence she had as the wife of a laird.
And she needed to use it. She was no wilting violet.
‘Perhaps we shall order the Fraser elders to seeusnow?’
Enora smiled. ‘Now that is the start of a fine plan. I love the element of surprise.’
Rory had had enough surprises to last the rest of his lifetime. First, his horse had thrown its shoe, and then the Stewarts had been late to join them and the MacLeans at the agreed meeting location. Now they found themselves blocked at every turn by a sprawling sea of Fraser soldiers surrounding the perimeter of the castle walls.
He also felt like the devil.
‘They are waiting for us,’ Bran stated. ‘We’ll need to create a diversion, so a few of us can slip in.’
For once, Rory agreed with his father-in-law. ‘Aye. What kind of diversion?’
‘A big one.’ Bran frowned. ‘One that will knock their kilts right off. We’ve got a barrel of black powder to ignite that should do fine.’
Garrick chuckled. ‘Sounds good to me.’
