Page 15 of The Wild Rose of Kilgannon (Kilgannon #2)

He shrugged. “I was going to ride into their camp and let loose the horses and draw their troops away into the pass. And then, there’s a place I ken well, where I was going to let the horse keep going while I climbed to the top of an outcropping and waited to talk to them.

It’s a verra narrow passage there and I kent I could hold them for a bit.

I thought if I could talk to Robert I would discover what he meant to do.

And I wanted to see if Malcolm was with them.

The last thing I wanted to do was lead them home.

Or have Malcolm bring them here.” He smiled wryly.

“Matthew showing up scared me witless. I had to change my strategy and still get him away. It seems I dinna do as well as I’d hoped.

” He touched his cheek gingerly. “When they knocked me off the horse and attacked me I thought I was a dead man, but Robert saved me. He saved my life, Mary. He stopped them from killing me. He even had their doctor treat me at their camp. He was very kind. Distant, of course, but then that’s Robert.

No’ a man ye ever ken well, I’m thinking.

After a day or so we talked. At length.” He looked over my head.

“Damned if I understand the man, lass, but I canna help but respect him. He is a man of his word.” He sighed and looked at me.

“And it is that as much as anything that holds me. How can I betray his trust when I ken what it feels like to be betrayed? I canna do it. I’m no’ Malcolm. ”

“How could Malcolm do that?” I whispered. “To his own brother? How could he hate you so much?”

Alex gave me a twisted smile. “Perhaps I shouldna have been born first. He seems to have taken offense.”

“Where is he? And why were you covered when they brought you here? We thought you might be Malcolm.”

“Malcolm? No, lass, he was long gone. I dinna see him nor did we talk on him much. I agreed to be covered so that the clan wouldna attack Robert’s men to rescue me.”

“That was foolish. They almost attacked you to keep the troops from coming here. ”

“Aye, I kent that was a risk as well, but, to tell the truth of it, I wasna thinking too clearly. Robert was giving me a chance to come home, even if for only one night, and I would have given much more to have another night with ye, lass.” He kissed me gently.

“Come, now, Mary Rose,” he said, his arms falling from me as he stepped away.

“I must tell the clan goodbye before I lose my nerve. Come with me, if ye will.” I lingered yet another moment.

“Alex, why has Robert brought you home?”

He shook his head. “I dinna ken, lass. I’ve asked myself that hundreds of times. I have my own theories, but the truth of it is I dinna ken.”

The boys and I waited in the courtyard and Alex stood on the steps above us, his expression remote as the people gathered around quietly.

He carried himself rigidly. I wondered how many of those waiting for him to speak knew what this control was costing him.

Robert and his men stood to the side, silently watching the growing crowd.

The boys leaned against me and I put an arm around each one.

Angus stood next to us, Matthew and Gilbey just behind.

“What is Da going to say?” Ian whispered to me.

“He’ll tell the people what’s going to happen, that he’s going to leave. They will be unhappy. We must be as brave as he is.” Ian nodded, his eyes dark and serious.

Jamie wrapped his arms around my waist. “Is my da brave?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” I said gently, looking from Jamie to Alex. “He’s the bravest man in the world.” Jamie nodded but I knew he didn’t understand what was happening. I’m not sure I did .

“Yer da’s a braw man, Jamie, lad,” Angus said hoarsely.

I met his eyes over the boys’ heads. “Have you talked to him?”

“I have,” Angus said. “It made no difference, lass, but I talked. I couldna change his mind.”

“Nor I.” I sighed. “Angus, could we defend ourselves?”

He nodded. “Aye. At a cost, but aye.”

“What cost?” I asked.

“Glendevin. Glengannon. All the outlying areas, lass. We couldna hold them. Alex kens that and so do the clansmen.”

“He feels he has no choice.”

“There’s always a choice, Mary. And always a cost.”

I nodded and turned to look at Alex as he stepped forward. His voice wavered at first, then grew stronger until it rang across the courtyard easily. He looked over our heads as he spoke.

“I have gathered ye to say farewell,” he said.

“I leave on the morrow and I willna be coming home again.” He ignored the muttering of his audience.

“Despite what ye might have heard, we were no’ defeated at Sherrifmuir.

We held our position and we defeated the enemy before us.

Some of ye lost men ye loved in that battle and for that I ask yer forgiveness.

They were brave lads and should be remembered as such.

I take all responsibility for their deaths.

Had I kent what I was leading us into I mightna have done it.

And on the way home we lost Finlay and Gabhan, good men as well.

They will long be mourned. For their loss I beg yer forgiveness again.

” He paused and took a deep breath, glancing at Robert.

“There will be a new laird at Kilgannon soon, I ken no’ who it will be, but it willna be a MacGannon.

Any MacGannon.” He ignored the ripple of murmurs.

“I will be escorted from here tomorrow and brought to Edinburgh for trial. Lord Campbell will return to give my wife and sons safe passage to her family in England. I ask ye again to treat Robert Campbell as my guest.”

Dougall’s voice came from behind me. “Ye ken what happened the last time a man named Robert Campbell was offered hospitality in the Highlands, Alex?” The crowd, remembering the Glencoe massacre, muttered its agreement. I did not look at Robert.

Alex glared at him. “This Robert Campbell is far different, and ye’ll treat him with respect, Dougall.

” He looked across the crowd. “All of ye. Kilgannon is no’ Glencoe and I would have our hospitality extended to a man who has been most generous to me.

I willna have it said that Kilgannon abuses its guests. ”

“Dinna go, Alex,” Dougall said. “’Tis not necessary. We can rid ourselves of the Campbells with no difficulty.” Men near him nodded. Robert did not move but his men reached for their weapons.

“Oh, aye, Dougall,” Alex said, nodding. “We could do that. And then what? Ye’ve seen the strength of the English army, man.

Ye saw the sights we all passed on the way home.

Would ye have that here? Tell me, Dougall, look around ye and tell me, which man’s home could ye have burnt and feel no sorrow?

Which woman could ye have raped and feel no guilt?

Which bairn thrown against a wall and no matter?

Who can we call dispensable?” Murmurs sped through the people and men moved restively, looking from their wives to their children .

“no’ ye, Alex,” Dougall persisted. “No’ ye. We can call for help. Surely the MacDonalds, or Clanranald…”

Alex shook his head. “The MacDonalds are dispersed, some to France. The rest are trying to survive. They have no force to aid us. Clanranald has asked us for aid. We have no one to help us.”

“Then we fight on our own,” Dougall said and men nodded.

“Oh, aye, Dougall,” Alex said. “Ye and me and the hundred men we have left. We have bonnie warriors and the best war chief in the world, lad, but we canna hold off the English army and all the mercenaries they have arriving daily. And if we do try and fail, Dougall, then I’ll be alive and I can watch with ye from the hillside as they burn Glengannon and Glendevin and then march into my home.

We can watch as our women are raped and our children murdered and our ships burnt.

Did ye no’ see what I did as we came home?

Did ye no’ see what they did and what was left?

I willna have that here. No, Dougall, it’s better that one man is imprisoned or executed than that many die for the one. ”

“Alex, if ye go, who will lead us? Ye’ve been a braw leader.”

“I thank ye for that, cousin, but I’m easily replaced, I’m thinking. Dougall, ye ken that if I stay and if we fight, there will be nothing and no one left to lead.”

“We can take to the hills.”

“Aye.” Alex nodded. “For a bit. But what about winter? How can ye raise children when yer running, with no homes and no cattle? Men can do it but look around ye. Look at the faces of these women and children. Would ye have them starve and die for me, so that I can live? Dougall, I ken what yer thinking and I thank ye for it, but it makes no sense.” Alex looked across the now silent crowd.

“What has a better solution? Can any of ye think of a better way out of this? Have ye a plan that would leave Kilgannon intact and the English away from our door? For if ye have, I’d be glad to hear it.

I have no desire to leave ye and go east with the Campbell but I canna think of another way to assure Kilgannon’s safety.

If ye have a better solution, tell me. If no’, then let me go and bring what peace I can buy for our home. ”

“There must be something else,” Dougall said.

“If there is I dinna ken it,” Alex said.

Next to me Angus closed his eyes and hung his head, his fists clenched.

Dougall nodded, his face plainly showing his despair.

The clouds above us had melded into a gray dome and the breeze freshened further.

I wondered if it would rain before dark or perhaps snow.

And if it did, would the window in the library leak again?

I felt myself swaying. Ian wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my side and I came abruptly back to myself.

Alex was speaking again, his hair lit brilliantly now by a shaft of light.

I hugged the trembling boys to me and rubbed Ian’s back.