To add to his troubles, Hamish was exhausted, although he could not rest. He had been awake most of the previous night worrying about their mission, and now it was catching upwith him. He also had a throbbing headache, caused mostly by hunger because he had been unable to eat all day.
Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.
“Hamish,” Fiona said. He whipped around and faced the last person he had expected to see. Unbeknownst to him, she had followed them, and suddenly appeared behind him, startling him.
“Fiona!” he cried angrily. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I wanted tae help,” she replied. “I can keep watch for ye. I care about the clan… an’ about you.” She stepped close to him and placed her palm on his chest, gazing up at him.
Hamish frowned. “Fiona…” He dropped his gaze and looked at the ground. “What we had was never going to last. You helped me over a difficult time, and I am very grateful for that, but it was passing comfort for both of us, no more, and I am sorry if you thought otherwise.”
Fiona nodded and gave Hamish a tight smile. Rage and sorrow were warring inside her, but she had no intention of letting him see how badly he had hurt her.
Hamish looked up at the closest circular tower of the castle, but despite willing the candle to light up with all his might, nothing happened. He was a nervous wreck, but he was also dead on his feet, and he knew he would have to sleep or pass out with exhaustion.
He turned to Fiona, feeling ashamed. “Will you take the watch please?” he asked. “I need to sleep, even for just a little while.”
“Aye,” Fiona replied. “Go an’ rest.”
“Thank you, Fiona,” Hamish said with a nervous smile. “But please promise to wake me as soon as you see the candle flame.”
“Aye, I promise,” she replied, nodding firmly. “Ye can count on me, Hamish.”
Hamish patted her on the shoulder before walking over and laying down by the other men, pulling a blanket over himself. He fell asleep after a few moments, but his last thought was Amanda’s smile. He could not wait to see her smile again.
Fiona sat by the small fire, lost in her thoughts. She was in love with Hamish McNeill, and had been almost since the first moment she saw him. He was everything she had ever dreamed of in a man—strong, handsome, kind and fair to everyone. He was generous too, and he loved children, which was a big advantage in her eyes. Fiona felt the same and had visualised a future where she and Hamish would bring up at least half a dozen healthy, happy boys and girls.
When they had first met, she could hardly believe her eyes, and she was stunned when he paid attention to her and began to single her out. They came together one rainy night in Hamish’s tent when he had become a little emotional over Struan, and she had comforted him.
However, he had gradually drawn away from her, and when Amanda came into the picture he became totally smitten with her, and that was when Fiona realised that her dreams would never come true.
She continued her vigil for a while, utterly bored by the tedium of it. Then suddenly she saw it—a tiny pinpoint of light flickering in the tower. She gazed at it for a moment, then, just as she was about to turn and tell Hamish, the light disappeared.
Fiona blinked. Had she imagined it? Then another possibility occurred to her. Was it a trap? Amanda was English, and she would put nothing past those treacherous, devilish Sassenachs.
What if Amanda had told them what was about to happen and the entire garrison was ready and waiting for them?
She shivered.
Should she go and tell Hamish or not?
Hamish jerked into wakefulness, his heart pounding with a fear that he could not place. There were no sounds of battle, no screaming or clashing of swords. No sound at all except for the whisper of the breeze through the trees, but something did not feel right. The silence was somehow eerie and menacing, like the calm before a violent storm.
Hamish rose to his feet and looked up to the castle. Nothing.
A bolt of terror shot through him. He had no idea what the time was, but he had the feeling he had slept for an hour at least. Surely, Amanda had lit the candle by now? Why was nothing happening?
It was deathly silent and none of his men were moving. A shiver crept up his spine; something was wrong. Something was very, very badly wrong.
He strode across to Fiona, frowning as he passed all his sleeping men. She was standing with her gaze focused on the castle, her eyes wide and round as if something had surprised her.
Hamish came up behind her and laid a heavy hand on her shoulder. She jumped and whipped around, then let out a huge sigh of relief as she saw who it was. Like everyone else in the camp, she was on edge that night, and the slightest thing startled her.
Hamish thought he saw a trace of guilt in her expression as he stared down at her.
“Have you seen anything yet?” he demanded, then he watched her face as she dropped her gaze to the ground. Yes, now there was definitely something wrong.
“Tell me!” he barked. “Did you see something? Why did you not wake me?”
