Page 44 of Enchanted

Chapter Seventeen

Keiran and Rosalyn joined the others in the great hall at daybreak. Alastair and all of Keiran’s brothers ate meat pies to break their fast while they studied the map Keiran had retrieved from the Nicolsons in the centre of the table. This time when Keiran looked at the words written on the page, he could easily recognise the place names where the English regiments’ locations had been as of several days ago.

Keiran held a chair out for Rosalyn, and as he did, he caught her gaze, hoping she could see the thanks written there for all she had taught him.

At her nod of recognition, he smiled, taking the seat beside her. The men talked between bites of pie about where the soldiers were in relation to Dunvegan.

“Are you all so certain their locations have not changed? We know Lieutenant Long’s men are much closer than previously recorded.” Keiran reached for a plate and a savoury pie, then passed it to Rosalyn before taking one for himself from the pile.

“I sent four teams of men out an hour ago to verify at least where Lieutenant Long has positioned himself, if not all the regiments. We should know more by the close of day,” Alastair said. “Until things are confirmed, we must come up with plans for the English and for Oberon that neither of them would anticipate.”

“If we are not going to attack them outright, then how do we draw the English into a trap?” Tormod stood and thumped both hands on the table. “I still say attacking them directly is the better move.”

Only Rosalyn flinched at the expression of their brother’s frustration. The rest of them had become used to Tormod’s irritation at any plan that did not include physical force. Keiran had learned over the past few weeks that swordplay was Tormod’s domain in the family. Orrick’s strength was in logic. Alastair’s strengths were strategy and negotiating peace. Callum tended to sit back and observe. Because of Keiran’s magical ageing, the now youngest brother was more comfortable with music and entertainment than with a sword. And as for himself, he was also a strategist. They would have to rely on all those skills to formulate a plan.

“Do we wait for them to come to the castle, or do we meet them away from our walls in some other place we control?” Orrick asked, mulling his own question over with a thoughtful expression. “Rugged terrain will give us the advantage. The English can only seem to fight in linear formations with coordinated musket fire. Yet, those tactics have proven effective against charging Highlanders.”

“They have superior firepower, but their uniforms are heavy, making them less agile,” Alastair commented.

“How about we draw them to the shoreline and hide in the boats, then attack when they least expect us to?” Callum offered, leaning forward to engage in the conversation for once.

“Your plan has its merit, Callum,” Alastair said calmly. “But it might be hard for us to sneak up on them if we are in the water ourselves.”

Callum blew out a breath. “You are correct, as always.”

“Keep thinking,” Alastair encouraged. “You are on the right track. The shoreline would be difficult terrain for them to hold their lines.”

“I have read about the Stone Age hunters digging pits large enough to trap deer and elk. Also, there are Amazonia tribes who capture tapirs in such a manner,” Rosalyn’s voice chimed in, strongly at first then softening as the men turned to stare at her with curiosity.

Orrick brightened. “I’ve read such stories as well. It is a practice that has gone by the wayside with the invention of more precise arrows and now muskets.”

Alastair’s brow knit. “We would need something to draw the English to the area of the trap.”

“The trap would have to be set in a valley of sorts, to narrow their lines, forcing them into the pits,” Keiran added, warming to the suggestion.

Tormod frowned. “It is a clever idea, except that once the first few men fall into the pit, the rest will avoid it. We will still need to fight them in close combat.”

Alastair leaned back in his chair. “We do not need to draw the attention of the entire regiment. The only person we need to capture is Lieutenant Long.”

Orrick nodded. “I was concerned about how we would capture a whole regiment and take them up to Dunshee Castle to contain with the rest of our English prisoners. We would have needed the help of our allied clans, and the more people who know our secret, the more likely that knowledge will leak back to England and threaten us all.”

“Agreed,” said Alastair. “But who or what will we use to draw the English in?”

“Callum could play his mandolin,” Keiran said.

“Nay.” Callum’s eyes widened. “That man will shoot me before I could so much as finish one song.” He shook his head. “I want to help, but not at the expense of my life.”

Alastair’s features brightened. “I never would have believed I would say this, but we could deploy the same trick Garrick MacDonald used against us when he kept Gwendolyn as his prisoner. I still have the large sheet of glass he used to throw her image from one place to another using light. Camera obscura is an old trick that certainly fooled all of us.” Alastair turned to Callum. “We could throw your image and keep you safely away from any musket fire.”

“That trick was only successful because it was dark in one place and light in another,” Graeme reminded them all. “We will have to set the trap at nightfall, and somehow find a way to keep the rest of his regiment from following him.”

“I know exactly how we accomplish that task,” Alastair said with a smile. “A secret delivery of our finest whisky should do the trick. What man if given the gift of our best whisky would not partake of a sip or two?” His smile increased. “Before that, however, we will have Lottie dose the liquor with her special sleeping herbs. Not only will these men be out of our way, but they won’t remember a thing.”

Callum pressed his lips together, then smiled. “It would be rather fun to play the man for a fool. And to fill his men’s thoughts when they sleep with tall tales so they have no idea what was real or imagined.”

“Then you’ll do it?” Alastair asked.

Callum nodded.