Page 49 of My Notorious Highlander

"I can knock him on the head."

"Nay. You remain in here, in the far corner. If one of them comes after you, then you bash his skull in good."

Typical man orders. "Very well, MacLeod. Have a care, will you?"

"Aye, indeed. How about a kiss for luck?"

Her face burned in the darkness. "Nay. 'Twill distract you."

"Och. You're right. We'll save the kisses for later when we're celebrating our escape. Stay over here, then." His strong hands on her shoulders, he guided her toward the corner.

She waited, watching as he halted at the door, peered out, then slipped outside.

She hastened toward the door, crouched low and looked out. Where had he gone? She didn't even see him. The two guards paced along the trail. She drew back and flattened her body against the wall. Where on earth was Torrin?

Seconds of silence dragged by in which she barely breathed. A shrill squealing sound echoed from behind the byre. It sounded like an animal, an injured rabbit perhaps.

"Go see what that was," one of Haldane's guards said.

"Sounded like supper." He strode out of sight and behind the byre. A thump sounded and someone cried out.

"What the devil?" The other guard followed him, sword drawn.

Blast. She hoped Torrin grabbed the first guard's sword, so he'd be better armed.

Curses echoed. Swords clanged.

Please protect Torrin, she prayed. Taking her rock, she ventured outside and peered around the corner. The two men were engaged in swordplay. But they didn't seem to notice the first guard on the ground stirring. Saints! She had to do something. Before he could notice her, she crept forward and bashed the rock against his head. He grunted and flopped to the ground.

"Jessie, get back inside," Torrin ordered.

When his opponent glanced at her, Torrin took advantage and sliced his blade across the man's chest. He stumbled back, but then charged toward her. Still low to the ground, she ducked and smashed the rock into his knee.

He cried out and crashed to the ground next to her.

Torrin grabbed her arm and helped her stand. "Move away from him."

She leapt back, and Torrin kicked the unmoving man's sword away.

"Is he dead?" Jessie asked.

"Hopefully. I ran the bastard through when he tried to grab you."

"In truth?" She hadn't seen that.

"Aye." Torrin bent and held his hand before the other man's nose. "He's no longer breathing."

Jessie picked up the discarded sword. "I might need this."

"You ken how to wield a sword?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"'Haps not as well as you, but I've had some training." She noticed a large dark stain on Torrin's shirt sleeve. "You're injured!"

"'Tis naught but a scratch. Come. Let's head toward the castle. Is there another route we could use so as to not run into Haldane and his crew?"

"Aye. I'll show you." She led the way around a rocky outcropping and along a narrow trail. When they neared Dunnakeil, low voices rumbled nearby. She ducked behind a gorse bush and he followed suit. The sounds moved along the more oft used trail leading away from the castle. It also led to the byre.

"Haldane may have left one or two of his men to watch the castle. We'll have to be careful," Torrin whispered.