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“Strong names,” he said simply, still reeling with the surprise. “Honorable names.”

Thomas suddenly felt as if he had something to live for. When Langton had burned, he thought his life was over. Now he knew it was not. He had a legacy to preserve.

He glanced about the room, moving away from William. “I would like to see her and the lads, of course, but I dunna think I should leave here. Not right now.”

“Why not?”

“The clans are still raging, lad,” Thomas said. “They may have retreated, but I dunna believe they are finished. ’Twould be best if I stayed here, lest someone find out I have been to England. They would most certainly come back and kill me then.”

William nodded, understanding. “I am reluctant to leave you unprotected, but I understand your reasons. They believe that they have defeated you and it is best to let them think that for now. At least until we know what their next move is. In fact, ’tis probably not wise for my men and I to be seen here in case there are spies about.”

Thomas nodded. “Correct. Ye must leave immediately.”

William gazed back at his father-in-law. “What will you do now?”

“There are dead to be buried, a keep to be rebuilt,” he said and shrugged heavily. “I will keep busy enough.”

“Where is the rest of your immediate family?” William asked softly.

Thomas took a deep breath. “Nathaniel was killed, along with his sons Donald and Benjamin. Lilith and Anne burned in the fire. I dunna know what happened to Cord or to Malcolm,” he sounded tired again. “The clans took Caladora, and Matthew and Ian went after her. I havena seen any of them since.”

William had heard his wife mention her cousin ‘Callie’ several times. “Where did they take her?”

Thomas shrugged. “Who knows? But I would guess to McKenna’s Keep or to Oliver Barr’s hold, if she is even still alive. If I thought it would do any good, I would trade my life for hers, but they wouldna take it. They want me to suffer, and suffer I have.”

William felt a good deal of pity for the man. The proud laird had lost everything, yet he had also gained a great deal in the brief span of their conversation. Apparently the food as well as the information had bolstered his faded strength.

William moved to the open door and saw his men standing several feet down the corridor. He motioned to Paris.

“Laird Scott believes that it is not wise for us to remain here,” William told the captain. “We begin burning bodies tonight and leave before the dawn.”

“Aye, my lord,” Paris moved away from him and back down the hall, issuing orders to the knights.

William glanced back at Thomas. “We’ll help you with your dead and be gone.”

“Ye dunna have to,” Thomas said firmly. “I am able enough to do it alone.”

William waved him off sternly. “I will not hear of it. My knights and I will assist you.”

“Ye dunna have to, I tell ye.” Thomas insisted forcefully. “Ye and yer men return to England.”

William shot him a quelling look before he got control of himself. This man wasn’t to be ordered about like the rest, he reminded himself. “I now see where Jordan gets her stubborn nature from,” he said with a cocked brow.

Thomas scowled. “Ye’ve not yet begun to see how stubborn I can be. Now, all of ye get home. I shall not tell ye again.”

William faced off against the small man, his huge hands on his hips. He met the Scot’s scowl. “I married your daughter, did I not?”

Thomas looked perplexed. Where was this leading to? “Aye, so ye say.”

William raised his brows. “So I say?” he repeated, enunciating each word as if Thomas had insinuated he was lying about the whole situation.

Thomas waved him off quickly. “Aye, ye did marry her, so get on wi’ it.”

Satisfied that the man was properly convinced, he continued. “And I am also the father of your grandsons, am I not?”

“Aye, aye, ye are,” Thomas conceded impatiently.

William crossed his arms over his broad chest smugly. “Then it also goes that for the very reasons I mentioned, I am your son as well, am I not?”