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“The Lord of the Isles has been defeated at Lochaber, lady. ‘Twere a terrible slaughter, they say. Terrible!”
“Who told ye this?”
“Clansmen of the Rose family returning home. Not our people. The Great Rose's people. They say the lord has asked for peace and forgiveness. The king's troops are pursuing the clansmen into the highlands. They come this way bringing destruction with them. There is not a field left unburned to the south and west of us, lady. So they say.”
“Go back down to the high road, Ian,” Fiona told him, “and learn whatever else ye can.”
“The men on the road could use some water, lady,” Ian told her, “and if I can give them some, they will not come up the castle road. They'll be those looking to loot anything, and bitter with their loss to the king. We have really little defense but to close the gates, and if we do, lady, then how can we learn what is happening?”
“I'll send water down to ye,” Fiona replied, thinking that the boy was particularly intelligent and loyal.
The next morning Nelly said quietly to her mistress, “Have ye noticed that there are few castle folk about?”
Fiona nodded. “They are fleeing. I canna blame them.”
“Should we not take the bairns and go to Hay Tower now, my lady?” Nellie gently asked her. “My Roddy knows where to find us. He has shown me a secret track that goes through the hills south and east toward Brae. We would be safe there. If the king's forces come this way, they will surely destroy Nairns Craig to revenge themselves on yer husband. If we are here, they may kill us and the bairns.”
“If Alexander MacDonald has sued the king for peace,” Fiona reasoned, “then Nairn should be coming home soon. This castle has never been taken in war. Once the gates are closed, we are safe. Let us gather in all our stores. If the king's forces approach Nairns Craig, we will simply close our gates and wait for them to go away. When Nairn returns home, we will decide what to do. If the king will accept Alexander MacDonald's submission, he will certainly accept Colin MacDonald's submission as well.”
The grain in their few fields was not ready for harvest. If they were attacked, they must count the crop a loss. Fiona was glad she had been so chary with last year's harvest. Her bins within the castle walls were more than half full. They could eke those stores out over a winter if necessary. Anything edible, however, was gathered up and brought into the castle. When the time came, they would drive what cattle and sheep they could behind the walls. The poultry already lived there for safekeeping from fox and badger.
One morning Fiona realized that she, Nelly, and the children were virtually alone but for half a dozen elderly retainers and the boy, Ian. She gathered them all in the hall, saying, “If ye have family elsewhere with whom ye would shelter, ye may go. But be certain to return when the troubles are over.Yewill be welcomed.” She watched as they all, but for the lad, hurried fromthe hall. She looked at him. “Do ye not wish to leave, Ian?”
“Where would I go?” he asked her. “Nairns Craig is my home.”
“What of yer mother?” Fiona said. “Will she not want ye with her?”
“Me mam's dead,” he said,
“And yer father is off with Nairn, I suppose,” Fiona replied.“Yehave no grandparents to whom ye might flee?”
“There is only me da,” the boy said.
“Do I know him?”
The boy shuffled his feet nervously but said nothing.
Suddenly Nelly gave a little gasp, her hand flying to cover the cry. Then she let her hand drop from before her mouth. “Yer Roderick Dhu's son, are ye not?” she asked, but she already knew the answer. Why had she notseenit before? Though only eleven, the lad was the image of her great, gangling gawk of a husband.
“Me mam died when I was born,” Ian said. “They were handfast, and I be legitimate, mistress. Me grandparents raised me, but by last year both were dead. I was brought to serve in the castle. Me da were afraid to tell ye, mistress, lest ye not wed him.”
“The big fool,” Nelly said.
“Ye'll not be angry at me da, mistress, will ye?”
“Oh, come and give me a kiss, Ian,” Nelly said. “Yer the easiest bairn I'll ever have,” she concluded with a smile, hugging him.
“Then we are three, and the bairns,” Fiona said quietly. “Ian, I think we have learned all we need to know from the men on the road. Go up on the south tower and watch. If ye see any armed party of men approaching, come and warn me. Nelly and I will keepthe gates locked today just to be certain we are not taken unawares. Is there any other way into the castle but through the gates, lad?”
“There be a secret passage leading out into the forest behind the castle, lady, but only me da and my lord know of it. Me da told me of it and showed it to me before he left. He gave me orders to help ye and Mistress Nelly escape with the bairns if necessary.” He held up a brass key. “This be the key to the door. There be no other, and the entry is so well hidden that even knowing it was there it would be difficult to find. We have a fine rabbit hole to escape through should the fox besiege our den, lady,” the boy finished, then went to keep watch upon the roof.
“Wake the bairns,” Fiona said to Nelly, “and feed them. See they are dressed warmly. From this moment on we must be ready to leave immediately should we be attacked.”
“Why should we leave at all?” Nelly said. “Unless, of course, we wish to go to Hay Tower. For now we are safe here behind these walls, lady. Outside, the countryside is swarming with clansmen, and they do not care whose side we would espouse.”
Nelly was probably right, Fiona thought, when she had been left alone. Still, it could not hurt to be prepared to flee if it became necessary. What would she take? It could not be a great deal, for they did not dare to have a cart. A cart would slow them down and make them prey to every returning highlander who came upon them. It could not be easily hidden in the trees if a troop of horsemen rode by. Still, she would find a place for the silver cups the Lord of the Isles had given Alastair as a baptismal gift and for the fine brooch the old Countess of Ross had given her daughter, Johanna. Moire Rose's silver mirror she would save for Mary.Other than that, they could carry only as much clothing as they could stuff into the saddlebags, and food.
Fiona tried to remember what furnishings were at Hay Tower. They were scant, but she had raised her sisters in that cold heap of stones, and she would raise her children there as well. Eventually, when it was safe, she would find a means of contacting her siblings so that the children might be matched. She sighed. They would never wed with their equals, but at least their futures would all be secure. She owed it to Nairn to provide for the children.
