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‘Only a fool turns his back on me …bastard,’ muttered Sinclair through blood and broken teeth as he hauled himself to his feet and staggered over to his men. From where she was standing Ailsa could see Sinclair slyly reaching for his companion’s sword. As it dawned on her what he was about to do, he tore it free. ‘Duncan!’ she cried out.
He whirled around just in time, jumping back and narrowly avoiding having his back opened down to the bone. Instead, the blade sliced across his abdomen. Ailsa gasped, unsure of how deep it had gone. Clutching at the wound, blood running between his fingers, he was still in mortal danger as his opponent swung at him again. But Duncan was light on his feet and somehow managed to evade the blows. Ailsa could only watch on in horror.
Suddenly there was an almighty clang. Her father had entered the fight and blocked Sinclair’s sword with his own.
‘Enough. Cease this at once,’ he bellowed, pushing the astonished Sinclair back into his men.
‘Stay out of this MacLeod’ snarled Sinclair, ‘This isn’t your fight. That dog is my enemy and he will pay for his insult to me.’
Her father was puce with rage. ‘This is my land and thisismy fight if I choose to make it so. You fought without honour and now you will leave my lands while you still have your miserable life, you cur.’
‘You dare to speak so to me.’
‘I do. Now leave or die.’
The crowd hung in stunned silence as the two men glowered at each other and then Sinclair and his men strode angrily away. Then there was a great tumult of voices raised in alarm and her father started barking orders at his men. Rory grabbed hold of Duncan, who was beginning to sway on his feet and then rushed his friend away.
Robert grabbed Ailsa roughly by the arm and put an angry face into hers. ‘That was a mistake,’ he snarled.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean you are a fool Ailsa. You should have let Campbell die.’ With that, he strode away and she was left to follow on.
Some hours later Ailsa sat alone and shaking in her room, trying to huddle close to the fire to stop her shivering. The Sinclairs had already left the castle in high dudgeon and great haste. Her mother hurried in. ‘You must come with me Ailsa’.
‘Where?’
‘Everyone is leaving and Duncan Campbell wishes to speak with you before he goes.’
‘But he can’t leave, he’s injured,’ exclaimed Ailsa.
‘Not badly enough to want to stay here, can’t get away fast enough and that bodes ill for all of us.’ Why such fear in her mother’s voice. What had she done today? What trouble had she stirred up with her reckless actions? For her mother to be so white-faced and preoccupied it must be serious.
“I don’t want to see him.’
‘You must, you cannot offend him or Clan Campbell by refusing. He is an important man Ailsa and there’s been enough trouble this day without adding the Campbells to our list of enemies.’
So, on shaking legs, Ailsa hurried along to the courtyard. A chill rain had started to fall, men were shouting agitatedly, saddling horses and arming themselves to the hilt. Obviously, they were preparing for a possible ambush on the way home and Ailsa had an overwhelming sense of dread.
She spotted Duncan coming towards her, his dark presence and height making him conspicuous in the throng. His once handsome face was almost unrecognisable, distorted by swelling and bruising around his eyes where the skin was turning the colour of raw meat. His bottom lip was split and bloody and there was a worrying pallor about him, throwing his face into stark relief against the black of his wolf skin. Pity coursed through Ailsa at the amount of pain he must be in after the beating he’d taken, though the only way he betrayed this was by stiffness in the way he moved. Then he was talking to her and she had no time to prepare herself for what he said.
‘Ailsa if it please you, I would speak with you. Rory tells me I have you to thank for still breathing this day.’ His jet black brows were drawn into a tense frown which made him look harsh, though he sounded sincere.
‘I have no need of thanks, I did nothing.’
‘If you had not called out my name Sinclair would have had me.’
‘I’m sure I was not alone in warning you and anyway he was not fighting fair.’
‘Fairness is not a word he is acquainted with and had you not been prompt with your warning he might have killed me.’
For Duncan, there was an awkward moment when he did not quite know what to say next. He could not tear his eyes away from her lovely face and he was frustrated that he had no privacy or time in which to express his gratitude. He hadn’t exactly earned her intervention on his behalf and was embarrassed that he had to accept it.
‘Ailsa you probably saved my life today and I won’t forget it. I won’t forgetyou.’ The words spilt from him unbidden and Duncan instantly regretted them, was humiliated by them. He was acutely aware that by forcing his kiss onto her he hadn’t exactly covered himself with glory and that she must despise him to some extent.
‘You should not speak to me so and I did only what any honourable person would do.’ Ailsa realised her mother was looking over at her, alarmed in case she caused more trouble.
‘Are you sure that was the only reason?’ Duncan said gently.
