The Wild Rose of Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens Page B

MacNeill would protect them with his life I had no doubt. I only hoped I had been unnecessarily protective.
    Now I sat with Angus and Matthew and Gilbey in the library once again while outside the rain pounded the stones and the wind wailed, mirroring my mood. I had refused to join the women and children in the keep, and the three of them refused to join the other men in the hall. Every half hour they would walk the positions and talk to the men standing guard, but just now they sat here with me. We sat in silence, listening to the wind and the fire crackling in the grate. The man in the cloak had to be Alex, I thought. Nothing else made sense. Unless, said a voice in my head, unless it was Malcolm, who did not want to be recognized. But why would Malcolm be coming here? If Alex were dead, Ian would inherit, not Malcolm. Unless, said the voice, Malcolm thought he could be appointed as the boys' guardian, or unless he was coming to claim Kilgannon as a reward for his treachery. Would Robert do that? Did he have that power? And if he did, would he do that to me? Or was this his revenge?
    "What have we forgotten?" I asked.
    "Nothing," said Angus. "I would there were something else."
    Gilbey nodded and Matthew looked from his father to me. Washed and in fresh clothes, he still looked worn and weary , but he would not leave us. We had taken every precaution we could think of. The Margaret was back from Skye and stationed in the outer loch, and a boat had been placed at the mouth of the sea cave. If we needed to, we'd go through the tunnel and be on the Margaret; Angus and I were agreed on that. If Alex was alive, I would do everything I could to persuade Alex to flee. If the enemy came by land, then Alex could leave by sea. Just how I would manage to whisk him away from under Robert's nose I had not determined, but if it was possible I'd be ready. If Alex could get to Skye, he could get to France. One man would be simple to hide. Or would we all go with him? I wondered. How could I leave the people to fend for themselves? If Alex were dead ... Angus's voice interrupted me.
    "Mary, will ye no' reconsider? I could ha' ye on yer way at once. I will tell ye what happens."
    "No," I said. "Angus, I must be here. If Alex is coming here, then I must be here. If he is in the crofter's hut, I can distract Robert while you get Alex. And if Alex is dead, then what happens to me does not matter. Do not ask me to leave and not know."
    Angus frowned, but he nodded.
    Wee Donald burst in at breakfast the next morning, breathless and agitated, his arms flying as he skidded to a stop, shouting.
    "They're comin'! They've just gone into the trees below Alasdair's cave." Alasdair's cave, I thought, remembering.
    We rose as one from the table, Angus hurrying outside to make certain all was ready, Matthew in his father's wake and Gilbey at their heels. Within a few minutes we were ready, armed men lining the walls and the top of the terraces. I walked to Angus's side as he stood on the lowest terrace looking over the glen and he gave me a fierce frowning look.
    "I wish ye'd do as I ask and let Gilbey take ye to the boys."
    I shook my head. "I will not argue with you again, Angus. I will be here to meet Alex."
    "And if they mean violence?"
    "Then they'd not be coming here with Alex. They would have killed him or brought him to Fort William and then swept down on us without him. Angus, I cannot believe Robert will harm us."
    "And I couldna believe Malcolm would betray us," he said and I nodded, wondering how many times in the last hours we had repeated the conversation. "Will ye do me one thing, Mary?"
    "If I can," I said.
    "Will ye let Matthew take ye to safety if needed?"
    "And where will Alex be?"
    "If he's alive, in the middle. No' having ye to worry about will free his mind. Dinna argue with me, lass. Take my son and go to safety. If I am to die this day, I would have Matthew alive. Will ye no' do that for me?"
    Shaken, I nodded. I had only thought