telling me they’re planning a siege along the entire west coast. Where would you guess they’d strike to the north?”
Aleck tugged on his beard. “They’re sworn enemies with the MacKenzie—none too friendly with the MacLeods either.”
“Agreed, and I’d also wager Alexander MacDonald wouldn’t have been pleased after the king granted you Sunart lands.”
“He’d never cross me.” Aleck planted his fists on his hips. “If the bastard is so bold as to attack my lands, I’ll murder him—set fire to his castles and put his family under my blade.”
“Pardon? There is a lady present.” Eoin flashed an apologetic glance at Helen—as if he were responsible for Aleck’s vulgar tongue in front of a lady. “We need to be ready—ensure any battles remain far away from the womenfolk.”
Helen tapped her fingers to her mouth and stifled her gasp. “Heavens, they wouldn’t lay siege to Mingary, would they?”
“I’ll not take anything for granted.” Eoin started toward the keep. “I want to review where we’ve posted the spies.”
Aleck threw up his hands and surged ahead. “We’ve stared at that map a hundred times.”
“And we need to study it again. We’ve new information to process,” Eoin said with an edge to his voice. “Unless you want Clan Donald scaling Mingary’s walls.”
With a deep grumble, Aleck shoved through the big double doors.
Helen hastened beside Eoin as they followed Aleck inside. “Do you think we’re in imminent danger?”
He stopped and almost reached for her shoulders, but snatched his fingers away hastily. “We should be safe for the time being, but we must be careful. If you leave the castle, ensure you do so with a guard.”
She wrung her hands. “Sir Grant or Mr. Keith always accompanies me regardless.” She glanced over her shoulder. Aleck watched them from the stairwell with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I’d thought no less, but it is important to exercise additional caution. No one knows where they’ll choose to strike next.” Eoin’s gaze also flickered toward Aleck.
Helen stepped nearer—but not improperly close. “B-but when do you think they’ll attack?”
“I still believe the greater threat is to the south, but if they threaten Ardnamurchan lands, it will be before summer’s end for certain.”
“Soon, then?”
“Aye, I fear things are afoot.” He grasped her hand and held it snugly between his warm palms. “Do not worry. Our spies will see them coming hours before they reach the castle.”
“But Maggie—”
“Are you planning to stand there and cosset my wife all day?” Aleck bellowed from the stairwell.
Eoin gave her a squeeze and drew his hands away. “The bairn will be my first concern should there be any threat,” he whispered.
“Thank you.” Helen bowed her head, then clutched her fists to her chest and watched him disappear up the stairwell. Aleck followed, but not before he gave her an evil glare.
Helen threw her fists to her sides. Curses to him. If only Aleck could show a modicum of concern for the bairn—and me for that matter. I received far more information from exchanging a few words with Sir Eoin than I have for the past year from my own husband.
Eoin led the way to the chieftain’s solar. He’d hoped the time apart had helped to assuage Aleck’s ill will, but he should have realized MacIain liked being disagreeable. Eoin had seen similar behavior before and usually tried to steer clear of such unsavory characters. The only problem was he couldn’t avoid Aleck MacIain on this mission. Mingary was the arse-licking boar’s keep and Ardnamurchan his lands. Eoin was merely there to direct the army—a fact the miserable chieftain had seemed to have forgotten, or refused to accept.
Aleck marched in behind him and closed the door. “Why did you not stop here before proceeding to Dunstaffnage?”
Eoin strode to the oblong table and rotated the map to face him. “We practically had to sail past the castle on our return trip. It didn’t make sense to double back and waste a day of sailing.”
Aleck placed both hands on the table and leaned in. “I would have liked to have met with Campbell and heard what my brother-in-law had to say.”
Eoin’s shrugged. “I’ll keep that in mind the next time I follow a pair of suspicious galleys sailing south.”
“Do not patronize me,” Aleck said with a shake of his finger.
Eoin pretended to study the map, but his jaw set tighter than a trigger for a snare. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He’d rather challenge MacIain to a fair fight—though the chieftain had already proved he didn’t understand the meaning of the