“We’ll be collecting our horses and we will beat back the MacDonalds without the likes of you.”
Fergus stepped beside Eoin, gripping the hilt of his sword. Eoin sliced his palm through the air. “Let them go.”
“You’re serious?” The henchman dropped his hand.
“Aye.”
After Aleck had ridden off with the horses, neither Eoin nor his men could sleep. They all sat around the small campfire staring at the flames as if mesmerized.
“Why didn’t we fight them?” Fergus asked.
“You want to spill blood for naught?” Eoin studied the faces of his men. They all questioned him as Fergus had. “Over the past month have you found MacIain’s men disagreeable?”
“Nay, just their leader,” said Samuel.
“Exactly.” Eoin shrugged. “Let them venture down to meet the MacDonalds. The grade is steep and it won’t be any faster going with horses than on foot. We’ll wake as planned and we’ll cover their backs…if they need us.”
Fergus chuckled. “Oh, I’ll wager they bloody will need us and in short order.”
Eoin stood and headed toward his patch of grass. “As MacIain said, let them fight their own battles. Besides, while Clan Donald is toying with the chieftain, they’re not threatening the king at the moment. And that’s the reason we’re here—to subvert any action against the crown.”
He flopped down and pulled his plaid over his shoulders. The only problem with Eoin’s current plan was that he was too far away from Mingary. He could hardly believe Aleck hadn’t at least left a few seasoned soldiers to guard the keep.
He lay on his back and a rock poked straight into his spine. Worse, every time he closed his eyes, he saw Helen. No matter how much he wanted to be there to protect her, it wasn’t his place, dammit. And blast her for refusing to pursue an annulment.
From the outset, he knew the king shouldn’t have sent him to Ardnamurchan. He was doomed the day he arrived. The first person he saw when his galley sailed ashore was Helen Campbell and, ever since, he’d been able to think of little else.
Even worse, he’d had no recourse but to bite his tongue and witness MacIain’s deplorable treatment of the lady. And she was so frail. When she was young, she was smaller and more delicate than her sisters. Lady Helen needed someone to revere and protect her—not issue a slap at every disagreement.
Eoin slapped a hand to his forehead. Ballocks. Did he have to kiss her after they’d found shelter from the rain? What the hell had he been thinking? But, God almighty, she felt like heaven in his arms. What was a single man to do when a soaking wet woman’s succulent body was pressed against him? Protect her you stupid lout.
But Lady Helen wasn’t going to make it easy for him to safeguard her. Oh no, and Eoin didn’t blame the woman. She was right to worry about her daughter. What Eoin feared the most was as soon as the bairn reached an age where she would be playing about the castle, her father would behave like a tyrant. MacIain had already proved he had no qualms about striking a woman. What reprehensible things would he do to a child?
Eoin didn’t want to find out.
And when the time came, he didn’t want to leave Lady Helen alone to endure her miserable marriage. But he couldn’t force her to seek an annulment…and she was right. If Aleck MacIain discovered she’d even thought about approaching the Pope, he’d lash out at her. She’d said he’d already threatened to kill her.
Eoin tried to adjust to a more comfortable position. Why the bloody hell did the king send me here?
Eoin did eventually fall asleep, because after Fergus stirred him awake, he could have sworn someone had bludgeoned him between the eyes. But once the men were up and on the trail, the pounding in his head ebbed.
God, he loved the Highlands. The crisp morning air filled his lungs with vitality, as the frost-kissed grass crunched beneath his feet. The men headed down the mountain at a steady jog, Eoin’s legs brushing the heather. Though it would be a month or so before it was in bloom, brilliant green grass peeked everywhere. At one with nature, this was Eoin’s favorite part of his membership in the Highland Enforcers. He was meant to live off the land and sleep under the stars. Breathing the fresh clean air away from the stench of humanity revived his soul.