Aleck to act in their child’s best interest rather than his own?
Deep down, she knew the answer to her questions. And that realization tied her stomach in knots.
The ram’s horn sounded. Helen held her breath as her gaze shot to Sarah.
It sounded twice more.
“Dear Lord, no.” She sprung from the rocker and carried Maggie to the window. A lead ball sank to the pit of her stomach. Two galleys rounded the point of Ardnamurchan.
Sarah stepped in behind her. “Are those MacDonald ships?”
“I’ve no reason to think they’re not.” Helen turned. “Take Maggie and bolt the door behind me. Do not open it for a soul until I return.”
“They’re aiming to attack?”
Helen grasped her skirts and headed toward the door. “They burnt out the Gilles’s croft in Sunart. Why should they be sailing to Mingary on a goodwill sortie?”
Sarah drew in a sharp gasp. “Lord Jesus, help us.”
Before opening the door, Helen faced the nursemaid. “I am leaving my daughter in your care. She is the one person in this world I love most. Protect her with your life.” Blinking to recover her wits, Helen raced for the top of the battlements.
With only a skeleton crew of aged fighting men, this would be a harrowing day indeed. Regardless of the odds, she would defend Mingary and fight until she drew her last breath. May God have mercy on our souls.
Atop the wall-walk facing the sea, Helen stared at the black cannon Aleck had brought in from Portugal. It was an ugly thing that looked like death. She glanced at Mr. Keith, the old guard who’d been left in charge of safeguarding the castle. “Do you know how this contraption works?”
“I’ve had a bit of training with it. ’Tis not too hard. You ladle in the black powder, tamp it down, then drop in the ball and set your sights, light the slow match and pray.”
Helen definitely would hold up her end with praying. “Do you have enough of those lead balls to sink both the MacDonald galleys?”
He gazed out to sea and shuddered. “God, I hope so.”
The galleys had sailed close enough that she could see the colors of their pennants. MacDonald for certain.
Mr. Keith pointed toward the stairwell. “You’d best go inside, m’lady.”
Helen crossed her arms. “I will do no such thing. In the absence of Sir Aleck, I shall direct this battle, and pray it does not turn into a siege.” Where in Heaven’s name are the men? Aleck left me here alone with a handful of old guards and had the gall to call me daft? I shall never forgive him for this.
Archers approached carrying barrels of arrows. Helen dashed toward them. “Have you lit the brazier?”
“You want us to fire flaming arrows?” Torquil asked as if she’d sailed down from the moon.
“Aye.” She held up a finger. “Let them make the first move. If they’re hostile, we shall show no mercy, and flaming arrows will set their boats afire. My father always said the most dangerous thing for a galley ship is a fire.” Thank heavens she’d listened to Da’s tales of fighting in The Crusades.
Every muscle in her body clenched while she marched back and forth atop the wall-walk, watching the MacDonalds sail nearer. Never in her life had a sailing ship appeared to take such a long time with its approach. Jitters twitched along her skin.
The men set two braziers burning with peat—one on either side of the sea-facing wall.
Mr. Keith grasped Helen’s arm. “I mean it. You must go inside, m’lady. They’ll be firing arrows soon and you haven’t even a hauberk or a helmet.”
Nor did she have a cloak—and an icy gale blew relentlessly from the sea. “I’ll not leave.”
“Then at least seek shelter behind a merlon.”
The MacDonald galleys were now near enough she could see the warriors lined on one side with bows and arrows ready to fire. She ducked behind the safety of the stone and raised her arm. “They’re preparing to fire. Light your arrows!”
The men stared as if they’d never been in a battle before—or perhaps they’d never been commanded by a woman before.
Sucking in a stuttering breath, she peeked beyond the stone and out to sea. Arrows soared toward them. “Now!” she screamed, covering her eyes.
“In coming!” someone yelled from down the wall-walk.
The men all ducked behind the safety of the four-foot stone walls as arrows hissed overhead and smacked against the stone battlements. Helen dared look. No one had fallen. “Fire!” she shrieked.