genuine.
“Very well. The lass speaks,” Andrew Mòr grumbled.
“I prefer Lady Campbell, but I’ll accept Lady Laurel. I haven’t been a lass in a decade,” Laurel corrected. While people called women “lass” until their last days, she would demand the respect due to her. She didn’t want the MacFarlane to think she played games. She looked around Brodie’s solar before she collected a handful of quills, the inkwell, and a block of wax. She returned to the table and examined the map once more. She placed the inkwell where the mark for Ben Lui laid. She angled the quills over the other castles, and the wax was Kilchurn. “The Lamonts will follow the same route as we did. They’re likely less than an hour’s ride from here already. Since they cannot rendezvous with the MacDougalls like they planned, both clans will send scouts either to relay messages or to agree to a new stepping off point.”
Laurel pointed to the inkwell. She made a triangle with her forefinger and middle finger upright against the tabletop. She spread the fingers of her other hand at the point she figured the MacDougalls would make camp. They were probably closer than originally planned, since they were unsure whether the Lamonts were still in the war. She walked her two fingers from the inkwell toward Kilchurn Castle. Her other hand slid toward Kilchurn at the same time.
“If they’re smart, the Lamonts will wait until they see the MacDougalls regardless of what time they arrive. I would estimate they will meet here.” Laurel nodded to where both hands rested. She lifted them and looked at the men, surprised to see even the MacFarlanes watched and listened. “The other keeps are well-positioned for Kilchurn’s defenses. I assume that was the plan all along. But rather than using their proximity to summon them directly to Kilchurn, they move east from their homes. The MacDougalls will move past them undetected because they will assume one of two things. All the branches already rallied here, or that there wasn’t time to rally them at all. Either way, they won’t expect them along their route. Innes Chonnel stands the furthest south.”
Laurel used the fingers of her left hand this time to represent the MacDougalls. She slid the quill furthest from her slowly toward her traveling fingers. She inched it along until it lay parallel to her fingers. As she moved her left hand forward, she slid the second quill directly toward them.
“This is Inishail, correct?” Laurel looked up at Brodie, who leaned over the map with rapt attention, his weight resting on his fists. He nodded. “When they reach this point, they’ll be east of Fraoch Eileen. If these three forces merge into a wall that blocks the MacDougalls and Lamonts’ retreat, they can press them to the river just south of the dam. If the Lord and the saints see it fit, the MacArthurs and MacGregors are already in the drink, or they’ll launch their attack when they see the MacDougalls and Lamonts approach. The men here at Kilchurn join ranks with the Campbells to squeeze the MacDougalls and Lamonts into the river. If they attempt to stand their ground in hopes the other two clans will cross and join them, it will still leave them on their own. Block any path for them to escape. They wind up in the water, drowned or floating into the bay and at our doorsteps.”
Laurel stood upright and looked at each man. All five of them continued to stare at the map. Slowly, one by one, they nodded their head. Laurel knew they were picturing for themselves the strategy she envisioned. She wouldn’t rush them. When they finally all looked at her, she crossed her arms.
“There is one last thing you must consider.” Laurel looked at Brodie, then Monty, and finally Andrew Mòr, the leaders of the three clans and the men who would bear the fall out. And she was certain it would happen. “As Brodie said before, this is no longer a feud. This is a war. This plan doesn’t leave room to allow them to retreat. Its intention is to kill as many as we can.”
Laurel looked Brodie in the eye. She drew in a breath before she continued, knowing she trod a fine line.
“Our clan has wronged the MacGregors since the Bruce granted you most of Glenorchy. They have nearly no land left. Their clan shrinks each year. Depending on the force they send, this could destroy them. We must