do this for ye.”
Chapter Three
Three long days and nights of traveling in the cold, bitter rain, in mud up to their horses’s knees, Lachlan and his men finally reached the Chisolm holding. Cold, filthy, and hungry, Lachlan wanted nothing more than a warm meal, a hot bath and fresh clothing, and to begin his life as laird.
Jamie, who took his position as second in command quite seriously, rode to his left. Determined to impress his new laird, Jamie worked twice as hard as anyone else in their army of one hundred sixty warriors.
To his right rode Fergus MacDougall, one of the men lent to him by Angus. Fergus was tall and lanky, mayhap no older than five and twenty, with ginger colored hair and dark blue eyes. Lachlan liked the young man for two important reasons. Firstly, he didn’t speak unless he had something important to say. Secondly, he had been highly recommended by both Angus and Duncan. Apparently, he was a brilliant strategist. And according to Angus, the lad is the pure definition of grace when it comes to a sword.
They had just crested a large, wide hill when the keep first came into view. Jamie let out a low whistle as his eyes grew wide in wonder. Even Fergus was impressed, for he grunted approvingly.
Lachlan stared out in the same wide-eyed wonder. His first thought was that Keevah would have been just as awestruck as he and she would have found much beauty in this place. Where it pertained to first thoughts and Keevah, the two were inseparable. ’Twas impossible for him to have one without the other.
The main keep was four stories tall, with four square towers on each corner. Those towers were six stories tall.
Made of dark gray stone, the keep nestled into a grassy outcropping, surrounded on three sides by the largest loch he’d ever seen. That loch stretched on for as far as the eye could see. The early morning sun glinted against the blue-green water, making it sparkle and glimmer.
Surrounding the entire keep was a massive, well-fortified, crenelated stone wall some two stories in height. Just beyond the first wall was a wide courtyard and another equally fortified second wall, complete with a second set of gates that led into the bailey.
From his vantage point, he could see the large stables, a granary, and various other outbuildings. Dotted along the banks of the loch were numerous cottages.
To the east was a massive forest. This morning, the land was painted in a thousand shades of green.
The MacCullough keep could have fit into the bailey with room to spare. He’d never seen the like of it before.
He couldn’t believe his cousin trusted this treasure to him. A momentary sensation of dread tugged at his insides. Lord, how he wished Keevah was here to help wipe away the doubts creeping into his mind.
“I have never seen the like of it before,” Jamie whispered in a near reverent tone. “I doubt Edinburgh castle is that large.”
Lachlan chuckled. “Nae, Edinburgh Castle is larger,” he assured him. He’d seen it once, years ago when he was a lad. Before his father died, he’d taken him along with him on that journey. ’Twas one of the many fond memories he had of his father.
“Close yer mouth, Jamie,” he said with a smile. “Lest the Chisolms think we are ill-bred and uneducated.”
With a twinkle in his eye, Jamie said, “But we are ill-bred and uneducated.”
“Aye, but they need nae ken that just yet.”
The infamous Fiona MacPherson met Lachlan and his men just inside the first gate. There was no mistaking who she was. ’Twas the first time Lachlan had ever seen a woman in chainmail and armed to the teeth. Aside from that, she was just as beautiful as Richard had described.
“Lachlan MacCullough?” she called out as the men approached. Lined up behind her were at least two dozen McDunnah warriors. They too, were dressed for battle and well armed. The sight made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
“I am he,” Lachlan replied as he steered his horse toward her. Dismounting, he gave her a slight bow from the waist.
“I am Fiona McPherson-McDunnah,” she said - as if the woman needed any introduction.
“Ye seem prepared to do battle,” he said with a raised brow and nod towards all the armor and weaponry. “Are we at war?”
“Aye, I fear we are, MacCullough.”
MacCullough. It was going to take him a long while to get used to being referred