Alaric asked, “No moat in the back?”
“Nay. Only in the front where it was easy to dig. The back needs too many trees removed. We didn’t have the manpower, but it does deter those who come from the beach.”
Thane said, “I hope you’ll stay this eve. I could use your guidance on how to proceed from here. Should I go for Alana and bring her to Tamsin? Or should I wait for more men?”
“We’ll see what Maitland thinks. He is the best strategist. He and Dyna have the experience we lack.”
Alaric and Maitland helped Thane with the deer Eli had taken down, swearing it was enough to feed his men for a long time. They’d had a lovely pottage to start, taking a bit of the meat to simmer while they set the rest up for smoking. Thane had a great firepit behind his castle, and they’d enjoyed a night of camaraderie.
When they were around the fire, it was Maitland who asked, “Have you any idea who the first attackers were? Could they have been men sent by Garvie to attack from behind?”
Thane considered this for a moment before he answered. “I don’t think so. We’ve been here for about four years, took the castle over after it was deserted. A fire had damaged it enough that the owners felt it wasn’t worth salvaging, apparently. There were six of us to start, but once Artan joined us, we grew into a solid group. We dedicated our time to fishing, hunting, and repairing the damage done. It took a while, but we used stone mostly, and our efforts have paid off.”
“How many times have you been attacked?” Alaric asked.
“Never. We are isolated and most think it’s still damaged on the inside, is my guess. There are fishermen about, but we don’tsee many. Artan took us to Tobermory a few times for supplies, but we cut our own wood and use the stone we find in the forest. He’s taught us about growing grain and some vegetables, but mostly we forage and fish.”
“How many men?”
“If we had to battle, mayhap a dozen could fight. We bought swords, and I trained with a man in Tobermory and brought back what I could, but we could definitely use more sword skills. And we would benefit highly from archers. It makes hunting much easier than using spears. We eat more fish than meat, which is why we are grateful for any deer.”
“Who else would have attacked you, then?” Alaric asked.
“I honestly don’t have any idea. They had no identifiable plaids, so I don’t think they were from Clan MacVey or Clan Rankin. Is there a new group on the isle? But I have another question for all of you because we heard it from Garvie and from the men. Why do they want the girl? And which one? Mora or Lia?”
“Or Eli?” Maitland asked.
Eli snorted and Alaric choked, finally saying with a grin, “See how they do with that. I don’t know how they’ll die quicker, by my hand or hers.”
Eli drawled, “I can tell you which death will be more painful …”
Maitland chuckled, but then replied, “I don’t think they want Eli. They want Mora or Lia, but I don’t know why. There are many reasons they could want either one.”
Eli said what they all feared. “Or both.”
Were they looking for a specific lass or any they could find?
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Eli
Thanks to fine weather, Eli, Alaric, and Maitland returned to Duart Castle the next day. There was still much to do to get their castle functioning the way it should if they wished to attract members to join Clan Grantham.
Mora had been sad to see them leave, but she’d become quite fond of Lia and Magni. True to her nature, her parting words had been, “Many thanks for allowing me to visit with Astra. Do you think she will stay for a while? Could I visit again? Mayhap around Yuletide? Will you tell the bairns I miss them?”
Eli hugged her tightly and said, “Aye to all. We will see you often. Do not despair, lass. You are part of our extended family now.” That brought tears to Mora’s eyes.
And now she understood Mora better. When they’d relaxed around the hearth after the evening meal, Thane had told them how the three had been raised, and how their mother had left them on the beach when Mora had been seven. He had explained how they’d repaired the castle from fire damage and had grown in numbers also.
Maitland had quietly stated, “If you ever find the woman again, I’d be pleased to meet her. Tell her my thoughts of how she treated her own bairns.”
The look in Maitland’s eyes told all, but Maitland had explained, “My first wife and I lost a bairn, so apparently, she doesn’t understand their value. I’d like to explain it to her.”
As Eli’s father once told her, there were often reasons for things that you’ll never know until afterward. Mora had needed to be around more females, and they had needed to help Clan MacQuarie.
When they came down the main path from Craignure, Eli had been surprised to see more of the cottages in the villagenow occupied. They’d been deserted when they’d arrived, but now half of them were full. People came out to greet them, and Maitland stopped to introduce himself. Alaric invited several men to join the guards, if they were interested.
Once they arrived back at Duart Castle, they were pleased to see that Derric had found a goat herder nearby who he’d contracted with for a daily delivery of milk, a smithy who was looking for work, and a woman from the village who agreed to come in the morning and set their food for the midday meal.
