My Brave Highlander(74)

Dirk crouched behind the wall again, out of the wind. "He's there. I'm going inside the church to hide," he whispered to Keegan.

"He might hear you."

"We need to listen in on his conversation with Maighread. 'Tis not possible in this wind."

"No telling if she'll even come out in this cold to meet him. She may make him wait until the morn."

Dirk shook his head. "She's a tough old nag. I wager she'll meet him as soon as possible. She's desperate to be rid of me."

"Once she goes through the gate, we can block her exit and we'll have her captured," Keegan said. "I'll have the rest of the men surround the wall, and they'll capture him if he tries to jump over and escape."

"Aye, but no proof as to what they're doing. I must hear her tell McMurdo that she wants him to kill me. When I hear that, I'll have solid proof. Then mayhap, once we capture him, McMurdo will confess. If you're beside me and hear the same thing, you're also a witness."

"Very well."

They crawled across the frozen ground to the corner. The east side of the wall contained the gate. "I have a better idea," Keegan whispered. "We'll wait here and once Maighread arrives and enters the gate, we'll slip in behind her."

"That might work." Dirk glanced at the sky. "A few clouds are rolling in. They'll help conceal us."

A lone figure exited the church gate silently, then ran toward the beach.

"That's him," Dirk muttered, standing. "McMurdo is escaping. Come on." At the north side of the wall he whistled to the other men and waved them toward the beach. The outlaw's dark cloak disappeared behind a sand dune as he crested the ridge above the beach on the other side of the castle.

"Hurry," Dirk yelled, running to catch up with the bastard. Once he reached the ridge of sand dunes he could see no evidence of the outlaw. "Light the lantern," he told Erskine. "Surely he has not gone out to Faraid Head." Ice ran in his veins. He had not been to Faraid Head since that fateful day twelve years ago. He didn't wish to return now but he would if he had to. "Damn McMurdo," he muttered.

"I wager he's gone to Smoo Cave," Aiden said, breathing hard. "He hides out there sometimes."

Dirk spun to face his brother. "Where did you come from?"

"I was watching from the bushes by the stream."

"'Tis too dangerous for you. Go back to the keep."

"Nay. I'm still the chief and I'll do what I want as long as I am." He smiled, his teeth visible in the moonlight.

Dirk muttered a colorful curse.

"Smoo Cave, you say?" Rebbie asked.

"Aye," Aiden said.

"That makes sense," Dirk said. "He's probably trying to throw us off by doubling back."

Once Erskine had the lantern lit, the footprints in the freshly blown sand and the trace of snow were evident. But the tracks headed toward Faraid Head, which was naught but a maze of sand dunes, and at the end, cliffs.

Ignoring the tracks, Dirk headed the men east as Aiden had suggested, in the direction of Smoo Cave. Soon they came upon more fresh tracks in the snow-dusted sand.

"Aha. You are a canny man, Aiden." Dirk paused and lightly slapped him on the shoulder.

His younger brother smiled proudly. Once Dirk was made chief, he was going to have to find a position that would be perfect for Aiden, one that paid well. He didn't want the lad to feel he was losing anything. Of course, he was a talented musician, but he was so intelligent, he deserved another position.

The cloud cover grew more pronounced and the strong wind off the North Sea buffeted them as they left the sand dunes and moved closer to the rugged coastline again. They increased their speed. Within a half hour they neared the towering embankment over Smoo Cave.

"Careful you don't fall," Dirk warned Rebbie as they descended the narrow path that switched back and forth down the steep hillside toward the sea inlet. The other men followed. The wind was not as severe in this protected ravine because of the tall cliffs on either side.

After reaching the bottom of the trail, Dirk halted, held up his hand for quiet, and listened. He heard naught but the waves of the incoming tide and the squawking of a few disturbed sea birds.

"You stay out here, Aiden. We'll go in and look for McMurdo," Dirk said, keeping his voice low.

"Nay, I'm going in to help. I'm no longer a child so cease ordering me about."

"'Tis for your own good. I don't want you hurt," Dirk muttered in a harsh tone as he visualized McMurdo easily overpowering his much smaller brother.

"I blame myself for the strife you're having now with my mother and I want to do something to make it right."

"'Tis not your fault, brother. Besides that, you have been helping. He may have men waiting inside. Do you know how many in his band of thieves?"