“Surely the sentries will warn beforehand,” Septimus said.
“The various sentries will alert the approach of two or three men, and soon enough understand what goes on,” Dale said. “Time is of the essence here.”
“I must go,” Alyce said.
Septimus reached out and took hold of her arm. “First, let me tell you…” He leaned in close and whispered.
“The two of you needn’t have come with me,” Lachlan said to Cavan and Artair, who rode on either side of him. He then glanced over his shoulder. “And I don’t believe we needed such a large contingent of men.”
“It’s simply a precaution in case Septimus should have other ideas,” Cavan said. “Tactically, your wife would agree.”
“I suppose she would,” Lachlan said. “But I simply intend to collect my wife, after pleading what a fool I am, and return home with her.”
Artair grinned. “That’s a good start.”
“I hope Alyce is all right,” Lachlan said, having continually voiced his concern for her well-being since he had discovered her gone. He had gone mad with anger when he couldn’t find her, which instantly turned to worry, and then he had been ready to jump on his horse and go after her as soon as he had realized that she had left for good, until Cavan had calmed him down and Artair had offered sensible advice.
They had waited until dawn, certain that the mercenaries would not leave until then, giving them time to reach their camp before or shortly after they left.
A scout rounded the bend and approached on a run. Breathless he said, “The camp was abandoned last night.”
Alyce watched the band of rogue warriors gathered not far from the Connors farm from a safe place. They would attack them first, leaving suffering and grief behind, then move on to the next farm until someone stopped them.
She motioned for Hagen to follow her and when they were a safe distance, she ordered him to go to the keep and get help, and have them sound the alarm. She had hoped Lachlan had come after her and if he had, he might not be too far away to help her.
Alyce rode to the Connors farm as if she was going to pay a visit, calling out a lively greeting when she arrived. She kept a smile on her face until she entered their cottage and delivered the news.
“We’ll have help soon enough,” she encouraged when she watched Mary turn pale with fear.
Jake and his sons went into action, gathering weapons and pushing furniture aside to open the hiding spot he had fashioned for moments like this. He got upset when Alyce wouldn’t join his wife and daughter.
“I won’t hide from battle; I never have and I never will,” Alyce said and took hold of one of the swords.
“You are pregnant,” he said, clearly worried.
“My child is the son of two brave warriors,” she said with a smile. “He knows better than to get in my way.”
The blood-curdling scream outside announced the rogue band’s arrival and had the two young men jumping in fright, but the sound of the horn from the keep denoting attack gave them courage.
“Word has been received,” Alyce said joyfully. “Help will be here soon. Unfortunately, we can’t remain inside for long. They will torch the cottage in their need to hurry their attack.”
Lachlan urged his stallion to go faster but he was already going as fast as he could. As soon as he and his brothers had heard the attack horn sound, they hurried to the keep.
“It can’t be Septimus,” Lachlan called out to his brothers.
“We would have noticed that he reversed his tracks,” Cavan said, keeping pace beside him. “Besides, Alyce would never have allowed it.”
Lachlan was relieved to hear his brother say that, but he was damn frightened for his family’s safety at the keep. At least he needn’t worry about his wife; she was safe with Septimus.
Alyce took one warrior down with an arrow from the window and Peter, the youngest of the two Connor brothers, got another one. She quickly calculated that ten or more warriors remained and that was a hefty amount for her and Jake to fight on their own, but soon they would have no choice. The warriors were preparing torch arrows and she and Jake couldn’t let them do that.
She turned to Peter and John. “You both keep as many warriors from descending as you can.”
“No,” John protested. “We’ll join you.”
Alyce shook her head. “You’ll be more help to us in here with your arrows.”
“Don’t argue with us,” Jake ordered his sons.
“We have to go now. They’re almost ready to fire the first torch,” Alyce said and looked to Peter. “Get him before he releases it. Get as many as you can.”