“You will no’ be coming with us to Castle Rait, True.”
“I haven’t said anything about coming with you.” She threw her hands up in exasperation.
He stopped and swiveled to face her. “Are you saying you’ll agree to stay here where ’tis safe while I am away?” His gaze bored into her, and he gripped her upper arms.
“I haven’t asked if I can come. I know it’s pointless.” She looked him square in the eye. It wasn’t really a lie; she did know better than to ask. Besides, she knew their plans backward and forward, including the errors. She’d be there, all right. And she’d help them with the flaws, ensuring their success.
Studying her face for several tense moments, he finally grunted. “Mayhap you can be of help. You ken the keep, you say?”
“The last vision I had I made a point of getting to know the place. Remember I told your father I can commit to memory anything I study? Well, now’s the time to put that talent to use.” As the words left her mouth, Giselle’s prophecy came back to her in a rush. Had the gypsy known this talent would be needed? She sucked in a breath. Had she also known she’d start having visions?
“What is it?”
“Giselle said I had hidden talents, and that I would need them all. Malcolm, this is what she sent me here to do. Don’t you see? I can give you information that will save your life. Yours, Mairen’s, and every MacKintosh warrior in your company.”
“Come then.”
Once all were settled around the large, rectangular table, she began to draw a map of the Comyn keep on a large square of vellum. “Their kitchen is not attached. It’s a separate building, here.” She sketched the building where it stood behind the castle. “This is the door they use to transfer food into the great hall. Mairen’s chamber is here at the east end of this corridor.” She pointed to the spot. “She’ll be locked in, but not guarded. Liam.” She paused to look into his attentive gaze. “Can you get word to her?”
“I’ll find a way.”
“Tell her to bar the door from within. You must somehow get a rope ladder to her, and instruct her to hide it well. The only way for her to escape will be through her window. The small gate built into the curtain wall lies not far from where she’ll come down.”
Alethia looked around the room at the men hanging on her every word. That she could aid them against the Comyn’s murderous plot gave her a sense of purpose—it humbled and frightened her at the same time. She cared about these people, and more than one life hung in the balance. They’d come to be her family. All of them had a place in her heart.
“You need to know this—the villagers, bakers, blacksmith, craftsmen and shepherds—they know nothing of the planned treachery. They think the reconciliation is for real, and they welcome an end to the bloodshed. They must not be harmed.”
“I agree.” Malcolm nodded.
She smiled at him and continued. “Once the signal is given, one of you must see to it the doors to the great hall and the kitchen are locked. Only the men the Comyn has with him know what is to come. He planned it that way so they can claim it was you and your men who attacked them first.”
A cry of outrage erupted in the small room.
“Let us hear the rest,” Malcolm commanded, and the noise stopped.
“This is where Mairen comes in,” she added, her eyes on Liam.
“I dinna ken your meaning,” Liam said.
“Mairen knows her father’s plan,” she said. “That’s why he keeps her locked in her chamber. He caught her listening as he discussed it with his men shortly after they received word of the edict from King James. He already suspects she has a lover within our ranks. And though he’s not certain, he believes Mairen told us where to find the Comyns who rode on to Nairn after we retook Meikle Geddes.”
“Aye, but that does no’ explain—” Liam began.
She flashed him an exasperated look. “Liam, your king has issued an edict forbidding the clans from fighting amongst themselves. The Red Comyn’s plan is very clever. Not only does he kill all of you, but he casts our entire clan as insurgents.” She glanced at Malcolm. “Your father would have returned to find his only son and nephews slain and his clan disgraced.”
“Och, I ken your meaning. Mairen will provide testimony to the contrary.” Malcolm turned to Liam. “She’ll prove her loyalty to you by doing so, which will ensure her acceptance by our people. How have you come by this information, True? Can we trust it, or are you speculating?”
“When I have a vision, it’s like being a ghost.” She smiled at the sudden flurry of movement as many of the men made the sign of the cross. “I seem to land in the future or the past as needed. I’m free to walk around, listen in on conversations, and explore the grounds. Like Mairen, I gathered the information by listening in while they plotted.” Alethia met each of their looks. None challenged her word. Satisfied, she went back to her diagram.