Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
O nce back in the tent, Ewan tried to put all that out of his mind. He sat down at the table and wrote a brief note to Galbraith.
I ken naething about yer missing sister’s whereabouts. I dinnae have her captive and have never seen her. But I wish her nay harm, and so I’ve sent out search parties tae look fer her. If I find her, I’ll return her tae ye. In the meantime, I would ask ye tae reconsider me offer tae make peace with ye. The offer still stands and will have a far better outcome fer ye and yer people than if ye continue tae try tae hold out against the siege.
He signed off and sealed the letter, then he went outside to call a messenger to deliver the note to the castle gates. Before he could do so, one of his men came racing into the camp on foot from the direction of the castle.
“M’laird, m’laird, urgent news!” the man hailed him and ran towards him. Ewan recognized him as Tam Fielding, who was currently deployed along with several others in keeping close watch of any movement in or around the castle.
“What is it, Tam?” Ewan asked as he met Tam half way.
“A lone rider, m’laird, in Galbraith colors has managed tae slip out of the castle without the gates openin’!” the soldier panted. “We dinnae ken how he got past us. We only just spotted him makin’ off through the forest like the hounds of hell were on his tail.”
Ewan was instantly on alert. “Without the gates openin’, ye say?”
“Aye, m’laird. I’m sorry, but we just cannae figure out how he did it. There must be another exit that’s hidden from us.”
“Maybe. Ye’re certain he didnae come out of one of the gates and ye missed him?” Ewan asked, hiding his growing excitement.
“Aye, I’m certain. Me and the lads have got the whole pace covered. There’s nay way any one can get out of the place without us seein’ them. There’s got tae be a secret entrance somewhere,” Tam asserted.
“Aye, mayhap ye’re right about that, Tam. Take some extra men and step up yer watch all around the castle perimeter. If anythin’ moves again, let me ken at once, eh?”
“Aye, m’laird, will dae.” Tam hurried off to do as he was bidden.
Excited by the possibility of the existence of a secret entrance to the castle, Ewan instructed a messenger to deliver the letter to Galbraith before going to find Colin. His captain was no longer with the horses talking to Harris, who was still there shoveling muck. He found him a few minutes later at the main checkpoint, relieved his former bout of jealousy now a thing of the past. His thoughts were entirely taken over by Tam’s intriguing news. He quickly pulled Colin aside.
“I have some interestin’ news fer ye that could turn out tae our advantage,” he told his second-in-command.
“That sounds intriguin’,” Colin replied as they began walking side by aside. He listened intently while Ewan filled him in on what Tam had said.
“A hidden entrance, eh? Now if that turns out tae be true, that would just about make me day,” the Captain said, grinning ear to ear.
“Aye, it could be the answer tae our prayers, all right, if it exists. Galbraith could have saved his warriors from gettin’ slaughtered if he’d used it before, but I suppose he wanted tae keep it from us until he was desperate. Now, he’s maybe just given us a helpin’ hand in getting’ intae the castle.”
“Why, I feel like he’s just sent us an open invitation tae dine with him tonight,” Colin replied with a chuckle.
“Aye, and we’ll accept if we can find the way in,” Ewan assured him with a grin.
They were almost at the most forward edge of the camp, just to the rear of where Tam and his fellows were stationed, keeping the stronghold under observation, when there was a shout from behind them. “Hey, wait fer me!”
Ewan halted and turned to see Harris running after them. “Where are ye goin’?” the boy soldier asked, one half of his face obscured by his woolen cap, the other smeared with what Ewan thought could be horse dung. No one would ever think for a moment Harris was a woman.
Ewan found himself unaccountably pleased to have Harris tag along with them and slapped him jovially on the back. After Harris had finished coughing, Ewan quickly explained what he and Colin were discussing.
“’Tis a good thing ye caught us up,” he told Harris. “It might be useful to have someone small in case we find a wee entrance that none of us tae can squeeze intae.”
“Och, ye’re wastin’ yer time, surely?” Harris responded quickly. Ewan put the boy-soldier’s flushed cheeks down to the coughing fit. “If there was a hidden way in, why did Laird Galbraith send his warriors out the front gates tae be cut down like that? Nay, it diaenae make sense at all.”
“Ye think so?” Ewan countered. “Then how did this lone rider get out when the gates didnae open a crack?”
“Ach, I bet they did, but the guards werenae payin’ attention. Likely , they were sleepin’ on the job and only spied the rider at the last minute,” Harris babbled heatedly, clearly unconvinced.
“Me guards ken well enough what they’ll get if they sleep on the job,” Colin protested. “They ken what’s at stake here.”
“Aye, if Tam says the gates didnae open then, as far as I’m concerned, he’s tellin’ the truth. That rider must have come from elsewhere.”
“’Tis a waste of time, if ye ask me,” Harris continued to argue, until Ewan began to get a little annoyed with him.
“Maybe ye’re right, but there’s nay harm in lookin’, so haud yer wheesht and come along.” He took firm hold of Harris’s upper arm and pulled him along after them. When they reached the front of the camp, which was situated just out of range of musket fore and small artillery, Ewan gave his men orders for that night. He split them into four groups of two. “As soon as ’tis dark, I want half of ye tae sneak up as close as ye can tae the castle walls and examine everything ye find. Every waste outlet, every pipe, every drain. Check for concealed catches, hinges, stones ye can lift or move, anythin’ that diaenae look quite right, got that?”
“Aye, m’laird.”
“And I want the other half tae scour everythin’ along the tree line and a few hundred yards intae the forest. Look fer anythin’ that looks like it could be a concealed entrance. Understood?”
“Aye, m’laird.”
“And report back tae me immediately if ye find anythin’.”
“Aye, m’laird!”
On the way back into the camp, Ewan told Colin the rest of his plan and gave him his orders. “Select a few good men and split them up intae smaller groups. Each should take a different village, splash some silver about, try tae find out any information they can about a possible secret way intae the castle. But I want ye tae stay here and take over command while I’m gone tonight.”
“Gone? Where are ye goin’?” Colin wanted to know.
“Me and Harris here are gonnae go and dae a bit of scouting about fer information oursel’s,” Ewan explained, glancing down at Harris and finding the surprise on the boy soldier’s face quite amusing. “I’m nae sure how long we’ll be gone, but if we’re nae back by noon tomorrow, send out a search party.”
“Aye, will dae. But watch yer back out there, Ewan. This is still Galbraith territory, and there’s many out there that would like tae end ye if they recognize ye. I advise ye tae go in disguise, and dinnae take any unnecessary risks,” Colin told him, his expression serious.
The possibility of finding a way into the castle had raised Ewan’s spirits considerably, and he laughed. “Ach, dinnae fash yersel’, man,” he told Colin. “I’ll be safe as houses with Harris tae protect me. Eh, lad?” He slapped Harris playfully on the back again, knocking the wind from the boy soldier’s lungs.
Colin laughed along with him while they watched Harris trying to catch his breath. Then the captain said in tones of mock warning, “Ye’d best take care, Ewan. Ye dinnae ken yer own strength. There’ll be naethin’ left of the poor lad if ye keep on whackin’ him like that.”
“Ach, he’s a tough wee lad, he can take it,” Ewan replied, chuckling as he raised his hand to strike Harris on the back once more.
The boy soldier dodged nimbly aside this time and glared at the grinning Ewan. Now able to speak again, Harris said sarcastically, “Thank ye, Colin. ’Tis nice tae ken that someone’s lookin’ out fer me and nae tryin’ tae kill me.”
But that just made Ewan laugh all the harder. The trio split up then, and as he and Harris returned to the tent, he found he was looking forward to their little scouting excursion later that night.
Back in the tent, they dined on bread and cheese and small ale. While they were eating, Annie surprised him when she suddenly said out of nowhere, “Ewan, I need yer help.”
“Oh, what with?” he replied, eyeing her with some suspicion. He had noticed how hard she had argued against there being a possible secret entrance into the castle, though he had no idea why, other than she believed it. Was this an attempt to redirect his intentions?
“I want ye tae teach me how tae fight with a sword.”
Ewan almost choked on his ale. “Ye must be jestin’,” he replied, chuckling in disbelief as he brushed the drops of ale from his waistcoat. “Why would I wantae teach me would-be assassin how tae use a sword? I’d have tae have a death wish. Nay, ye can forget that!”
“But I can fight fer ye properly then! Now, I only ken how tae fight with double daggers, but the weight of the armor and the sword makes it so hard. They’re too heavy and slow me down. But if I could learn tae fight with the sword, I’d be much more useful in battle.” He face below the woolen cap was alight with enthusiasm.
“I told ye, forget it.” He shook his head vehemently. Her answer was to get up from the table and walk out of the tent. Ewan sat there, thinking she had gone off in a huff. He was taken aback when she reappeared a few minutes later with two roughly sword-length tree branches that had been stripped of their leaves, one in each hand.
She tried to hand him one. “We can use these tae train with.”
“Nay,” he said, shaking his head again, shoving the branch away.
“Aye,” she insisted brightly, pushing it at him again. Still, he refused. “Ach, come on! D’ye nae want me tae be a better fighter fer ye?” she cried.
“I dinnae fancy ye skewerin’ me with that sword while I’m sleepin’,” he told her, meaning every word.
She huffed impatiently. “I’ve sworn tae ye that I’ll nae try tae kill ye again, and I havenae. D’ye nae believe me?”
“Nay.”
“Spoil sport,” she mumbled. “Ye ken ye really wantae.”
“I assure ye, I have nae intention of teaching ye how tae fight with a sword. Now, let that be the end of it,” Ewan insisted, unable to help smiling at her antics.
“In that case, I’ll havetae make ye.” She struck a fighting pose and began to fence with him, striking him lightly about his chest and shoulders with the stick, trying to provoke him into picking up the other branch and engaging with her.
We he did not respond, the strikes came harder and faster.
“That’s enough now,” he told her warningly.
“I’m nae gonnae stop until ye pick that stick up and fight back,” she declared, poking him in the chest with the point of her stick. Her face was glowing, and she seemed as excited a child with a new toy.
“Well, dinnae hold yer breath,” he replied, deciding to put a stop to her provocation. In one fluid movement, he got to his feet, grabbed the branch from her hand and tossed it aside, then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
“What are ye doin’? That’s nae fair! Let me down, let me go, ye beast!” she cried, beating her small fists on his back furiously, her feet flailing in the air as she tried in vain to kick him. Her attempts were so feeble, Ewan shook with laughter as he whirled her around a few times to make her dizzy.
Intrigued by her less than subtle attempt to redirect his intentions, he said, “I’ll let ye down when I’m good and ready. Ye think ye can fool me, eh? I ken exactly what ye’re tryin’ tae dae. Fer some reason, ye dinnae want me tae look fer a hidden entrance tae the castle.”
“That’s nae true!” she protested, finally giving up her struggle to free herself.
“Aye, it is, though I have nay idea why. At any rate, I’m nae changin’ me plans fer ye or anyone. Ye’re comin’ with me tae the village taenight, tae see what we can find out, so ye might as well stop yer mitherin’. Now, are ye gonnae behave?”
To his added amusement, she actually hissed like an angry cat before she grudgingly muttered, “Aye.”
“Good.” He put her down. She glared at him as she rearranged her clothing.
“Right, we have some time before we ride out. Like Colin says, we need disguises. I think we should pose as a married couple who were supposed tae visit their family in the castle and found it under siege. We can drop intae the conversation that a rider came out of some sort of secret entrance and see if that gets anyone talkin’.”
“All right,” she agreed, pursing her lips, her unwilling attitude only making him question her motives even more.