Page 12 of The Warrior
Their chieftain had waited to tell Connor until they were boarding the boat for France. Connor refused to believe his father until he confronted Duncan, and Duncan admitted it was true. That was the only time Connor had ever struck Duncan in anger. Even as a young lad, Connor always had a cool head.
When Connor knocked him to the bottom of the boat and started punching him, Duncan did not defend himself. He knew he deserved it. Eventually, Alex and Ian managed to drag Connor off him.
“Use your head,” Alex had shouted in Connor’s face as he flung his arm out to point at Duncan. “Who do ye think did the seducing? Our man, death-before-dishonor Duncan? Or Princess Moira, who expects the world to bend to her will? Ach, I tell ye, Duncan didn’t have a chance.”
“Do ye love her?” Connor asked him.
“Aye,” Duncan answered.
And that was the end of it. As close as he and Connor were, they never spoke about Duncan’s relationship with Moira again.
Months later, though, Connor shared the battered letter from his father with the news of Moira’s marriage. The letter had taken far longer to reach them than the mere fortnight it had taken for Moira to say wedding vows to another man after professing her love to Duncan. Connor had put his hand on Duncan’s shoulder as he read the letter. But he said nothing, because there was nothing to say.
“I am grateful to ye for going to Ireland,” Connor said. “When you see my sister, you’ll know if something is wrong.”
Just because they never spoke of Duncan’s feelings for Moira, did not mean that Connor did not know them.
“I’ll take the galley we stole from Shaggy Maclean,” Duncan said. “It’s small, but it’s fast and glides through the water like a sea otter.”
“Ye can’t take many men on it,” Connor said.
“That’s an advantage,” Duncan said. “Since ye can’t spare enough men for me to do battle with the Irish,’tis better to have too few to put them on their guard.”
“How many men do ye want?” Connor asked.
“I could use a second pair of hands on the boat,” Duncan said. “That’s all.”
“Ye know I can’t spare Ian or Alex.” Connor narrowed his eyes as he stared into the fire. “Take Ian’s brother Niall.”
Duncan suppressed a groan. Ian’s seventeen-year-old brother was becoming a fine warrior, and he had plenty of courage, but he was so damned earnest.
“Niall is not much younger than we were when we left for France,” Connor said. “He fought at Flodden.”
“Aye, but…”
“I know, he’s so naïve as to be painful.” Connor took a drink from his cup. “’Tis hard to believe we were that young not long ago.”
Duncan had never been naïve, and he took nothing at face value. Unlike Niall and Ian, who had grown up in a loving home with parents who protected them, Duncan had to learn to watch out for himself at an early age. He did not regret it; the hard lessons had made him strong.
“People trust Niall,” Connor said. “They’ll tell him anything, and that could be useful.”
Duncan leaned forward and rubbed his head. “He’s a good lad, I suppose. Niall will do.”
“Your first task is to find out if the MacQuillans and the other Irish will fight for or against us when we take on the MacLeods,” Connor said. “I don’t want to risk our alliance with them over a wee spat Moira is having with her husband.”
“And if it’s more than a wee spat?” Duncan asked.
“We have too many enemies already,” Connor said. “Do whatever ye can to get her home without starting a clan war. I don’t care if ye have to lie, cheat, or charm them to do it.”
“Hmmph. Lie, cheat, or charm? You should send one of the others,” Duncan said. “I’m a fighting man.”
“You’re that and more,” Connor said, squeezing his shoulder. “Be careful. I can’t afford to lose ye.”
* * *
“Mìle fàilte oirbh.” A thousand welcomes. Moira bit out the traditional greeting to the MacLeod chieftain. She was furious that Sean had invited her clan’s worst enemy to their home. This was one more affront, and hopefully the last.
She brushed her fingers over the skirt of her wine-red gown to remind herself that she was leaving tonight. Twice before, she had worn it. Both times she had had to call off her plan when Sean came upstairs instead of falling asleep drunk in the hall as he usually did. Tonight she was determined to succeed. She caught Colla’s eye and gave him a slight nod.
