Page 43 of A Fearless Rebel

The three leaders of the groups finished giving orders and assigning times of duty. Then, two hundred men from the village arrived.

Laird Fraser and the three men went to the gates where the information was repeated to the newly arrived warriors. They were then divided like the ones inside the keep and given their assignments. A third of the group would be camping on the lands outside the keep. Another third would camp near the village. And the final third would be inside the keep.

The entire atmosphere changed in the great room when Keithen entered. Tables were moved to one side, allowing for floor space around the hearth so people could sleep on the floor. Groups of women had arrived from the village who’d be working as cooks and assist with other chores necessary for the camps.

Keithen’s mother rushed down the stairwell. “What is happening? Are we about to be attacked?”

Keithen looked over his shoulder, hoping to see his father. “No, Mother. We are preparing, just in case. But it is doubtful that anyone will attack us. No one is strong enough anymore.”

There was obvious skepticism in her expression as she looked toward the doorway. “I was to go to the village today. To the market.”

“Not today, Mother.” Keithen took her elbow. “I can send someone to fetch whatever it is ye need.”

She blew out an annoyed breath. “I will not have some man pick out ribbons and such.” His mother glared at him. “Not that I will need them if we are to all die.”

He almost laughed at her comment but managed a straight face. “We are not going to die.”

“There ye are, I was about to come find ye.” Thankfully, his father appeared in that moment. “What are yer thoughts on traveling to visit my brother across the river?” he asked his wife.

As his father painted a picture of leisurely travel to enjoy a visit, his mother’s eyes narrowed. “No. I will stay here.” She turned on her heel and hurried back up the steps.

“What did ye say to her?” his father asked.

Keithen shrugged. “I assured her we were not about to be attacked.”

“Ye were not convincing enough.”

“And obviously neither were ye,” Keithen countered.

His father went up the stairs to find his wife, but Keithen knew that there would be no changing his mother’s mind. She would not leave, not after what happened to her the last time she left the keep. If she feared they were to be attacked, the possibility of being captured was obviously a much more horrible possibility.

In a way, he was relieved. He did not think Catriona would be able to withstand the travel while imagining she could be taken again.

It was curious that his wife had yet to appear. He raced up the stairs to his bedchamber, which he found empty.

“Ava?” He walked into the sitting room where only Catriona and her companion remained.

“She is not here,” Flora said. “She went to yer bedchamber to see what was happening. That was early this morning.”

Catriona’s wide eyes moved from him to the doorway. “Are we to be attacked again?”

“No, there are no warriors headed this way. No one has issued a warning. There is an untrue rumor that Father helped convince the MacDonnell to attack Clan Mackenzie.” He did his best to explain what had happened. Although it was not something that would normally be told to women, he felt that Catriona had the right to know every detail.

“Father is taking precautions to keep everyone safe, although they are only threatening a few of us.”

Her intelligent eye met his. “Ye and who else?”

“Broden, perhaps even Ewan.”

She nodded. “Thank ye for being honest with me.”

Once again, he returned to the chamber he and Ava shared and looked about. Nothing seemed to be missing other than his wife. She wasn’t in the kitchen, in his parents’ chamber, or in the back of the keep where she’d started a garden.

As he continued to search, his concern grew. Finally, he went to the stables.

“Have ye seen my wife?” he asked one of the lads. The young man nodded.

“Aye, she left earlier today.”