Page 120 of Bound By Honor
The man inclined his head. “It will be as you wish.”
In the days that followed, Angus sent word to Sir Hugh that he was “borrowing Rathlin’s castle for a time and hoped that was acceptable.” He was told the message had been received and that Sir Hugh agreed with the proposal. Sir Hugh would learn in time that King Robert was on Rathlin if he did not know already. Angus counted on their kinship and their friendship to keep the English dogs away.
Angus put Duncan in charge of the three hundred men they had brought to Rathlin. The warriors quickly went to work building quarters for their lodging as the castle’s great hall could not contain the whole of them comfortably. The shelter would serve for the winter to keep them from the near constant rain and the wind that could chill a man’s bones.
Angus’ family and the king and his companions settled into the castle at Rathlin. Set on the rocky coast, the large stone edifice looked across the blue sea toward Kintyre just visible on the horizon.
Angus sent word to Áine’s brother, Dermot, who came from Dunseverick to visit. Dermot’s nephews, Brian and Alexander, were delighted to see him. He remembered the wolfhound, Fand, and remarked at how she had grown. Alexander’s hound, Cormac, was new and the boy was proud to introduce him to Dermot.
“It is plain to see they are enjoying themselves with the warriors who serve Scotland’s king,” Dermot said to Angus.
“Aye. To them, this is a grand time.”
Angus often spotted Rob watching the Macdonald children with longing in his eyes. “I miss Elizabeth and Marjorie,” he confessed to Angus soon after they arrived. “I hope they are on their way to Orkney by now with my sisters and Countess Isabella.”
In the evening, they enjoyed each other’s fellowship, entertained by Angus’ Irish bard who had composed a tribute to King Robert and his trusted ally, the Lord of the Isles. When the bard concluded, they discussed the strategy for re-engaging with King Edward.
“We’ve a kingdom to take back,” said Lennox. “’Tis well we were at it.”
“We cannot fight as we have before,” said the king, “in the open, arrayed for battle. We do not have the numbers, not even with Angus’ men.”
Angus agreed. “For the now, a ‘secret war’ would be more effective, like we fight in the Highlands. Give no warning, strike hard, and then retreat into the woods.”
“’Twas Wallace’s strategy before Falkirk,” said Neil Campbell. “And it worked.”
“We should burn every castle the English can otherwise use,” said the fiery young Douglas, now fully recovered, “my own stronghold among them.”
“And mine,” added the king. “We should begin in Carrick, for I know the land.”
The strategy having been agreed to, it was only a matter of waiting for spring. But in February of 1307, Sir Robert Boyd, who had been one of the knights sent to Kildrummie with the Bruce women, arrived on Rathlin, haggard and dripping water from the rain that fell hard that day.
The knight dropped to one knee before the king, who rose from his chair near a window in the great hall where he was meeting with his men. “My lord king, please forgive my appearance. A fisherman brought me.”
“Sir Robert, why are you here?” asked the king, lines of worry cut into his face.
Rising, Sir Robert said, “I have been a prisoner of the English for nearly six months. I only escaped recently. Hearing that Edward was searching for you in Ireland and the Isles, and knowing of your ties to Ulster, I thought to come here.”
Rob’s countenance was grave, as was Angus’, for both knew the story could not end well. Boyd had been a trusted ally of Wallace and was faithful to Robert Bruce. Nothing short of tragedy would separate him from his duty.
The men the king had brought with him gathered around to hear what news Boyd had to convey. Áine handed the sodden knight a goblet of hot spiced wine. “Thank you, my lady,” he said, before Angus introduced himself and his wife.
“What happened at Kildrummie?” asked the king, his eyes narrowed on his knight. Angus could see it was only by tremendous restraint Rob was holding his passions in check.
Sir Neil Campbell stood watching intently, reminding Angus the knight was married to the king’s younger sister, Mary, who had gone to Kildrummie.
“We were betrayed by a blacksmith and the castle was breached by Prince Edward. Sir Alexander and I fled with the queen and the other women to St. Duthac’s Chapel at Tain in Ross, where we sought sanctuary. You would have been proud of the queen, Sire. When the Earl of Ross breached sanctuary to seize us, she accused him of cowardice. She said he was more afraid of Edward’s wrath than of God’s.”
With a pained look, the king said, “They did not harm her for her brave words?”
“No, they did not harm any of the women but led us all away.”
“What of my brother, Nigel?”
Sir Robert dropped his gaze. “He stayed with the garrison at Kildrummie, my lord, to mount a defense. He was captured. All tell of a traitor’s death at Berwick.”
Angus did not need an explanation. It was Wallace’s death. The look of horror in Rob’s eyes told him his friend was thinking the same.
Rob dropped his head into his hands. He did not weep but a ragged gasp sounded from his throat. His three brothers gathered round him, Edward’s hand on his shoulder.
