Highlander Avenged by Laurin Wittig - Guardians Of The Targe 02 - Highlander Avenged Read Free Book Online Page B

door at the foot of the tower, waiting to see what would happen next. He had not expected the chief to closet himself away when action was called for. It certainly wasn’t what Malcolm would have done.
    The tower door opened and Nicholas stepped out into the noonday sun. As soon as he spied Malcolm, he strode across the bailey to him.
    “Come with me,” he said, and made his way to the stair that led up to the wall walk.
    “Is the wall stable?” Malcolm asked.
    Nicholas shrugged. “It was all stable, right up to the moment when it was not,” he said over his shoulder.
    When they reached the top, Nicholas stopped and stared over the bailey, toward the loch and the mountains beyond. Malcolm let his eyes roam over the terrain that was easier to see from here. There was a steep drop-off between the castle and the loch and it looked as if much of the fallen wall had tumbled down that way. The forest was kept well back from the rest of the wall. He saw several men stationed around the wall walk, their eyes trained outward, and he saw plenty of industry inside the wall, where some people were still clearing rubble and others were working hard to set up a palisade wall of small tree trunks to close the space where the wall had once stood. It was clear they would not get the work done soon enough to protect them if the English came here in any numbers.
    “What would you do?” Nicholas asked suddenly.
    Malcolm was surprised by the question. “Me? I would remove everyone from the castle and find a safer place for them until I knew more about my enemies, their numbers, their position, their likely plan of attack.”
    Nicholas nodded. “And the wall? What would you do about that?”
    “Exactly what you are doing now. Clear it, put up the quickest defense I could until a proper wall could be rebuilt.”
    Nicholas was quiet for a while. “You fought with King Robert’s army.” It was not a question.
    “Aye.”
    “Battles against the English forces?”
    “Aye, though at Dalrigh we were caught between the English, who were dogging our heels after Methven, and those traitorous MacDougalls who fight with the English.”
    “And that is where you were injured?”
    “It is. I fell there and was left for dead. I am told, by the crofter who found me, that it looked as if I had managed to crawl off the field and into a thicket of bushes. He cared for me until I was strong enough to leave, which was not long past now. I owe my life to the man.” He flexed his arm and tried to fist his hand, despite the hot pain that shot from fingers to shoulder. “It is my hope Jeanette can finish what he started and make my arm strong and whole again.”
    “If it is possible, Jeanette has the skill for it. What service can you provide in exchange for her skill and our shelter, such as it is?”
    “I . . .” He realized it was a question to which he did not honestly know the answer. “I have experience fighting the English and have seen their tactics in battle, though this is not a place those tactics are likely to be used. They prefer to fight on open land, not forest-covered bens. I can train the warriors.” He tried to clench his fist again and shook his head. “Nay, I cannot do that, at least not now.” He held up his right hand for Nicholas to see. “Perhaps I could train the lads with their dirks? And I can certainly act as lookout, or scout if you have need.”
    Nicholas was nodding his head. He looked sideways at Malcolm and he a ppeared to be making a decision. “I appreciate your honesty and I will take the services you offer in exchange for Jeanette’s healing care.”
    “It would do no good to lie about my abilities, good or bad. In battle it would be evident I had lied.”
    Nicholas laughed quietly. “Aye. I am not used to honest men, though, so it always comes as a surprise to me.”
    Malcolm could feel his brows lower and his forehead furl. “Why are you not used to honest men? Surely a chief must trust the men who