Laird of the Game (18 page)

Melissa’s love had allowed him to see the world in a very different way. Alex also had a summer he would never forget. William nodded to Alex and departed the camp. The warriors moved into position behind him. Alex and Melissa waved them on to victory. From the camp, they heard the argument begin.

“That kiss was meant for me…”

“Och! Ye’re as ugly as a horse’s arse…”

Melissa waited until they were out of hearing range. “Alex, I can’t believe you’re not going with them. This is an important battle.”

Alex felt a slight twinge of regret. He hadn’t missed a battle in thirty-five years, but then he looked down and her beautiful smile touched his heart with her magic. He let out a long sigh.

Alex kissed her temple and smiled. He had made his choice and would never regret the decision. He loved her more than he wanted to play in the game. His brothers had all expressed concern that Alex’s heart wasn’t in the game this year, and they were correct in their assumption that he would rather be in bed with Melissa than on a horse in the rain with them.

For Alex, the game had always been a responsibility and not the excitement they found. The mantle of command weighed heavily at times, and he rarely got to have fun.

Alex and Melissa walked slowly back to the cottage. “I know tha’ kiss was meant for me.” He ginned smugly and took her to bed.

***

Alex had the few remaining warriors up before dawn and ready to ride out. He was anxious about the battle. If everything went as planned, William would take the lead for points, and he wanted his youngest brother to win the game.

He had done everything in his power to put William in the winner’s saddle and was certain he would be a strong leader. Now, everything Alex had worked for was about to come together. He hadn’t been able to sleep during the night. So much depended on what happened today that he found himself getting nervous. Alex had never been worried about a battle and paced the cottage through the night while Melissa slept.

The warriors had come in to speak to him during the night, and Alex hadn’t worried about waking her. Once she was asleep, she didn’t flutter an eyelash as the thundering warriors stomped through the cottage and gave their reports during the night. Alex was informed that William’s raid was executed without a flaw, Daniel and Evan were also in position, and Gideon and his men were making their way to guard the retreat.

Laird MacKenna and his warriors departed before the first light of day had reached the crest of Loch Voil. They moved quietly and rode quickly up the side of the hills. It was a path they had taken often.

The ancient sword at his side was about to be handed over to his youngest brother, he thought wistfully. Alex had always cherished the ancient sword of Baron Jolbert and the heritage that went with it. He knew William would be a Laird they would all be proud of and would lead them on to victory.

It would be his final battle as their Laird, he thought with mixed emotions. His life would be very different with his lady at his side, but he was more than ready to retire his leadership to his brother.

***

William moved silently on foot to the edge of the Prince’s camp. It was shortly before dawn, and he knew it wouldn’t be much longer before the warriors woke and went about their duties. His scouts had told him the Prince was asleep in the cottage. They had been steadily watching the camp for the past few days, certain the Prince had some new plan up his sleeve. So far, he hadn’t noticed anything different.

Men slept on the hillside, covered in their tartans. William signaled his men, and they advanced over the ridge. Twenty warriors made their way up to him. They heard the signal from their men informing them Daniel and Evan were in position. Bloodthirsty anticipation drove them on to victory. This battle would decide the winner in the game. Adrenaline flowed in their veins as they moved as a shadow of ancient warriors.

It was at this moment that William felt the thrill of adventure. Time stood still, and he was certain the ghosts of his ancestors stood beside him. The hair on his arms stood up, and his breath frosted in billowed clouds. He finally understood what his brothers felt when they went into battle. It was a challenge, yet something much stronger—something he struggled to identify.

And then he knew. It was his destiny.

William signaled the warriors to stop, and they looked at him with confusion on their faces. He looked around him, sensing something was missing. In an instant, he knew—they were walking into a trap. The men who were sleeping on the ground didn’t make any noise. All was too quiet.

William signaled for them to retreat and regroup.

“It’s a trap,” Evan said quietly to Daniel who also noticed William making a hasty retreat.

William ran back to his horse and rode swiftly back to Daniel and Evan. His warriors followed.

“Alex!” William shouted as he rode past at a gallop, Daniel and Evan understood and mustered their warriors to follow. William signaled to break into three sections with Daniel and Evan leading the other two forces. They had left Alex undefended, and he would be vulnerable with only twenty warriors with him.

So this was the Prince’s plan, William thought. The man was being even more clever than usual. They had underestimated him.

The warriors galloped back toward the Laird’s cottage. Gideon’s men stayed the advance of the Prince’s men who had been left at their camp and then rode hard and fast to catch up to the warriors that protected their Laird, and ultimately, Melissa.

***

Robert and Iain returned just before the first light of dawn. The horses were stabled near their launch pad. The two of them had partied through the night in London and were ready for a little rest. They rode quietly in the predawn hour.

The guards at the gate to the camp were missing. Something was wrong. Robert reached over and grabbed hold of Iain to get his attention and then signaled for him to ride up to the cottage to see if Alex and Melissa were still there.

They could make out a band of warriors coming over the ridge toward them and had already guessed their army was out in the hills. The camp was almost completely deserted, except for a few men in the hospital tent that roused quickly and informed Robert of the battle plans for the day. Robert and Iain silently rode up to the cottage.

Chapter Nineteen

Melissa was sound asleep when a hand covered her mouth, and she wildly struggled in the dark. It took a few moments for her to understand it was Iain who had a hand over her mouth, and he was whispering for her to be quiet. They were under attack and had only a few moments to get her to safety before the Prince’s men would descend on the camp and take her hostage. Iain put a finger to his lips to quiet her and handed her a wrapper to cover her naked body.

Melissa was terrified. Iain turned around to look out the window while she put the wrapper on. “Where are you taking me?”

“To safety,” Iain whispered, pulling her into the water closet where he opened the window, lifted her into his arms, and out to Robert who waited with their horses. Iain had just eased through the window to join them when they heard the first sounds of warriors in the camp. Robert tossed Melissa onto a horse and instructed Iain to take her to the other cottage by the glen.

Iain reached around her to take the reins. Robert remained at the camp to direct a defense. He was hung-over and in a dark mood when the Prince’s men advanced into the camp.

Iain and Melissa rode through the woods. They moved slowly, uncertain if they would find any more of the Prince’s men and stayed in the shadows as much as possible. The cottage was being watched with a scout on the ridge, Iain pointed out for Melissa, and they moved silently along the edge of the woods.

The trees were thick and brush hid them from view, but from out of the darkness, the hilt of a sword crashed against Iain’s temple. He didn’t see it coming and crumbled unconscious against Melissa.

Melissa felt him sag against her back and then noticed there were two men in the woods who tried to reach out and grab the reins of the horse. She screamed and kicked the horse into moving away from the men, while she held onto Iain.

He was dead weight against her back, and she nearly lost him when the horse bolted into a run. The dawn finally glowed pink on the horizon, and she could see where they were going—just as she could see the pursuit of the two men who had knocked Iain out.

Melissa kicked the horse harder, and let it run while she held on to Iain. The robe fell off one shoulder. She heard Iain groan and yelled at him to hold on to her. His arms circled her waist and held on while she directed the horse.

Iain was dazed and couldn’t get his eyes to focus. He held onto Melissa and then noticed they were being chased. “I canna tell if there are two men or four riding after us. I’m seeing double of everything, and I’m going tae puke!”

His hand was wrapped around the hilt of his sword, and she pried it away, holding onto it one hand and the reins with the other.

The warriors galloped alongside them, and Melissa brought the sword down against the warrior’s blade. It was just enough of a shock to him that he dropped back.

“Hold on,” Melissa called out and kicked the horse harder. They gained some distance from the warriors, but it wouldn’t take them long to catch up. She struggled to direct the horse that rapidly tired with both their weight.

They reached the edge of a ridge, and Iain began to slide over the side of the horse. Melissa didn’t have the strength to hold on for him, and he wasn’t letting go of her. She dropped the sword as they fell to the ground and rolled over the edge of the cliff.

His dead weight pulled them down, and they slid ten feet to a rocky ledge before they finally came to a stop. Melissa landed on top of Iain who had been knocked out cold when they fell. He took the brunt of the fall against his shoulder.

Their horse had continued on, and Melissa hoped the Prince’s men wouldn’t come looking for them. She tugged Iain back against the overhang so they couldn’t be spotted from the ridge and covered him with her body. The gray wool wrapper she wore made them appear like a shadow.

She heard the men ride past them and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t long before the sound of their return was muted by the thunder of an army moving past on the ridge. Melissa didn’t know if it was Alex’s warriors or the Prince’s, so she decided to play it safe and wait until she could get Iain awake before trying to climb up the cliff.

She worried about the cut on his forehead and couldn’t seem to wake him, no matter how hard she slapped his face. She could tell he had been out drinking for the aroma of beer clung to his shirt. She didn’t know if he had passed out from the beer or from the injury to his head.

Melissa moved away from Iain and sat up on the ledge to get her bearings and then wished she hadn’t. How they had managed to find the only ledge within twenty feet in both directions was beyond her comprehension. It was a miracle they hadn’t fallen down into the valley below. Her fear of heights overwhelmed her, and her head spun when she looked down. It was a long drop to the rocky bottom of the cliff.

Iain groaned, and blood oozed out of the side of his mouth. He was seriously injured and needed immediate medical attention. She tried again to wake him, knowing she would need his help to get them off the cliff, but he didn’t respond to her touch.

She wished she had any means of communication with Alex or any one of his warriors. She scanned the side of the cliff, seeing there wasn’t any way that she could climb up and over the ledge. They were stuck until someone came along who could pull them out.

Every moment she waited for the sound of passing horses became an eternity. Melissa worried about Iain, who didn’t move and what would happen if the Prince’s men caught her with nothing on but a wrapper? She was terrified and angry. There was no way she could help either one of them.

***

William, Daniel, Evan, and two hundred warriors descended on the Valley of Tears. They had named that valley as such when their father had a lethal heart attack there eighteen years ago. It was a suitable setting to meet the Prince’s warriors. They weren’t expecting to find the entire Laird’s camp coming over the ridge to meet them with the Prince’s men scattered out of formation.

William directed Daniel to take the right flank and Evan to take the left. The two groups split off and met the Prince’s warriors in the middle of the valley. The Prince’s men had Alex and his small band of twenty warriors surrounded. At the heart of it stood Alex and Prince George locked in furious sword slinging, arm crunching, steel clanging battle. Neither one of them would back down. Alex was relieved to see William. The troops quickly had the battle under control.

Prince George
stepped back to catch his breath. “How about we agree to a secondary challenge? If we can catch the Laird—the game is finally won?” He ran his hand over his brow and waited for the answer to his challenge.

Alex gave him a moment to recover and considered the challenge. It would certainly put an end to the game that year if they could catch the Laird. The thought rolled around in his head and then Daniel’s many lectures came to mind.

“Your challenge,” Alex restated for him. “Is, if ye can catch the Laird, ye win the game?” He was a stickler for details.

The Prince nodded, still gasping for breath. “What’s the timeline?”

“Ye must catch the Laird before the final battle.”

The Prince agreed and conceded the battle.

They were completely surrounded by the Laird’s forces. The Prince’s warriors were already calling surrender and moved back to the ridge. Prince George mounted his horse.

“I agree tae the challenge,” Laird Alex G. MacKenna, proclaimed and then grinned. “Ye won’t catch the Laird, George.”

Prince George
smiled in return. “We’ll see.” He rode back to the ridge with his men and then disappeared down into the valley below.

Gideon and his band of twenty warriors had raided the Prince’s camp before departing. They engaged the Prince’s retreating men on their way to the Valley of Tears and won fifty points. Their mild mannered doctor had just kicked a warrior down when they noticed Robert riding up at a furious pace.

Robert stopped beside Alex and quickly explained the raid from the Prince’s men.

“I secured the camp. Iain escaped with Melissa. The horse they were riding returned, and I tracked them to the ridge,” Robert said in a worried voice. “The Prince’s men who attacked them said they knocked Iain out, and the horse took off at a run. They couldn’t catch up to Iain and Melissa so didn’t know they had been lost.”

Alex ran to his horse with the warriors following. It was short ride to the ridge but every moment seemed like an eternity for Alex. “Spread out,” he yelled.

A little way down from where Alex was standing someone yelled they found fresh blood and a sword on the rocks.

Melissa had heard the horses and decided to yell, even if it was the Prince’s men. They needed help for Iain right away. She screamed as loudly as she could, “help!”

“Melissa,” Alex yelled back, standing at the edge where they had gone over. He could see her on the ledge.

Daniel and Evan brought ropes and tied one end to a tree to rappel down the side of the cliff.

“Alex! Iain got hurt. We need Gideon right away.”

“He’s here,” Alex called.

Alex and Gideon went over the side of the cliff and moments later were standing on the ledge with Melissa. She quickly hugged Alex but then rushed to tell them Iain was injured and had blood coming out of his mouth.

“Has he been able to speak at all?” Gideon asked and checked Iain’s head.

“He moaned several times but hasn’t said anything. He took the brunt of the fall against his shoulder, and I fell on top of him.”

Alex looked over the side of the cliff and was relieved they had managed to stop on the ledge. The fall to the bottom of the cliff would have been perhaps mortal injury to either one of them. Melissa appeared shaken but unharmed—unlike his brother.

Alex made up his mind that he wouldn’t put her through another night like this one. She had been dragged out of bed in the middle of the night, tossed on a horse to escape capture, and then fell over a cliff.

He held her close when the warriors pulled them up. She had refused to leave Iain, but Gideon convinced her they needed the space to get Iain off the ledge.

“He’s got a broken rib.” Gideon tried not to upset her further. It had been a trying night for her, too. He listened to Iain’s breathing to find out if the rib had punctured his lung. Gideon and Daniel brought him up carefully. Robert had ridden on to prepare the helicopter for launch, and Iain would be checked out at hospital.

Melissa stood next to Alex and watched them haul Iain up the cliff. She ran over to him, and he looked up at her and managed a weak smile. “You’re going to be all right, Iain,” she said and kissed his cheek. “Gideon will take care of you now.”

Iain groaned, still seeing double. “Would both of you please kiss me again?”

They were ready to put him on the back of Gideon’s horse. Melissa leaned down and gave Iain a quick kiss on the lips. “Take care of him, Gideon,” she said softly, brushing a dark curl from Iain’s forehead.

He had a gin, even with a pounding headache.

“We’ll have him back in the saddle before ye know it,” Gideon promised.

She didn’t realize all the warriors were watching her every move and suddenly felt very self-conscious about standing there in Alex’s wrapper.

William, Evan, and the warriors were taking note. They admired and respected the wee lass who didn’t think about her safety or comfort and insisted they take care of Iain. She was distraught, thinking Iain had been seriously injured. They had all had a concussion or two in the past few years and were a little envious of the kiss Iain got.

James and Jonathan, their Marine cousins, were standing beside Evan.

“We’re going tae have tae quit fighting so well,” Jonathan noted.