Highland Outlaw (Campbell Trilogy #2)(77)
“For now.”
Patrick's gaze hardened. “Is that a challenge, brother?”
Gregor looked uncomfortable, proving that he was not completely without loyalty. “Not if you do what needs to be done.”
“And by that you mean taking revenge on Elizabeth Campbell?” Patrick held his anger in check, though his first instinct was to take his dirk to his brother's neck and impress upon him the seriousness of what he was about to say. But one of them had to be rational. “Revenge on innocents isn't going to help our cause.”
“Cause?” Gregor scoffed. “What cause? The Campbells won't rest until every one of us is dead. I for one intend to take as many of them as I can with me.”
Patrick heard the murmurs of agreement from the other men and knew he had to make them see beyond the thirst for revenge. It was a thirst he shared, but one he had to hold in check for the future of the clan. “So your answer is to give up? Go down in a blaze of glory? Don't you see that every day we survive is a victory? The Campbells have tried for years to get rid of us, but the fact that you and I are standing here shows that they've failed.” He looked into the faces of the other men. Men with wives and families. “What about our women and children? Would you leave them unprotected, at the mercy of men like Auchinbreck? Would you see the name MacGregor die, never to be reborn?”
Gregor had a mulish look on his face. “The clan wants revenge.”
“And they shall have it. Our murdered kinsmen and our sister will not be forgotten. But if you make war on Elizabeth Campbell, there will be no place for us to hide. Every Campbell will be hunting us, and the other clans will turn against us. Don't you see?”
His brother's eyes had lost a bit of their rabid glaze. Patrick's words appeared to have finally penetrated. He nodded. “Aye.”
“Good. Then ride north and send out the crann tara, the fiery cross. I want every MacGregor from here to Rannoch Moor to gather at the kirk in Balquhidder a week hence.”
Gregor frowned. “What about you? Aren't you coming with us?”
“Aye, but first I want to see what I can discover of the Campbell plans and Auchinbreck's movements. I'll follow in a few days.”
“And the Campbell chit, you intend to just leave her?”
“Aye.” The tightness in his chest nearly cut off his breath. Every instinct rejected what had to be done. His course had been laid out for him. To join his men. To fight. To punish those who'd murdered his kinsmen and raped his sister.
Only one thing stood in his way.
Lizzie. He was torn between his duty to his clan and his need to see her safe.
His brother's accusation rang in his ears. He wasn't putting her before his clan, but he couldn't leave her unprotected. He thought he'd gotten through to his brother, but with Lizzie's safety Patrick wouldn't take any risk. If anything happened to him …
There would be no one to keep a rein on Gregor.
Lizzie would be as good as dead.
Patrick formulated his plan on his way back to the castle. Tonight he would send a few of his men to follow his brother and ensure his return to the Highlands, and then tomorrow morning Lizzie would get her wish.
She must have been waiting for him, because as soon as he passed through the gate she ran toward him. “What happened? Why did you send me away like that?” She stopped in her tracks a few feet away when she saw his expression. “Patrick, what's wrong?”
Everything. He forced himself to look at her, wanting to see her for what she was—a Campbell, his enemy, the sister of the man who'd ordered the rape of Annie, and the cousin of the fiend who'd sent his brother and chief to their deaths.
He wanted to hate her.
But all he could see was guileless blue eyes set in a pale face fraught with concern. For him.
His chest twisted. Did she have to be so damn sweet? He wanted to grab her and shake her, lash out until she hated him. It would make leaving her so much easier.
He squared his jaw. “Go. Pack your things and be ready to leave at sunrise.”
“Go?” she repeated, startled. “Where?”
He met her gaze, giving no hint of the turmoil raging inside. Heaven help him, he still wanted her. But he would see her safely to her cousin and be done. With the removal of him and his men and the conscription by Auchinbreck of half its already depleted fighting force, Castle Campbell would be left woefully undefended. He might despise Argyll, but he knew Lizzie would be safe with her powerful cousin, and he had no choice but to take her there himself.
“Dunoon,” he said flatly. “Isn't that what you wanted?”
“Yes, but—”
“Then you shall have your wish.”
And without another word, he turned on his heel and left her standing there, unable to look at her another minute.
He'd thought he was dead inside, thought that he'd lost the ability to feel.
He was wrong.
Letting her go would be like cutting himself in two, and he feared what would be left of himself when she was gone.
His brother's face flashed before his eyes, giving him his answer.
Chapter 16
After a sleepless night waiting for Patrick to come to her room and explain his sudden change of heart, only to be disappointed, Lizzie stood in the barmkin in the semidark-ness of dawn, shivering, watching a stranger ready their horses to leave.