The Highlander's Secret(36)
Keenan held up his hand to silence them and brushed his hand across his chin, thinking for a moment. “Perhaps ye’re right. This raiding party does seem different than the ones who have come before. One of the men I spoke to in our summit was at the latest attack. He said they were going house to house, looking fer something – like a treasure they had lost. They got agitated when they dinnae find it… and that’s when the men attacked. If we could just find what they’re looking for, then mayhap this could end. If anyone has any idea of what they could be looking for, speak up.”
Alan glanced over to Eamon standing on the far wall. His brow was furrowed as if listening to the conversation distressed him and he was caught up deep in his own thoughts. Something about his expression made Alan think his concern went beyond normal expectations.
Conrad stepped forward and said, “My Laird, we should ride out and meet them in the field. Take the Viking army by surprise! I could lead our men to victory and find their whereabouts. Nae Norsemen will dare attack again.”
Keenan shook his head. “I appreciate yer bravery, Conrad, but it’s a foolish plan. We dinnae ken how many of them are out there. If I let ye take our men into the field, then our village will be defenseless. We have to learn more about them if we really want to succeed.”
“And ye would have us wait around like sheep before the slaughter?”
“Nae, I already said we set up watch towers along the border. Clan MacDougall has agreed to send us warriors, but that will take time. Once they arrive, we can form a plan of attack.”
Conrad grimaced, crossing his arms in front of his chest and stepped back to whence he came.
Keenan sighed, saying, “Thank ye all fer coming. I ken it isn’t easy fer some of ye. Keep a wary eye out and be prepared fer the Northern beasts to land on our doorstep as well.”
The crowd dissipated, and Alan felt a chill of fear run down his spine, remembering Jain and the pinnacular brooch she had shown him. Alan glanced across the hall and saw Eamon standing in grim silence while the others filed out the door.
“Ye cannae tell anyone…me life depends on it.”
All at once he realized what she’d been trying to tell him. He knew why she was scared, and that she had every right to be. He made his way through the crowd with a sense of urgency rising inside him. Up ahead, he saw Eamon passing through the stone archway that led outside and worried that he could lose him. “Excuse me,” he blurted out, while pushing forward.
Torches burned dimly in the moonlight outside as men and women filtered out of the stone keep and made their way back towards their cottages. Glancing around, Alan caught sight of Eamon on the road ahead and broke into a run to catch up with him, with a hundred questions swimming around his thoughts. His footsteps echoed down the dusty path as he jogged down to meet him.
“Eamon!” he called out breathlessly.
The man turned at the sound of his name and greeted him with a nod. “Good evening, Alan. How can I help ye?”
“I need to speak with ye,” the blacksmith told him, drawing close. The roads were full of people leaving the keep, but here in the quiet streets beside the blacksmith shop almost no one was around to see them.
Eamon gestured for him to follow, walking the path out the village gate back towards the farm. “What seems to be troubling ye?”
“It’s about Jain,” Alan told him.
Eamon’s brows drew together. “Aye, what about her?”
Alan stopped, pulling him aside to make sure they were alone and could speak in private. His eyes darted back the way they came to ensure no one else was in earshot before leaning in to whisper. “Those things Keenan said about the Vikings…they’re coming fer her, aren’t they?”
Eamon cocked an eyebrow at him and crossed his arms over his chest. “I dinnae ken what ye’re talking about, lad.”
“But ye do,” Alan insisted. “I ken she isn’t from here, she told me the other day. I didn’t understand why she was so frightened at the time, now I do.”
Eamon sighed. “So, Jain finally heeded my advice and told ye. I’m glad.”
“Ye are? Ye wanted her to tell me?”
Eamon nodded.
“But if this knowledge gets out, she could…she could be…” Alan couldn’t say the words.
Eamon rested his hand on Alan’s shoulder. “Ye’re right. Her very life depends on her secret being kept. But I trust ye. Ye’re a good man, Alan. And I am grateful to ken I have help guarding Jain’s origins.”
“She means everything to me,” Alan vowed.
A smile tugged at Eamon’s lips. “I ken she does. Let me ask ye this, how much do ye ken?”
“Very little,” Alan answered. “She was trying to tell me, but we were interrupted. I just pieced everything together when Keenan was speaking.”
Alan felt his chest tighten when Eamon said it. If Jain’s father encouraged her to confide in him then Eamon must have a great deal of faith in him as well. “Aye.”
Eamon’s eyes scanned their surroundings. Then he lowered his voice even more. “Jain was found in the burning wreckage of her village, but it wasn’t a Scottish village. When I first saw her, she looked up at me with those big green eyes of her and I couldn’t leave. I dinnae ken why they left her behind. All I knew was she needed me. Moira and I have loved her ever since.”