Page 97 of The Warrior
“They say that Castle Maol was built in the old days by the Norse invaders, and it came to the MacKinnons through the marriage of their chieftain to a Norse princess, known as Saucy Mary. This princess and her MacKinnon husband exacted a toll from all the boats that passed through this strait. Some say they forced the toll by tying a line of boats together from Castle Maol to the mainland, while others say it was an iron chain. Either way, the sailors happily paid. When they gave up their coin, they would look up at the castle, and Saucy Mary would reward them by exposing her ample breasts.”
The humorous tale seemed in marked contrast to the dark and ominous keep standing guard over the strait.
“If the MacKinnons try to stop us,” Niall said, “you can distract them by doing what Saucy Mary did.”
“Saucy Mary mustn’t have minded getting herampleattributes wet,” Moira said and pulled her cloak over her head against the rain.
“Don’t tell Duncan I suggested that,” Niall said.
Moira was about to say that it was no one’s business but her own what she did—not that she wanted to expose her breasts to strangers—but she stopped herself. Duncan did not try to tell her what to do because he took pleasure in controlling her like Sean did, but because he wanted to protect her. Of course, that did not mean he was not misguided in his concern or that she would do as he wished.
Perhaps Moira could learn something from Saucy Mary. When Duncan found out what she was doing now, baring her breasts might not be a bad trick to distract him.
They were right beside the castle now, sailing mere yards from the walls of the formidable fortress. Moira held her breath. When they glided past without incident, she let it out and sent up a quick prayer of thanks. Then she looked up the coastline for Hugh’s boats.
“Where do ye suppose Hugh has set his ambush?” Moira asked. The strait was so narrow here that she could almost throw a stone from the boat and hit either side.
“That’s where I would be if I were Hugh.” Niall pointed to a tree-covered point that jutted out into the strait some distance ahead. “They could hide their boats on this side of the point where our galleys coming into the strait from the north would not see them and post lookouts on the other side to watch for our boats’ sails.”
Moira imagined a murderous spray of arrows launched from the trees pelting a passing boat at close range. Aye, the point was the perfect place for an ambush.
“Our problem now is that Hugh knows this little galley of Duncan’s,” Niall said.
It was an unusual boat, smaller than a war galley, and specially built for speed and maneuverability.
“Hugh’s men are probably waiting at the point now,” Moira said. “How do we get past them to warn our men before they sail into the ambush?”
“Either we wait until dark to sail by—”
“But it’s only morning,” Moira objected. “Tonight could be too late.”
“Or we go ashore here and circle behind Hugh’s men by foot,” Niall said. “We can climb that hill that rises behind the point and come out well up the shore, where we can watch for our boats and hail them.”
“That’s what we’ll have to do,” Moira said.
Niall steered their boat into a small cove. When he jumped out of the boat, Moira caught the grimace on his face and knew his leg was paining him. After they dragged the boat up under the shrubs to hide it, Niall sat down on a rock.
“Let’s have a look at that leg.” Moira knelt beside him pushed his knee-length tunic up his thigh before he could object.
“It’s fine,” Niall said. “I just need to rest it a wee bit before we start up the hill.”
“Ach, blood is coming through the bandage.” Moira unwound the bandage and sucked in her breath when she saw the wound. “Oh, Niall. You’re not walking anywhere on this leg.”
The wound had broken open completely, and it looked bad.
“Just bind it up again,” Niall said, his eyes intent on hers. “We must warn our men of the ambush.”
“I can do it alone.” When Niall started to object, she said, “It’s a stroll through the woods—I’m not having ye die just to keep me company.”
“I’m going with ye,” Niall said and started to get up.
Moira put her hands on his shoulders. “I’ll be much faster without ye. If ye want to save the others, you’ll stay here.”
Chapter 42
Moira helped Niall make a lean-to using a blanket she found in the boat. The rain had eased to a drizzle, so it should serve well enough to keep him dry.
“I want ye to rest while I’m gone,” she said as she cut strips from her shift for a new bandage. “Ye should have told me the wound had reopened.”
