Page 74 of In the Highlander's Bed

He should never have let her go.

“So there you have it,” he said. “An opportunity. Wise men take opportunities.”

“I have a question,” Willie MacKenna asked, but before he could speak, a sentry came running.

“English troops,” he shouted.“They are almost upon us.”

As if giving truth to his words, there came the crashing sounds of men attacking the camp. A party of some twenty armed redcoats came charging out of the forest.

“Run,” Gordon ordered his people as he pulled the Sword of the MacKenna from its scabbard, ready to protect his clan.

But instead of scattering, they closed ranks around him. His clansmen picked up whateverwas close at hand to defend themselves. Tad was barking. Some of the women shepherded the children to the safety of the trees, while others joined their men, picking up buckets and cooking utensils and using them as weapons.

And above all the confusion, standing out and away, separated from everyone else, Gordon saw Thomas. The giant waved to the English, pointing in Gordon’s direction. “There he is. There’s Gordon Lachlan, just as I promised you.”

Thomas had betrayed them. His earlier notion, Gordon realized, hadn’t been a flight of fancy, but a sense of the truth.

The officer turned, the sunlight bouncing off his metal helmet. For a moment his eyes met those of Gordon, who recognized him as his rival for Constance’s attention that night at Madame Lavaliere’s.

The man pulled out a pistol and took aim. He would have fired except that, with a vicious snarl, Tad attacked his shooting arm. The wolfhound sank teeth into the man’s sleeve. The officer screamed, dropping the pistol, at the same time that Grace grabbed Gordon’s arm, saying, “Come, you must escape.”

“Where’s Fiona?”

“Fighting.”

There was a sharp yelp of pain. Gordon looked to see Tad fall away. One of the soldiers had stabbed him with a bayonet. The wounded dog struggled to his feet. Gordon took a step toward him and then sensed what must be done. “It’s me they want. They’ll leave after I make them follow me.”

“Gordon—” she started, but he didn’t stay to hear protests.

“See to Tad,” he ordered, moving in the direction of the horses.

Thomas saw him and shouted an alarm.“He’s going to escape.”The English were too involved to heed him. The clan outnumbered the soldiers by over five to one when women armed with cooking forks were counted. The soldiers were literally battling for their lives.

Seeing as much, Thomas, holding his pistol, started after Gordon. When they were apart from the others, Gordon turned, waiting until the traitor was close enough.

“Why?”he demanded of this man who had claimed to support the Cause.

“For the bounty,” Thomas said. “And because you interfered with my woman. Grace was mine. Someone had to pay for my losing her. You knew I left the clan after Grace walked out on me. Or didn’t you? Well, it stands to reasonyou wouldn’t notice. From the moment Miss Constance Cameron came into the camp, she’s all you could think about.”

Thomas nodded back toward the fighting. “I ran into those officers. They were the ones who had been at Madame Lavaliere’s that night. They’d been looking for us, especially when they heard how high the bounty had grown on your head. As king’s men, any reward they receive would have to be shared with their superiors. So we struck a deal. There’s a share for each of us for turning you in. I told them to wait for the sword. There are men willing to pay a fortune for it. MacKenna down in Italy is one of them. I left a prearranged sign for them when we rode down the mountain. ’Tis one of the reasons I had to make certain we returned in good time. The best news is, the bounty will be earned whether you are alive or dead.” He raised the pistol and took aim at Gordon’s chest.

Gordon felt his temper snap. He swung the Sword of the MacKenna around his head as Thomas cocked the pistol. The huge broadsword made a graceful arc. Its heft felt good in his hands as he released the weapon and sent it sailing. The sharp blade hit Thomas full in the chest, running him through just as he fired.

The shot went wide.

For a second the giant was cognizant enough to look down at the sword sticking through him. “I’d not thought you would do that.”

“I’d not thought you would betray your clan.” Gordon walked over and pulled the sword from the man’s body.

Thomas fell to his knees. “I’d not thought you would do this,” he repeated, and fell forward.

Gordon turned and shouted to the soldiers. “Here, I’m over here!” He waved the Sword of the MacKenna at them.

They were receiving the worst of the battle and appeared almost relieved when Gordon gave them a reason to chase after him. They came running.

To give his clansmen a chance to escape, Gordon put distance between himself and them, bypassing the horses and running toward the Cliffs’ rocky, flat table over the cold water. Swimming was his best chance of escape…that is, if he didn’t break his neck in the fall.

Raising the Sword of the MacKenna over his head, he dove over the edge. His last thought as he hit the water was of Constance, and he cursed the sword that had cost him so much.