Chapter 168

Frang, Isobel and about 70 men-at-arms arrived the next morning around 9:30. Ailene came to the Thorburn's door to tell him. He rose and put on some clothes and came down to greet them. Stuart walked out shortly afterward.

"Still sleeping, brother. It's unlike you to be abed at this time of the morning," Frang joked.

Thorburn hugged him, whispering, "If you'd been up half the night, you'd be sleeping too." Then he hugged Isobel. "You're lovely as ever, Mrs. Cameron. Pregnancy agrees with you."

"Thank you, Thorburn. Where's Teárlag?"

"I believe she was awake until all hours worrying. I left her abed for now. Wait, here she is now. The noise you made coming in here must have woken her up."

Teárlag came out of the house and greeted their guests. "Welcome, everyone. My goodness, what a crowd. Will we be able to find room for everyone?"

"It will be crowded," Ailene said, "and some will be sleeping in the barn or doubling up, but we'll find room for everyone."

The next couple hours were spent finding places for all to sleep. Frang's people found out at the last minute they'd be staying at the Keep for awhile, and told to bring their own blankets, so there was enough bedding for all. Afterward, Thorburn, Frang and Stuart had all the men drilling together, making sure they could come together as a single unit. It helped that many of those leading Frang's men at been at the Keep at one time. They found it easy to take orders from any of the three brothers. When the drills were completed, a force of one hundred men went into the woods, clearing out any of Blackthorne's spies for a mile around the structure.

The woods cleared, Stuart, Frang, Thorburn, Ailene, Isobel and Teárlag went out for what appeared to be a casual ride. They headed south of the Keep, but gradually veered to the east, then north until they came to the meadow Ailene had been accosted at.

"So this is the famous glade where our fair Ailene was nearly raped," Isobel said, "and had to suffer one hundred swats upon her naked bottom."

Ailene smiled ruefully and rubbed said bottom. "Aye, this is the place."

"I've not heard this story," Teárlag said, "though it appears the rest of you are familiar with it."

"Short version," Stuart said, "Ailene came out here to pick plants for her medicines without taking her guardsman, was attacked by two lecherous highwayman, and nearly despoiled for her disobedience. The punishment meted for such was one hundred swats by a paddle on her bare backside. She's not had the audacity to leave the Keep without a proper guard since."

"Until tomorrow," Ailene said.

"Until tomorrow," Thorburn confirmed.

"This is the place Blackthorne is to capture her then?" Teárlag asked.

"Yes, this quiet little meadow. She has legitimate reason to come here,"Thorburn said, "having complained of a shortage of medicines. You and she will come here tomorrow morning around eight and pick plants. We want you to pick for awhile so it looks like you were not just bait. We're going to make another monstrous sweep through the woods just after dawn and as we've done so, it will be assumed it's safe for her to come. The men will all be drilling so we didn't feel it necessary to send anyone with her. Under normal circumstances, it would be so, but you will be passing word to Blackthorne to avoid the woods at the time we clear them and come here around nine, where he will find you two alone. That's assuming nothing happens at the tunnel today. Bjarkë will report after dark. We'll be having another meeting tonight which will provide you the opportunity to hear of this confluence of events. Hopefully, Blackthorne takes the bait. Ailene is to fight like hell for her freedom, so we want a lot of men to come for her. We hope we've given them enough reason to do so. The fact this place is relatively close to the Keep will make them suspect a trap, which should be reason enough to send lots of soldiers. Ailene, you've been looking around for awhile. Have you decided how you're going to fight tomorrow?"

She nodded. "Aye, I've got a good idea. I'm hoping to kill at least eight of the bastards, more if I'm lucky. I want to make them pay for what they know is going to happen to me."

"Good. The more you kill, the more scared they'll be when you blow your horn and summon your rescuers. If just one woman can do that much damage, what carnage are the rest of us going to wreak on them. As soon as your horn sounds, Isobel and Bjarkë will send out as many men as we have mounts for. Bjarkë will lead them. They're going to chase your captors right up to the walls of the Manor and raise all kinds of holy hell outside to maintain their attention. I want fire arrows rained down on whatever is burnable. Fires should keep his men busy extinguishing the flames so they can't send reinforcements to the dungeon and reduce their presence on the walls. Isobel will send the foot soldiers after them. They're to proceed to the Manor and assist as Bjarkë directs. We'll only leave thirty archers to defend the Keep. Hopefully, we'll be keeping them busy enough they won't have the men to attack us, but thirty archers should be able to hold off a fairly substantial force for a few days. Frang, your men will willingly take the fight to Blackthorne? I know most of them haven't been involved in this battle until now."

"Most of my lads worship Ailene and Isobel," Frang said. "If we tell them Ailene's been taken, all but those in Blackthorne's employ would willingly tear down his walls by hand. We've identified those we suspect can't be trusted and they'll be watched like hawks. If they refuse to go, they might be killed on the spot by the others."

"Mr. Craig and McTeague know to abandon Lady Luck if need be and disappear into the woods until they can make their way to the Keep?" Thorburn asked.

"They're the only ones who know at the moment, but they'll get the others to follow if an attack occurs. What about the magistrate?" Frang asked.

"I'm paying him ten crowns to show up today for food, drink, a warm bed and something of great importance to the throne. We'll tuck him in bed tonight and wake him up at 2:30 AM and drag his ass to the tunnel if we have to. I don't care if he's unconscious when he goes, given the lack of help he gave when Màiri was killed. Isobel, make sure Teárlag's servants are all taken into custody immediately plus any others we're unsure of. Don't hurt them. Just lock them in the cellars until this mess is cleared up. We don't want any other messages getting out after tonight. Stuart has the list and will give it to you at the meeting tonight. They can be rounded up as soon as Ailene is taken."

"Aye, it will be done."

"Teárlag, I suspect Blackthorne's men are aware of this glade as they've been spying here for weeks, but you need to describe it clearly to your maid so they show up at the right spot. Can you describe where you are to me?"

"I believe we're east of the Keep, between a half mile and mile away. Well wooded around the meadow, a pond in the middle."

"Aye, your description should be adequate to lead his men here. Well done and thank you, all. I think we've accomplished all we can and all that's left is prayer. Our magistrate should be here soon. Let's make him feel welcome."