Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

in the wall to lower the bridge.
    As soon as the bridge came down Kevin, Justin and Connor started in. Other MacGreagors followed carrying torches and soon the courtyard was well lit, but not one Ferguson warrior dared show himself.
    On the Keep steps, Laird Ferguson sat cowering with his body tightly curled up and his hands up to protect his head. But when Kevin drew his sword and started up the steps, Ferguson quickly got up and ran back up to the landing. Then he jumped off. But Connor and Justin also had their swords drawn and they were blocking his escape.
    Kevin took his time jumping down behind Ferguson. He wanted the man to think about his crime before he died and he was in no hurry to kill him. Finally, Ferguson turned, faced Kevin and drew his sword. Then he let it slip from his hand.
    Ferguson’s cowardice further enraged him and fury blazed in Kevin’s eyes. “God condemns the lad who hurts a woman or a child … and so do I.” He thrust his sword into the man’s stomach and quickly pulled it out. As soon as Ferguson slumped to his knees, Kevin put a foot on his chest and shoved him to the ground.
    Kevin ignored Ferguson’s moan, walked back over the bridge and raised his hand. “Bring all the Fergusons to face me.” Some of his men pushed those in the front toward the bridge while more ran around the outside of the moat to gather the others. It took time to round all of them up , but Kevin was in no hurry.
    When it was done, fewer than fifty Fergusons stood before him with MacGreagors and Camerons behind the invaders. “Fergusons,” he shouted. “Go home and get your carts. You have until the end of this day to collect your dead. Those you leave behind will be burned. I want the lads who killed Olson, his wife and son. When you bring them to me, we will live in peace.”
    Kevin went back across the bridge to the courtyard and kicked Ferguson to see if he was dead. The man moaned and Kevin walked away. “Connor, see how many of ours are dead or injured. Justin, take lads and make sure there are no Fergusons hiding inside.” Once his commands were given, he went to the stables and set all the Ferguson horses free. He wanted nothing left to remind him of this wretched day ever again.
    MacGreagors searched every cottage and looked behind every bush inside their hold. They found seventeen Fergusons and sent them out to help remove the dead. The first Ferguson cart that came carried a badly injured man -- the man who committed the murders. Kevin stepped up into the cart, held his sword with both hands and drove it hard through the man’s heart. He stepped down, told the Fergusons to collect the body of their laird and get it off his land. Then he headed to the loch to wash away the blood.
    The worst of the day was not yet over. He left Connor in charge and took Justin with him to the Cameron hold to tell two women their husbands were dead. Three other men were wounded, but not seriously and he believed they would live. When they arrived, Kevin and Justin denied themselves the arms of their own families until after they comforted the two widows. Then they went to embrace Anna, Catherin, Rachel and Kevin’s sons.

    At the MacGreagor hold, Connor and the MacGreagors dipped buckets into the moat and washed all the blood away. Then they washed themselves. Two men stitched up the wounded and Connor approved when other men began to bring flasks of wine the Fergusons didn’t find , and leave them on the steps of the Keep . There would be a celebration when the women returned. Fortunately, the Fergusons had not damaged or destroyed too much. Some cleaning was necessary, but it didn’t take that long.
    In the evening, the Fergusons took away the last of t he dead and rode out of sight.
    It was over.
    A woman with three younger women, all wearing Ferguson plaids, walked down the road toward the Keep . Connor heard the long, low whistle and walked out to the end of the Bridge. It was the same woman who brought the missing boys back. She stopped several yards away and waited until Connor nodded. “I am Catherin’s sister, Sarah, and we are here to ask for sanctuary. Will you give it?”
    “We will indeed. I am Connor and I believe we have already met outside the wall. I will soon marry Catherin’s daughter, Rachel.”
    Sarah took a relieved breath and smiled. “These are my daughters, Victoria, Ceana and Eppie. Ferguson tried to marry my daughters off against their will. Will your laird do