The coughing fit slowing, Iliana raised a hand to ward off her mother and swallowed grimly. "Why would anyone drink that stuff? It tastes like liquid fire."
"Aye." Lady Wildwood smiled wryly and brought the pitcher to her own lips, then shook her head with satisfaction as she swallowed. "I fear I've found a taste for it."
Iliana snatched the pitcher from her with a scowl. "How is Angus?"
Lady Wildwood sighed glumly. "He has not regained himself yet. He is resting. I left Gertie with him and came to see what was about up here. Your plan was very clever. You have earned the men's respect."
Iliana waved the words away. She had no interest in discussing what she had just ordered to be done. She wanted no credit or praise for it. She opened her mouth to say as much, then whirled at a shout of pain from behind her. The stablemaster had fallen to the ground, clutching his arm. An arrow protruded from his shoulder.
"I shall fetch the women," her mother gasped, whirling to hurry down the stairs.
Mouth tightening, Iliana hurried to the man's side. Thankfully, this arrow had gone right through. This time there would be no having to push the arrow through. The end merely had to be broken off. Remembering the trouble she had had breaking the earlier arrow, Iliana glanced at Elgin as he knelt on the man's other side. "Are your hands strong, Elgin?"
"What?" He glanced at her in confusion and she shook her head.
"Never mind. Doubtless they are stronger than mine. Help me sit him up."
"I don't need help."
Iliana rolled her eyes as the stablemaster forced himself to a seated position. It seemed men's pride came before their good sense. Pressing her hands to either side of his shoulder, Iliana glanced at Elgin. "I need you to break the end off the arrow."
Elgin and the stablemaster both winced, and Iliana nearly sighed aloud.
"It must be broken to remove it, else we shall have to pull either the arrow or the flights through the wound. 'Twould cause more damage."
Rabbie began cursing and Elgin quickly joined in, even as he reached for the shaft of the arrow. Their cursing reached a crescendo as he snapped the arrow in two; then they both fell silent.
Casting a sympathetic glance at the stablemaster's pinched face, Iliana stood to replace Elgin as he got out of the way. Kneeling again, she glanced toward the stairs, relieved when she saw her mother hurrying toward her. Giorsal, Janna, and Gertie followed, bearing salves and bandages.
Casting a reassuring smile at the man, Iliana quickly removed the arrow and grabbed for the bandages Janna rushed forward to hand her. She was pressing the bandages against the wound to staunch the flow of blood when another shout drew her attention. Even as she saw that another man had been hit, a third stumbled backward from the wall, an arrow in his chest.
Crying out, Iliana jumped to her feet, hurrying forward to stop his backward movement. But she was too late; he tipped off the wall, tumbling backward into the bailey far below. Cursing, Iliana left Rabbie to Gertie's tender mercies and rushed to the second man, relieved to see that he still lived. She knew that the third man had not been so fortunate.
She grimaced as Elgin knelt across the injured man from her, then glanced toward the stablemaster as he regained his feet. His injury had been tended and bound, and he was moving toward the wall again. "Nay, Rabbie! You should rest."
"Rest'll not keep these bastards from our gate. And what good will rest do if it sees me dead later?" And with that, the man moved back to his post.
Iliana sighed. It would be a long siege; she only hoped they could hold out.
Chapter Nineteen
"Iliana?"
She raised her head slowly from where she was resting, her eyes slightly bleary as she peered at her mother.
Lady Wildwood's gaze slid from her daughter's morose expression to Elgin and Rabbie, both of whom sat swaying on either side of her. The table before them was littered with empty pitchers that had once held whiskey. "Angus is awake."
Rabbie straightened abruptly at that, as did Elgin.
"Awake?" the cook murmured, his eyes suddenly bright. "He'll be wantin' to eat then. I'd best fetch something." Stumbling to his feet, he hurried toward the kitchen.
Lady Wildwood frowned at Iliana's complete lack of reaction to the news, then moved forward, holding a hand out. "Come. Angus may not be able to stay awake long, and he seems to have something to tell you. You, too, Rabbie."
The stablemaster was on his feet at once and following them toward the stairs.
Angus was awake, but terribly pale and frail-looking when Iliana's mother led her into the room. He took one look at Iliana's glum expression and struggled to sit up. "What is it? Has the wall fallen?"
"Nay, all is well," Lady Wildwood soothed, urging him to lay back on the bed.
"All is better than well, me laird." Rabbie grinned as he hurried to the bedside to tell of what had been done. He waxed enthusiastic about Iliana's clever use of the rock to crush the barricade and her substitution of stew for the boiling pitch.
Angus listened calmly, his gaze never leaving Iliana's face. When the man had finished, he asked, "Then what happened?"
Rabbie glanced uncomfortably away. He was not eager to give the bad news and she could not blame him. The responsibility was hers anyway.
Straightening her shoulders, she moved to the side of the bed. "They responded with volleys of arrows. Four of our men were killed, and three injured before I told them to withdraw from the wall."
"You left the wall unguarded?" Angus looked horrified at the possibility and Iliana quickly shook her head.
"Nay, I stayed to watch their activities." If he had looked horrified that the wall might have been left unmanned at all, he looked even more so that Iliana herself had insisted on staying there to watch alone. "The men were busy helping to move the dead and injured," she added quickly as he started to turn a furious gaze on the stablemaster. It was not Rabbie's fault. He had tried to argue with her, as had everyone else, but she had been stubborn and taken full advantage of the fact that she was now in charge by ordering them off the wall. "'Sides," she added now, "once I saw what they were up to, I called the men back."
"Saw? Ye saw? Ye had the stupidity to look over the wall when they were shooting arrows?!"
"Well, someone had to do it. Would you have me stand safely back and order another to risk his hide? You would not do that." Iliana grimaced at the cursing that followed her words.
When Angus finally fell silent, Iliana thought it prudent to continue quickly. "They had been busy while they kept us pinned down with their arrows. The wounded and dead had all been removed, a second shield was already in place, they had repaired the damage to the causeway and were attempting to finish it."
"Aye," Rabbie piped up now. "She ordered two more boulders brought up. Big ones this time. 'Twas a nasty business getting them up there, but once we had, we pushed one off the top again and put paid to the causeway--and a good many of their men as well. She had us leave the second one sitting on the wall as a warning. They gave up the causeway and have done naught since then."
Angus glanced briefly at Iliana's unhappy expression before turning back to Rabbie. "Go back to the wall and keep an eye on things. But know this: Lady Iliana is in charge until I am recovered enough to take over. Report to her."
"I do not think I should be in charge, my lord. I do not have the experience," Iliana said as Rabbie left the room and Elgin entered, a bowl of broth in hand.
"'Tis not experience that will save us here. 'Tis intelligence, and you have that."
"Nay, I am not nearly smart enough to manage Greenweld. I tried three times to escape him in England and failed all three times. I would not wish to fail you here."
"Ye will not fail," Angus announced calmly.
"Aye," Elgin agreed, moving to her side. "Yer very clever, me lady. Why, your plan with the rock and the stew were most clever.... Except for losing my vat," he added with a frown. "S'truth, that part could have been planned better, as
I've naught to cook in now, but--"
"Elgin!" Angus snapped, managing some strength behind his words. "Leave us."
The cook hesitated, then handed the broth to Iliana and hurried out. Angus then turned a frown on the female servants. They immediately moved toward the door. Within moments he, Iliana, and her mother were alone in the room.
"I could tell by yer expression that ye feel responsible fer the deaths of Greenweld's men on the bridge," Angus commented as soon as the door closed.
Iliana nodded her head silently.
"Well, ye are. Yer as responsible as if ye had taken a sword to each of them yersel'," he announced firmly, nodding solemnly when she winced. "And ye'd do it again to save the people within these walls, so don't fret over it. 'Twas their choice to attack. Yer choice is whether to fight or surrender and walk out like lambs to a slaughter. Yer not a lamb, lass. Accept the guilt as the part of ye that makes ye human, but don't let it rule ye. Ye did right. I'm proud to call ye a Dunbar."
"'Tis not just Greenweld's men who died this day," she pointed out miserably. "We lost four of our own."
"They gave their lives for their loved ones. There are two hundred women and children within these walls. Any one of my men would give their life to keep them safe."
"Men? Two of the dead were but boys!" Iliana protested with disgust.
"Even boys have honor. Do not take it from them to salve your own conscience."
Iliana stiffened at that, and Angus smiled gently, holding a trembling hand out to her.
"There." He sighed when she slid her small smooth hand into his large, scarred one. "'Tis obvious ye don't understand our ways, but this is what 'tis all about. Meself and any one of my people would give our lives for ye. Me, because I am yer laird. Our people, because they swore an oath to protect ye with their lives on the day ye wed me son. 'Tis not so different from what ye did today, risking yer bonnie neck with that foolishness on the wall rather than ordering another to do it," he added with a glare. "There is nothing more honorable to a man than to die in defense of those he loves. As for those two ye claim were just boys, they were not. They were men. Leave them their honor and let go yer guilt. They will be remembered for their bravery this day."
Iliana felt some of the tension in her ease and nodded solemnly.
"Good." Angus managed a smile, then let his head drop wearily back on the bed. His eyes closed for a minute, then opened again. "We are in a spot of trouble."