Devils Highlander (Clan MacAlpin 1)

His words began to lag, and she reached for his hand in encouragement. Seeming bolstered by the gesture, he sighed deeply and continued, “I'd been told to keep to the trench road, through a place called Pirie Wood. But something told me to leave the path. Sure enough, I found an old barn. At first I congratulated myself on my great good luck. ”

He shot her a self-mocking smirk. “The honorable scout would return with word of refuge. A roof overhead for our wounded… Fool. Do you ken what I found instead, Ree?”

She shook her head mutely, mesmerized and yet utterly terrified by how his tale might unfold.

“'Twas a damned barn full of Irish. ”

Her eyes went wide with disbelief. “Irish?”

“Aye, 'tis true. Did you know the soldiers travel with their families? The men had gone off to skirmish, and damned if I didn't open the barn door to the sight of a dozen women and their bairns. ”

“Good Lord,” she exclaimed, her voice finding strength. “They bring their babes into battle?”

“They bring them all. ” He turned to face her on the bed, and the cold steadiness of his gaze chilled her. “And these women, they'd heard tell Cromwell was rounding up all the boys. ”

“Oh… “ Marjorie couldn't imagine such terror. The last days of the wars had been distant to her, living in Aberdeen with her uncle. What would it be to squat with your children in a barn, praying to God to keep them safe and alive?

“They were mad with terror. Some of the boys were babes yet, and too young to be taken. But there were a handful of older lads… “

Marjorie held her breath. She'd thought she wanted his stories, but she didn't know anymore that she could hear them. What had she asked him to tell her? What had she asked of him, to remember it in the retelling?

He watched her. Curled on his side in the darkness, he looked so alone, nervous even, and in need of reassurance. Who had reassured him after Aidan? And then who'd been there for him after his mother had died, so shortly after?

He'd turned his back on Marjorie before, but she was there now, and the only thing she wanted was to share his burden. She could be the brave one, this time, for him. “Tell me, Cormac. You can tell me. ” He nodded, and she imagined she saw his shoulders ease. “There were a few lads. They were… I don't know… nine?

Ten? About the same age Aidan had been. ”

“Of course you'd want to help them. ”

“It's true. ” He nodded, replaying the memory in his mind. “But I think what really got me was that they were about the same age as my younger brother. ”

“Declan,” she exclaimed. “Where was Declan, all that time? With you and Gregor at war, who was home to mind him?”

“Declan was home to mind Declan. Why do you think the villagers call us a pack of demons?” He cocked his mouth into a humorless smile. “Deck didn't get to foster away like other boys. He didn't have a mother to teach him manners and whatnot. ”

“He hasn't seemed to suffer for it,” she said, recalling the odd manner in which Declan always seemed to be lost in thought. “I think he's quite bright, actually. ”

“Aye, between my sisters and whatever books he could get his hands on, Deck's done just fine by himself. But you see why the sight of these boys touched me so. I couldn't see them taken. ” It was obvious to her. “You couldn't allow it. ”

“No, Ree. I couldn't. The pain of Aidan… it was too fresh. ”

“And so you fought,” she concluded.

“Not at first. At first, I ran. I took the boys and hid them in the gorse. ”

“It was a brave thing to do. ”

“It was a fool thing to do. ” He scrubbed at his face, as if he wished he could wipe his mind free of the memory.

“I should've taken them all. ”

“All the women and children?” She sat up, astounded at the ridiculous notion. His plaid slipped down her chest, and she folded it back under her arms. “You couldn't have taken a barn full of Irish with you through the woods. ”

“Aye, well, in any event, I didn't. I came back, and they'd been slaughtered. ”

“Oh, dear God,” she blurted. He'd stated it so simply, was watching her so warily. Was this his great confession? Did he think this would frighten her from him? “Oh, Cormac. ”

“Every last mother, every last babe, killed. Except for a few of the… “ He raked his fingers through his hair, leaving his head cradled in both hands. “I think a few of the older girls were missing. I can only imagine what came of them. ”