"Oh, Isobel, I'm so glad you've all returned." Jessie embraced her, then turned to Seona. "And I'm happy to see you and your aunt again." 'Twas half true anyway, she was indeed thrilled to see Seona. Her aunt, not so much, for she was a harpy, but the older woman's face didn't appear near as pinched and annoyed as it used to.

"I'm now your cousin-by-marriage. Keegan and I are wed." Seona smiled so brightly, 'twas nearly blinding, and her blue eyes gleamed with happiness.

"In truth? Congratulations! I'm so pleased." Jessie embraced her. "You will have to tell me how this came about when we have more time."

"I will. And this is my younger sister, Talia." Seona motioned to a petite, dark-haired lass of about eighteen summers who stood behind her, a shy smile on her face.

"Welcome, Lady Talia. I'm glad you've come," Jessie said. "Let's go inside where you can rest. I'm sure you're all exhausted from the journey."

The women proceeded across the courtyard, but when shouting and a loud commotion erupted outside the gates, they halted.

Jessie turned to see Torrin and the others bolting through the portcullis. She ran toward them, but one of the burly guards blocked her path.

"Stay back, m'lady! Get them inside," he commanded another guard.

The only thing she could see through the closing portcullis was Torrin withdrawing his sword and dashing toward the beach.

"Torrin!" she yelled, but he didn't even look back. "What's happening?" she demanded of the guard.

"Haldane and his men charged down from the hill."

"Nay!" Isobel tried to get past the guard. "Let me pass!"

"Nay, m'lady. With all due respect, you must go inside. Chief Dirk will have all our heads if you're injured."

"Haldane, that bastard," Jessie said. "Come, ladies, we can see what's happening from the ramparts."

The other ladies followed her into the great hall and up the turnpike stairs to the area she'd been watching from earlier.

A large force of men, all wearing similar plaids rushed the beach.

"Oh, saints," Jessie hissed, dread kicking her in the stomach. "Haldane didn't have that many men." Although she saw Haldane among them. "Who are they?" And then she saw Gregor. "MacBain, you bastard!" she yelled.

"Who is he and why are they attacking?" Seona asked, anguish in her voice.

"He is the man I was in the trial marriage with. He returned a few weeks ago, trying to force me to marry him. He even tried to kidnap me. Torrin MacLeod rescued me and had him escorted off MacKay land. He's returned with his army." She watched as MacBain engaged Torrin in a sword battle not too far from the castle. "This is my fault."

"Nay, 'tis not. Please, God, protect them," Isobel prayed.

Closer to the water, Dirk was engaged in a sword dual with McMurdo. All the men were involved in hand-to-hand combat. Wind blew the kicked up sand from the beach, creating dust clouds.

"Is Dirk well enough to fight?" Jessie asked. "We'd heard he was shot with an arrow."

"He is better but still limping," Isobel said, her face white. "Kill him, Dirk," she growled low.

Three of the MacBains had already fallen and another of Haldane's men, thank the saints.

When Jessie's frantic gaze shifted back to Torrin, she saw that blood had saturated his white shirt. But he still battled MacBain.

One of MacBain's men slipped up behind Torrin.

"Torrin! Behind you!" Jessie shouted, unsure if he could hear her with all the wind and noise of battle.

The bastard knocked him on the head with his sword hilt and Torrin fell. MacBain stabbed his sword toward Torrin's stomach.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!" Jessie rushed down the steps, tears blurring her vision.

"Jessie! You can't go out there!" Isobel yelled after her. But she had no time to answer. She was determined to pull Torrin to safety. Please don't let him be dead.

She checked that her Highland dirk was in the sheath on her belt.

If Torrin is dead, so help me… MacBain would die by her hand this day.

She ran outside into the bailey, to the closed portcullis. "Let me out!" she ordered the young guard left in charge of the gates. Apparently, all the seasoned guards had joined in the battle.

"Nay, I cannot m'lady. The other guards would string me up."

Jessie pretended to head back inside the castle, but when the guard turned his attention elsewhere, she dashed along the side of the castle toward the small back postern gate. With shaking hands, she opened it with her key and locked it back. Taking out her foot-long dirk, she hurried along the outside of the curtain wall, trying to stay low and hidden behind the grasses and bushes, her stomach aching more with each step. What would she find when she reached Torrin? Would he be dead from some horrid sword wound? Wiping the tears from her eyes, she approached the place she'd seen him fall. The rest of the fighting had moved to the beach.

Torrin was pushing himself up on his elbow. Saints, his shirt and doublet were drenched in blood.

"Torrin, thanks be to God you're alive! I have to get you inside the walls."

"What the hell are you doing out here?" he growled. His face contorted in pain, he glanced about.

"Helping you, you daft sheep. The faster you come with me, the faster we'll get behind the gate."

Grimacing, he pushed himself to his feet, his sword still in his right hand. She gently placed an arm around his waist, careful to avoid his injuries, and helped him. Glancing around, she didn’t see anyone nearby. She helped him closer to the portcullis. Almost there.

Someone shoved them both from behind, and they crashed to their knees.

Mo chreach!

She tried to get her dirk turned to stab their attackers.

"Grab her! Come on!" That was Haldane's voice.

"Bastard!" Jessie yelled. She would gut him if she could get her blade in the right position.

She was still on her stomach when someone dragged her by the feet, away from Torrin.

"Release her!" Torrin shouted.

"Kill him," Haldane growled.

"Nay! Leave him be and I'll go with you." Shoving the hair out of her eyes, Jessie saw 'twas McMurdo that Haldane was ordering about.

Loud clashes and curses echoed as Torrin fended off McMurdo's blade.

She sat up, intending to stab Haldane's leg. But he kicked the knife from her hand and yanked her to her feet. She thrust her fist toward his face. He ducked and slapped her hard across the cheek. Pain lanced through her face and neck, and she swayed.

The earth spun as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" she ordered, beating her fists against his back.

"Shut your gob," he said, breaking into a run.

Dizzy, she watched the ground speed by underneath her. Haldane's solid shoulder slammed painfully into her stomach with each step he took across the hard-packed sand, near knocking the breath from her. Coming to her senses, she kneed and elbowed him. If only she could get to one of the knives strapped to her calf or thigh, but 'twas impossible to reach them now.

"Are you mad, Haldane? Release me!"

Haldane merely laughed as they headed away from the battle on the beach and through the massive sand dunes.

She noticed someone chasing along behind them. McMurdo. Nay! Had he killed Torrin?

Please, God, let him live.