A few minutes later, Dirk and Rebbie found Aiden pacing in the library.
"What is it, lad?" Dirk asked after they entered and closed the door.
"'Tis Mother. I heard her whispering to Haldane. She told him to go to the tavern in the village and meet with a man with light hair and a beard."
"She didn't say his name?"
Aiden shook his head. "Nay. If she did, I didn't hear it."
"To what purpose? Is this someone she's hiring to assassinate me?"
"That's what it sounded like. Haldane is to take him a bag of silver."
Dirk muttered a string of Gaelic curses. "You stay here, Aiden. I'll take the men and see what's going on at the tavern."
Moments later, Dirk, Rebbie, Keegan, Erskine and five other clansmen rode away from Dunnakeil along the frozen mud trail. Gloaming had quickly descended to night. The chill wind blew low clouds rapidly beneath the moon, creating moments of meager light mixed with darkness. Although it was difficult to see clearly, Dirk scanned the hills and mountains around them, as did the other men.
Before they'd left the keep, Dirk had checked the dungeon. McMurdo remained locked up. He'd questioned the other members of McMurdo's gang, but none had revealed anything. He had to find out who this new threat was from. Who had shot the arrow at him and who was Haldane meeting in the tavern?
He only hoped Isobel stayed safely in her room as he'd told her. He'd left Conall's second son, Dougal, and another trusted clansman guarding outside her door. Dirk shouldn't think of the kiss on the roof because it might distract him, but 'twas hard to forget the addictive taste and feel of her. The vivid images of her that played through his head heated his blood on this cold night.
The flicker of lantern light at Stackie's abandoned byre beside the trail caught his eye. He drew up. "Someone is in the byre up ahead. It could be a crofter, or it could be an ambush." He dismounted. "Come. Let's slip up on them."
The other men dismounted, drew their swords and followed him. Leaving their lantern behind, and two men to guard the horses, they crept the rest of the way by the moody light of the moon, the frost crunching and crackling beneath their boots.
They slipped in behind the byre and along the side as silently as possible. Hearing rumbling voices inside, Dirk paused to listen but could make out none of their words.
"Do you think 'tis Haldane?" Rebbie whispered.
"Likely."
When one of Haldane's friends rounded the corner alone, they knew the truth of it. Dirk knocked him on the head with the hilt of his sword. He gave a low cry and crumpled to the ground.
"Bind him," Dirk whispered, sheathing his sword.
He hoped the noise didn't alert the rest of the group. When he heard raised voices coming from inside, he figured they hadn't been paying attention.
Rebbie dragged the man behind the stone building.
The arguing continued inside the byre, then a yell cut them off. Haldane, trying to be bossy and commanding. How did they expect to ambush anyone if they were that boisterous? Or maybe it wasn't an ambush after all. Mayhap they were simply having a meeting. Either way, they were likely up to no good.
Haldane and some of his friends were in that youthful, awkward stage between a lad and man. Most of them were tall and strong but had more cockiness than sense. They'd take foolish risks a grown man wouldn't take. They were dangerous, both to others and themselves.
Dirk waited in the shadows at the side of the building where the moonlight didn't reach him.
Another youth popped his head around the corner. "Finlay? Where the devil are you?"
Come a wee bit closer.
Dirk almost grinned when the young man drew his sword and crept forward. Dirk leapt from the shadows, grabbed his opponent's sword wrist and clapped his hand over his mouth.
"Be quiet or you'll regret it," Dirk growled next to his ear. Easily subduing the skinny lad, he dragged him behind the building. "I need a rope and a gag," Dirk whispered to Rebbie.
"'Tis time to put a stop to this," Keegan muttered once both the young troublemakers were trussed up like pigs.
"What's your plan?" Dirk asked.
"I'm going to ask Haldane what the hell he's about. You two stay here."
"Nay, I'd never let you handle this alone," Dirk said.
Keegan was much closer to Haldane than Dirk, having been with him all these years, so maybe he could get through to him. But Dirk still wanted to protect his cousin. Haldane was unpredictable and unscrupulous, especially when he was doing his mother's bidding.
Dirk's party crept around the side of the small stone building.
"You men, wait out here," Dirk told Erskine and the others.
Dirk, Keegan and Rebbie walked into the ruined byre and the five arguing men inside dropped silent and turned. A lantern sat to the side, illuminating each face.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Haldane asked, glaring at Dirk.
"I'm wondering the same thing about you, brother."
"Where are Finlay and Ross?" Haldane demanded.
"They're safe," Keegan said. "What are you lads doing here in this abandoned byre?"
"'Tis none of your concern what I do."
"As chief of this clan, I find 'tis my concern," Dirk said.
"You're only the chief as long as you can stay alive." Smirking, Haldane withdrew his sword. His four friends followed suit, assuming the guard stance.
Damnation, he wished Haldane was not his brother; he would beat some sense into him. Dirk couldn't harm family… at least he hoped he didn't have to. He remembered Haldane when he'd been a wee lad. But Dirk could toss his daft arse into the dungeon and teach him a lesson.
"Put the sword away," Dirk said in a reasonable tone, his own sword still in the scabbard. His brother was so inexperienced that he didn't know this space was too confined to use a broadsword effectively. A dagger or dirk would be far more useful if you truly wanted to kill someone.
"Nay," Haldane growled. "Let's have this out once and for all."
"I have several men outside waiting. You're outnumbered." Dirk crossed his arms over his chest.
"I can still kill you." With a rush forward, Haldane charged him, his sword tip pointed at Dirk's chest.
Dirk stepped aside and grabbed his brother's sword arm. Although the lad was strong and slightly brawny, his strength couldn't compare to Dirk's. He squeezed Haldane's wrist near hard enough to break it. The lad cried out and dropped his weapon. Maneuvering quickly, Dirk restrained Haldane's arms behind his back and shoved his face against the stone wall.
Steel blades clanged as the other men moved the skirmish outside for more room. Damnation, 'twas too dark for a battle now.
"Listen to me, you little bastard," Dirk growled next to Haldane's ear while yanking one arm up harder. "Doing your mother's bidding will get you killed. She's a treacherous bitch and a murderess. I'm taking her down. If you're hanging onto her skirt-tails like a wee bairn, you'll go down with her. You want to be a man, act like one."
Haldane squirmed, cursed and jerked about, trying to free himself, but Dirk held him fast.
"Who were you planning to meet at the tavern?" Dirk asked.
"You think I'm telling you?"
Retaining a hold on his wrists, Dirk shoved him outside in search of a rope to tie him up. One of Haldane's men, in truth one of Maighread's younger guards, lay on the ground, unmoving, blood staining the side of his face.