Chapter 18

Later that day, during Easter dinner at Alan's Tower, Lady Kelso chose to make a commonplace of Rob's having met the lady Mairi in St. Michael's Kirk.

"Mairi looked to be in good spirits, I thought," she said.

"She seemed well enough, aye," Rob said, matching her matter-of-fact tone. "She and the dowager Lady Dunwythie are visiting Douglas of Thornhill. His lady wife, you will remember, is Baroness Easdale."

"Lord Dunwythie's wife should more properly be called simply Lady Dunwythie until the next heir marries, my dearling," Lady Kelso said. "You may believe me when I tell you that being always referred to as a dowager gets quickly on a woman's nerves. And Lady Dunwythie has not yet reached her fortieth year."

Realizing that she spoke from personal experience, Rob grinned at her but said, "Aged or not, Gran, she is no less a dowager, because Mairi is her father's heiress and thus is now Dunwythie of Dunwythie. Therefore, when people refer to Lady Dunwythie now, they will be referring to her."

"Bless me, so Dunwythie of that Ilk is now a woman," Alex Maxwell said thoughtfully. "'Tis a most thought-provoking situation, is it not?"

Meeting his gaze, Rob felt a distinct chill.

Mairi had rejoined the others after parting with Rob, and tried hard to pay heed to the general conversation as they rode back to Thornhill for their midday meal. She knew the others were burning to ask about her conversation with him.

But although Phaeline glanced at her several times as if she expected Mairi to initiate such a conversation, even she did not comment on their meeting.

Jenny did ask her about it when they reached Thornhill. Having put a heel through the hem of her dress, she asked Mairi to go with her to pin it up again.

"Peg is helping to set out Easter dinner," Jenny said. "Forbye, this way we can steal a few minutes alone, so you can tell me about what happened in kirk. If you do not want to talk about it, I will understand," she added as Mairi knelt to attend to the tear. "But Hugh told me who that man was that walked with you afterward. So you must know that I'm all agog to hear what he wanted with you."

"He is not as you must think he is," Mairi said. "He was kind to me, though he says I must not describe him so. He wanted to know if Gib is ready yet to return to Trailinghail. I told you about Lady Kelso, Robert's grandmother. She looked after Gib when his parents died. The sheriff had no place for the lad, she said, so she gave him to Robert."

"Gave him?"

"To train in some way or other," Mairi explained. "Gib will have to make his own way, after all, and Robert can do more for him than Lady Kelso can." She explained how Gib had ended up with her. "He said he likes to learn about places and people, but I think he is likely ready to return to Trailinghail. I'll arrange for one of the men to take him into Dumfries on our way back to Annan."

So sure was she that, two days later, when she told Gib of her arrangement, it came as a shock when he said, "But I'd liefer stay at Annan House, m'lady."

"Now, Gibby—"

"Sithee, we ha' been gone nigh onto a sennight now, and heaven kens what mischief that wee devil will ha' got himself into. I should go back to be sure all is well wi' the lad. Like as no, I'll ha' dunamany chances to get back to Trailinghail."

Rob was sure by the end of that week that Gib had returned to Annan with Mairi, and also sure that he knew his brother's mind as well as he knew his own.

Although Alex had said no more about the matter, he had clearly taken the news of Mairi's inheritance to mean that Dunwythie Mains, with only a woman to run the estate, was as good as his. In the intervening days, although Alex had gone about it quietly, Rob learned that he had begun gathering a large force of men.

The discovery frightened and infuriated him. But he ignored his personal feelings and took care not to look at his grandmother when they sat down to supper Saturday evening. He believed that, much as Lady Kelso disliked the idea of Alex seizing Dunwythie Mains, she would accept his explanation that it was his duty as the sheriff and would do little, actively, to support Rob against him.

Accordingly, and with a strong if unusual sense of calm, Rob said, "I ken fine what you mean to do, Alex. But you have not thought this matter through."

"What matter do you think we are discussing, Rob?"

"Don't carp. 'Tis plain that you mean to take advantage of the situation as you perceive it to be. With only a woman to guard those estates, you imagine you can seize them, and you will begin with Dunwythie Mains."

"Seizing estates when their owners flout Crown law is no more than my official duty," Alex said, just as Rob had expected he would.

"But the same truths apply now that applied before with regard to seizing them," Rob said. "The new baroness is indeed a woman, but she is wise beyond her years. And the men who serve her are well trained and as competent as our own, if not more so. Do not forget that with the English occupying Lochmaben, the men of Annandale test their mettle more often than our Dumfries lads do. And Lord Dunwythie trained them."

"Faugh," Alex said. "Do not you forget that I am well experienced in the field. Moreover, you will be beside me with your sword this time, as you should be."

"Nay, then, I will not," Rob said. "Not to attack the young baroness or the innocent people who look after her estates. And certainly not whilst Archie the Grim roams about with heaven kens how many men, not to mention all the others he can quickly summon to his banner if he wants them."

"We've had no word of late that he is in Dumfriesshire," Alex said.

"But you ken fine that when he moves he moves swiftly," Rob countered. "Moreover, he is more popular in Annandale and with some folks here than you are, Alex. And with a kinsman at Thornhill to complain of your attack on Dunwythie, he might decide not only to protect Dunwythie Mains but also to punish you for your temerity in lately besieging Trailinghail, which I'd remind you lies in Galloway."

"He won't do any such thing, for that was not a true siege," Alex countered. "Archie will understand better than you do that I could not allow my own brother to flout my commands. I have never set myself against Douglas, nor would I."

"Sakes, man, you and your men rode across Douglas land to lay that siege you say was not one at Trailinghail," Rob said. "All the land betwixt Kirkcudbright and mine at Trailinghail belongs to Douglas."

"Mayhap it is, aye, but I have only to tell Archie that my purpose was to rescue the lady Mairi from you."

"Rescuing her may have been your intent," Rob said dulcetly, allowing himself a slight smile. "But if I were you, I'd think twice before mentioning that in support of your so-called right to seize the same lady's estates."

Reddening, Alex retorted angrily, "I will do my duty, come what may."

"Will you? Well, I cannot keep you from trying, but I won't ride with you."

"And if I command you to do so?"

Rob shook his head, saying, "I'll bid you farewell now, brother. I cannot wish you good fortune in your venture, but I do sincerely hope you come through such a mad scheme with your skin still intact."

"By God, you do not change," Alex snapped. "You would betray your own clan for the sake of a pretty face and figure. You should be ashamed to call yourself a Maxwell, Rob!"

"My only shame is that I allowed myself to be swayed by such arguments in the past," Rob said. "If being a Maxwell means attacking an innocent woman to take her rightful property merely to augment a kinsman's personal power, I think shame to the clan and to the man who instigates such an attack."

With that, and astonished by the ease with which he had held his temper, Rob strode out to the yard and shouted for his men and horses. An hour later, they were on the road, heading north from Dumfries by the river route to Thornhill.

Two days later, on the first day of May, Mairi was sitting in the ladies' solar at Annan House with a silent Phaeline when Jopson brought word that Parland Dow had arrived.

"Will I be tellin' him to be getting on wi' such tasks as his late lordship and me discussed, my lady, or will ye be having new ones for him?" the steward asked.

As Mairi paused to choose her reply, Phaeline said, "I should think that you must know much better than her ladyship does what orders to give Dow, Jopson."

Quietly, as if her stepmother had kept silent, Mairi said, "Thank you for telling me, Jopson. Unless aught has changed since you and I talked after my lord father's death, tell Parland Dow what we decided and let him get on with it."

"Aye, mistress," the steward said. "He did beg a word wi' ye, though, if ye should find a convenient time to speak wi' him."

"I will go to him now," Mairi said. "I warrant he has brought news."

"Gossip, more like," Phaeline said. "The man is ever filled with it. But surely he can share what news he has gleaned with both of us this evening whilst we sup, Mairi. 'Tis what your father would have done."

That was her newest ploy, to try to get her way by declaring that whatever she wanted was what Dunwythie would have done. Mairi knew, though, that Phaeline was only aching to hear the news just as she was.

"My father would have issued his invitation personally, madam," she said. "And so must I. That way, we can all three be comfortable whilst we talk."

"'Tis a kind thought, dearling, but better to let Jopson do it," Phaeline said with the sweet tone and smile she used whenever she thought she had won.

Mairi did not comment, and ignored her stepmother's astonishment as she excused herself with an equally sweet smile to go with the steward.

"Does Parland Dow come to us from Dumfries, Jopson?" she asked quietly as they approached the stairway.

"I think he said he had come from Thornhill, m'lady."

"Thornhill? Thank the Fates you did not tell me that in front of her ladyship!"

"I knew better, mistress, for Dow did say I should tell you in such a way that you would come to him alone. I could not mistake that."

"Sakes, I hope naught is amiss at Thornhill."

"Nay, for I did ask him straightaway if all was well with our lady Jenny."

Relieved, Mairi greeted Dow a few minutes later with a smile and a warm clasp of his hand. "I am glad to see you," she said.

"Ye mayn't be so when ye hear what I ha' to tell ye," he said with a grimace.

"Jopson assured me all is well at Thornhill. So what is it?"

"'Tis Sir Hugh sending me hotfoot to warn ye them blasted Maxwells be aiming to seize the estates at Dunwythie Mains in the name o' the Crown," he said.

"The sheriff did threaten to do such a thing, but I did not believe he would."

"Sir Hugh did say Sheriff Maxwell means to do so straightaway. See you, m'lady, the man doubts ye'll be strong enough to stop him."

"We'll see about that," Mairi said grimly. To the waiting Jopson, she said, "Send messengers north to Lord Johnstone and to anyone else who may be willing to help stop this outrage. Warn them to make haste to Dunwythie Mains."

"Should I send to warn the Jardines then, as well, mistress?"

Fiona's image leaped to mind, and she said, "Aye, tell them that we are on the way and will welcome their aid. We must not expect them to help, but I could not be easy of mind if I did not warn them that trouble is about to erupt so near them."

"Old Jardine be more apt to be a-siding wi' the Maxwells," Parland Dow said. "I ha' nae doots that fierce old man kens fine what be going on, and Will, too."

"They most likely do, aye," Mairi said. "But they may not, and the lady Fiona is with them at Spedlins Tower, so I must warn them. Jopson, tell Captain Gerrard about this and help him gather our men swiftly. I'll order food for us, change my clothing, and will be ready to ride as soon as the men are. Tell Gerrard they must dress as if they were raiding England, and to prepare themselves well for battle."

"Ye willna go yourself, m'lady!" the steward exclaimed. "Beg pardon, but… I mean to say, ye'd only be—"

"I ken fine that I am no warrior, Jopson. But I will not send our men into danger whilst I stay safely here. Dunwythie of Dunwythie will lead the way, as always. However," she added dryly, "assure them that her ladyship will pull aside before she can become a nuisance—most likely before we reach the chapel hill."

When he frowned, she added, "I should be safe enough riding that far with our men. The Maxwells, coming from Dumfries, will likely cross the Annan north of the Hall. With the recent heavy rains, the ford below Applegarth won't be safe."

"I think Sir Hugh expects ye to stay here at Annan House," Dow said warily.

Meeting her indignant look with a rueful grimace, he reached hastily into his leather jack and withdrew a narrow roll of vellum, adding as he held it out to her, "I did bring ye another message, as well, from Dumfries."

Taking it gently, she said, "Faith, who sent this?"

"I warrant it will bear a signature," Dow said, giving her a look.

"So it will," she agreed, noting that the red wax seal revealed only a small, narrow thumbprint. Stepping away from the two men, she broke the seal and unrolled the brief message:

My dearest,

Since Easter service, he has been most melancholy and restless, so if you had doubts of him, you may dismiss them. Know that I shall do all I can to aid you if you seek what, in a more accepting world, you both so clearly would seek. He will not long allow himself to feel so haunted without seeking action. Know, too, that Archie the Grim is even now gathering an army for his latest purpose and will order that all men of Galloway follow him when he sets forth. —AK

Striving to suppress suddenly roiling emotions, and wondering if Lady Kelso could possibly have known when she wrote the message that her elder grandson meant to seize Dunwythie Mains and her other estates, Mairi rolled the message up again and said, "Tell our lads to hurry, but be sure they have all they will need, Jopson. We can still reach the Hall before sundown, I believe."

"Aye, mistress, easily. Moreover, I should think the Maxwells canna ha' set foot yet in Annandale, or we'd have had word of it."

She nodded, seeing no reason to mention that, just weeks before, several of the sheriff's men had come into Annandale without warning. If the sheriff headed a large force, as she expected he would, many would notice. In any case, Jopson would send messengers out straightaway to warn as many as they could.

Without sparing another thought for the men's preparations, knowing that Jopson and Gerrard would see to them and that she could trust both men implicitly, she went in to order the food and tackle Phaeline.

Gibby was piling wood in a basket by the hall fire with one hand and dangling a string with the other for Tiggie, so she sent him to issue her orders for food. "Tell them to pack what the men will need and send it outside," she ordered.

"Aye, mistress, I'll see to it," the boy said as he ran toward the kitchen.

Next, she found her stepmother still in the solar. Relating the news Parland Dow had brought, Mairi said, "Hugh is on his way, madam, and I shall go with our men, of course. But we will leave enough men-at-arms here to keep you safe."

"Godamercy, no Maxwell has the right to seize our estates," Phaeline protested. "Doubtless the sheriff thinks he can do so only because you are a woman. So 'tis just as I warned you it would be. Faith, but I suspect he thinks it is his duty to take them, if only to run them properly. But we will just see what my cousin Archie thinks of such impudence."

"Doubtless Sir Hugh has already sent word to the Lord of Galloway," Mairi said. "However, I cannot dally here. I don't want to delay the men."

"Sakes, you will delay them simply by insisting on riding with them," Phaeline said. "What do you think you can do to aid them?"

"My father, for all his peaceful ways, never let his men ride into danger without leading them. Nor shall I. I shan't wield a sword, but I will be nearby."

"Utter stupidity," Phaeline said with an unladylike snort. "But you will have your way, I expect."

"In this matter, I certainly will," Mairi said.

"Then it is no less than my bounden duty to go with you," Phaeline declared.

"Nay, then, you need not!" Mairi exclaimed in dismay.

"My dearling child, no unmarried female should be riding with an army of rough men, no matter where their loyalties may lie. Moreover, I am still your mother, so do not argue with me."

Mairi had no time to argue. Furthermore, she suspected that Phaeline was more concerned about Fiona than she had yet let anyone see. They had heard not a word from her, or about her, since their return from Thornhill.

Therefore, saying only that Phaeline would have to make haste, as they would not wait for her, Mairi hurried to her own room and summoned Sadie. Dressing quickly, she snatched up the bundle of clothing that Sadie packed hastily for her and rushed back to the yard to find all in train for their departure.

As Jopson strapped her bundle to her horse, he reported that he had sent word to every baron for twenty miles around that the Maxwells were coming.

"The lad I sent on to Lord Johnstone will learn if his lordship had already sent out word himself, mistress. If not, the lad will ask him to warn all north o' him," he added. "Ye'll ha' a good-sized Annandale army a-joining ours soon."

"Good," Mairi said. "The more help we can gather the better. By the bye, Jopson, the lady Phaeline will be riding with us." Anticipating his dismay, she added, "I hope you do not think I ought to have stopped her—"

"Nay, mistress, I think nowt o' the sort. In sooth, it be a load off me mind, that ye'll ha' her ladyship wi' ye, though it do take me aback that she be willing to go."

To Mairi's surprise, for she had expected her to keep them waiting just to prove she could, Phaeline hurried out a few minutes later. It occurred to Mairi only then that, as Applegarth lay south of Dunwythie Mains, Phaeline might be thinking that they could seek shelter there. If so, she would learn her error.

Mairi's place was with her own people at Dunwythie Mains.

Rob and Sir Hugh Douglas, between them, led a party of eighty-five men, but Rob was certain they would need more. As they crested the long ridge that divided Nithsdale from Annandale, he half expected to see Alex's army filling the landscape below them.

Aware of Hugh's gaze, he met it and saw a twinkle in the older man's eyes.

"What?" Rob demanded curtly.

"Here now, lad, don't be snapping at me," Hugh warned. But the twinkle deepened. "I cannot help it if I still feel amazed at receiving a warning from a Maxwell about a Maxwell attack on Annandale."

"Sakes, not all of Annandale, only the Dunwythie estates," Rob said.

"Even so," Hugh said. "Maxwells rarely turn against Maxwells."

"Nor have I," Rob said. "As I told you, I want only to protect the lady Mairi's estates by keeping Alex from seizing them. I don't want anyone killed."

"That may happen, though, if battle comes of this, as I believe it may."

"I could not allow the seizure, Hugh. You know Dunwythie attended to the Crown's business in Annandale just as seneschals of old did. That fact alone should satisfy everyone with a stake in the matter."

"So one would think."

"But Alex thirsts to expand his powers as Sheriff of Dumfries. He would see the Maxwells, under his guidance, control as much of southwest Scotland as he can lay hands on, your cousin Archie notwithstanding."

"He has sadly underestimated the Douglases then," Hugh said.

"I ken that fine. But Alex sees nowt save his own ambition, and so far, Archie has not found reason to thrust his power in Alex's face."

"So far, Archie has but dipped a toe in Nithsdale water to test its sheriff's intent," Hugh said. "If your brother were wiser, he'd see that."

"Archie is not now in Nithsdale," Rob pointed out.

"Art so sure of that?"

A chill tickled Rob's spine much like the one that had struck when he realized Alex meant to take Mairi's lands. He had no idea where Archie was.

"Has he returned to these parts, then?" he asked.

"Archie hears more than any other commander and moves faster. Those are facts that most men know about him, facts that your brother has clearly forgotten."

"But Alex keeps ears out, too," Rob protested. "Surely, he would know if the Douglases had entered Nithsdale, and that's the most likely route to Annandale."

"Archie is like the wind—gone and then back again when one least expects it," Hugh said. "He has certainly visited Annandale, for he wants badly to get the English occupiers of Lochmaben out of this country."

"Aye, we must."

"Meantime, your brother is seizing what he thinks is a grand opportunity. Has he not wit enough to see how Archie will perceive a move against one of his own?"

Rob knew that Alex had discounted all risk, but he could see no reason to tell Hugh so. Alex was, after all, still Rob's brother. He said, "I'd hoped that you and I could stop him before it came to that."

In a gentle voice that did not fool Rob in the least, Hugh said, "Before you came to me at Thornhill, you must have guessed I would send to advise Archie of what was going forward. Did you not count on Douglas strength, in the end, to foil the sheriff's plan?"

"Aye, sure," Rob said. "But I counted on the threat alone to dissuade him. I thought Douglas was back in Galloway, at Threave, not anywhere near at hand."

"Aye, well, in future you should be minded of two facts about Archie. If you need him, he will come, and if you don't want him, he'll come all the faster."

Deciding to change the subject since it was far too late to change Archie, who might be needed, Rob said, "Do you trust Dow to warn them at Annan House without terrifying them or stirring the lady Mairi to ride straight to the Hall?"

"Mairi is always sensible," Hugh said in a tone that Rob thought he meant to be reassuring. "I told Dow to say the message came from me, and not just because you asked me to do so. I thought it wiser not to confuse her by telling her you would be with me. She will trust me to deal with any number of Maxwells."

As Rob had not told Hugh about his feelings for Mairi or hers for him, Hugh's confidence did not reassure him at all. He feared that Mairi might put herself in harm's way, hoping she could stop the sheriff—stop the Maxwells, in fact—or intervene some other way, before anyone got hurt.

"She will think I ride with Alex," he said.

Hugh looked narrowly at him. "What if she does?"

Rob grimaced. "She will either hope I can keep him from harming anyone else or will think I agree that we Maxwells should control Annandale. Sithee, she has accused me more than once of trying to control all."

To his surprise, Hugh chuckled. "Women frequently make such accusations," he said, "particularly when a man issues an order he expects them to obey."

"You speak from experience, I expect."

"Aye, sure, I do—experience with another baroness in her own right, come to that. Such women have little trouble making decisions, so doubtless most of them take umbrage when a man tells them what to do. I did therefore have the sense not to issue anything resembling a command in that message I sent with Dow."

A shiver shot up Rob's spine. "Mayhap you should have," he said. "I'm thinking we should ride faster, Hugh."

The fifteen-mile ride to Dunwythie Mains would take Mairi's party at least five hours, because the men wanted to spare their horses as much as they could. So, although she had wanted to ride faster, she contented herself with persuading Phaeline that only one stop was necessary to refresh themselves and partake of a light meal. However, their party increased its number shortly after they stopped, when Gibby arrived.

"I thought ye might need me," he explained when Gerrard snatched him off his pony and gave him a shake.

"I'll show ye who needs what," the captain of the guard said angrily. "Ye'll be riding straight back, me lad, and riding gey sore when I'm done wi' ye."

"Nay," Mairi said quietly, remembering her ride with Gibby and Rob at Trailinghail. "It may not be safe to send him back alone, Gerrard, and he will be no more trouble to you than I am. He can stay with the lady Phaeline and me."

"Aye, mistress, but I trust ye'll no deny me the pleasure o' teaching the lad a lesson in obedience when we get home."

Gibby gazed at Mairi with such soulful innocence that she almost felt guilty when she said, "Nay, Gerrard, I'll not stop you. He deserves skelping for this."

The boy grimaced but made no protest, and rode meekly in Mairi's wake when they were on their way again.

Although Rob and Hugh had picked up the pace, Rob's thoughts had raced ahead. No matter what notions came to him, the fact was that whatever course Mairi chose, he could do naught to alter it. He could only reassure himself that Alex would not harm her. He would value her instead as a weapon with which to control Rob.

The best thing Rob could do was to put her out of his mind, to stop feeling anything but the horse under him and the wind in his face. He could do no good by wasting energy on his rage with Alex or fear for Mairi. He must put all that aside.

To protect Mairi, he must stop thinking about her.

They did not know if Alex was in Annandale already or not. They had purposely stayed northeast of Dumfries until they were over the ridge and in north Annandale, to avoid word of their small force reaching the sheriff's ears. They rode now on the ancient Roman road that would pass within a mile of Dunwythie Hall.