encountered.
Her eyes narrowed. Just who was Keane O'Mara? And where had he
learned to fight like this?
More importantly, why was such a man reluctant to take up his sword
against his enemy?
"Are you ever going to speak to me?" Briana held her horse to an easy
trot beside Keane's mount. "Or are you still smarting because I took
your ancestral swords without permission?"
He turned to study her, and she nearly flinched at the hard, cold look
in those smoky eyes. ' 'That is but a small part of my anger."
"Someone had to come to the aid of these people. It is cruel and
inhuman to leave them defenseless against the English."
He snagged her reins, drawing their horses close. "You speak to me of
cruelty? Inhumanity? Woman, you have no idea about either."
"And you do?"
"I've had a taste of it. Enough that I want no more." He shot her a
fierce look. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to these
people?"
"I'm offering them hope."
"Hope." He spat the word. "What you're offering them is a lie. A cruel
lie that will come back to haunt you."
"If that is true, why did you agree to come back tomorrow and help
them hone their skill with a sword?"
"Because." He released her reins and nudged his horse into a run.
"Now that they're determined to forge weapons of death, I have a
responsibility to see that they have at least a fighting chance when
they take them up and use them."
She had to urge her horse faster, to keep up. "Will you let me help?"
she shouted.
He pretended not to hear. There were too many emotions still
churning inside him. He had a feeling that his life had somehow
slipped from his cool, careful control. In the blink of an eye, he found
himself heading in a direction he'd sworn never to go again.
Because of Briana O'Neil. The most pigheaded, obstinate, frustrating
lass he'd ever known.
He rode ahead, leaving her in his dust. But even that gave him no
satisfaction.
"My lord." Vinson stood waiting at the door as Keane and Briana
stepped inside.
"Something is wrong, old man."
"Aye, my lord." Vinson glanced toward Briana, then away. "The
messenger you sent to the lass's family... met with English swords."
"Is he...?"
"Aye, my lord. His body was just returned by some lads from a
nearby village."
"No." Brianna's cry was torn from her lips.
Keane's face was devoid of emotion as he turned away. "I'll go to his
family at once."
Briana touched a hand to his. "I must go with you."
He understood. The lad's death was a burden they would both have to
bear.
The sky was still dark when Keane made his way to the stable. He
was pleased to see his horse saddled and ready in the courtyard, as
he'd requested. Also waiting was a horse and wagon. In the back of
the wagon were more than two dozen weapons he'd located
throughout Carrick House. Swords, longbows, knives, many of them
rusted and forgotten, gathering dust in unused storerooms. After a
night of work by more than a dozen servants, the blades had been
honed to a razor edge. The hilts, highly polished, caught and reflected
the wink of starlight.
It was a start. Not nearly enough to arm a militia, of course. But the
men had been told to scour their own homes and fields for whatever
weapons they could find. The local smiths would fashion even more
weapons from farm implements.
As Keane was about to pull himself into the saddle,he saw one of the
stable lads approaching.
"Good, lad. You're up. I was afraid I'd have to wake you. Let's be on
our way."
The lad pulled himself to the seat of the wagon and took up the reins.
As they started off along the curved drive, Keane rode ahead, lost in
thought. Scant weeks ago, if anyone had told him that he would be
agreeable to training the men of Carrick to fight the English, he'd
have scoffed. Yet here he was, up before dawn, ready to do just that.
How had he become so entangled in this web again? Hadn't he come
here with but one thought in mind? To settle his father's debts and
make a new life for himself. Somewhere far from anyone who had
ever heard of his damnable title and his disgusting past. And now,
look at him. About to jump in again. And all because of a female.
Would he never learn?
Briana O'Neil. He'd half expected to find her in the stable this
morrow, begging to be allowed to ride to the McCann cottage with
him.
He slowed his mount. In fact, he'd been sure of it. So sure, he'd
already planned his arguments.
This was completely uncharacteristic of the lass. Nothing could hold
back that little firestorm when she made up her mind about
something.
He reined in his horse and looked back at the horse and wagon,
plodding slowly up the hill. The driver was hunched over, as though
more asleep than awake. A wide hat completely covered the hair and
hid the face from view.
Keane felt a tingling at the back of his neck. Through the years he'd
learned to trust his instincts. And at this moment, his instincts were
shouting a warning.
He suddenly wheeled his mount and headed toward the wagon. As he
approached, the driver glanced up, then ducked his head.
"Just as I thought." Keane pulled up alongside and reached over,
yanking the hat from the driver's head, revealing a tumble of red
curls. While Briana shrank back, Keane let loose with every rich, ripe
curse he'd ever known.
' 'Just how did you think to keep your identity secret once the sun
came up?"
"I figured by then it would be too late to send me back."
"You did, did you?" He looked her up and down, noting the men's
breeches and tunic, the mud- spattered boots. He bit back the smile
that threatened. "And where did you find such lovely clothes?"
"Cora borrowed them from one of the stable lads."
"Cora." His eyes narrowed. "Now you've even dragged the servants
into this."
"They were already in it. Don't you see, Keane? Everyone in Ireland
is in this. There isn't a family left that hasn't felt the pain of an English
sword. Cora, Vinson, Mistress Malloy. It is their brothers and sons
and fathers who are buried beside the chapel. And all are cheered by
the fact that you've agreed to train the villagers in the use of
weapons."
When he didn't respond, she glanced up at him. He wasn't looking at
her. He was staring off across the green hills, glistening with dew in
the first rays of the morning sun.
She felt a glimmer of hope. "You aren't going to send me back, are
you?"
He turned to meet her eyes. And though his look was still stern, his
tone was brisk and businesslike. "We'll divide the group into two and
begin with the basics. The advantage of the longbow for distance.
How to wield a sword when fighting three or more. The need for a
concealed knife, when all else fails."
She knew her jaw had dropped. For the space of a moment, all she
could do was stare. Then, when he wheeled his mount and raced
ahead, her heart bloomed with relief and joy.
She flicked the reins, and the horse and wagon rumbled across the
meadow toward the McCann cottage, where more than three score
men and boys stood waiting in the dawn light.
Chapter Fourteen
Watch it, lad." As late afternoon shadows gathered, Keane stood on
the sidelines, shouting instructions as two burly farm boys came
together in a clash of ringing swords.
The taller of the two was swinging his blade wildly, clearly caught up
in the excitement of the moment.
"If you don't slow down, you're apt to separate your best friend's head
from his shoulders. Is that what you want, lad?"
"Nay, sir. But you told me to defend myself."
"Aye. But save the blood and pain for the English."
"Speaking of which." Hugh McCann leaned close. "I've heard that a
band of soldiers attacked a field near Derry and left an entire village
in shock. More than half their men and boys were cut down as they
were reaping their crops."
Keane made a quick calculation. ' 'From Carrick to Blaire, and now to
Derry. It sounds as though they're circling back."
"Aye. My thoughts exactly."
"Is it the same band that struck our villages before?"Hugh shrugged.
"We can't be certain. They never leave any survivors who can identify
them."
Keane glanced toward Briana, who stood nearby, coaching a group in
the art of defense using a knife at close range.
In the past few weeks she had become a familiar figure, garbed in
breeches and tunic and work-worn boots. At first the men had treated
her with great care, fearing they might do harm to the slender lass.
But they soon learned to overlook the fact that she was a female, as
she leapt into the thick of every skirmish with sword flashing. She
was absolutely fearless. A fact that caused many of the men to work
even harder than ever, in the hope of becoming her equal.
Through her usual diligence and determination, Briana had become
an accepted member of their militia. As had the lord of Carrick
House, who had once been considered their enemy.
Keane's voice lowered to a whisper. "Briana can identify the English.
It is how I met the lass. She survived the attack that bloodied the
fields of Carrick."
Hugh McCann looked aghast. "Has she spoken of it? Has she
described any of the English dogs?"
Keane shook his head. "Not a word." A fact that puzzled him. She'd
made no secret of her hatred of the English. Yet she'd never spoken
about that day, or about the men who had taken her to the brink of
death.
He shrugged. She was as entitled to her private demons as he was to
his. He wouldn't poke or prod her memory. Perhaps it was simply too
painful to bring out into the light. Something he understood all too
well.
"Come lads," one of the farmers called as he carefully laid aside his
weapon. "We've been up since dawn, working the fields, then honing
our skills with weapons of war. 'Tis time to wash away the day with
an ale or two at the tavern."
The others nodded, and, one by one, began to fall into line marching
toward the village.
When Keane and Briana made ready to leave, Hugh shook his head.
"Nay, my lord. You and the lass must join us. The men have been
talking among themselves. They wish to thank you for all you've
done for us."
Keane glanced at Briana and wondered if she was thinking about the
fine meal awaiting them at Carrick House, and the long, soaking bath
Cora would surely have ready. But what Hugh was offering was far
more than a drink with the men. It was an acknowledgment that they
had been accepted by the villagers as one of their own. It was a rare
honor.
He nodded. "Aye, Hugh. The lass and I would be grateful for a sip."
They walked to the village, leading their horses, and stood around the
warm fire while the tavern owner and his wife filled their tankards.
"To Lord Alcott," one of the men shouted, as they raised their glasses.
"And to Briana O'Neil."
They drank, wiped their mouths, and smiled as the tankards were
filled a second time.
"To Ireland," called a small, wiry man with skin the texture of aged
leather, and a thatch of white hair.
"To freedom," shouted another.
"And to all of us, who will give our last drop of blood to keep it free."
They drank more slowly, allowing the ale to snake through their veins
and warm their blood.
Hugh ordered another round for the men, then set his tankard on the
mantel and turned to Briana. "I'm told you survived an English attack
in our village, my lady."
"Aye." She sipped her ale, feeling warm and content among these
good people.
"Could you identify the soldiers?"
She noticed that the others had gone very still, watching her. She
swallowed the ale, feeling it burn a path of fire down her throat.
Her fingers tightened on the handle of the tankard, and she had to
force herself to relax her grasp. "I suppose I could." Her voice
lowered. "At least their leader."
"Is there something about him? Something that sets him apart from
the others?"
She could see Keane watching her. After all her self-righteous
lectures to him about courage, she was about to reveal her own
cowardice. "I...see him sometimes, in the night. It is a vision that
leaves me filled with terror and revulsion. But when I awake, afraid
and trembling, the image is gone. And I am left with only the sound of
his voice, damning all Irish to death." She shuddered. "And the sound
of his mocking laughter. It torments me. And wakes me often from a
sound sleep."
The men glanced around and nodded, and Hugh patted her arm much
as her brothers might. "You've nothing to be ashamed of my lady. We
understand what you're going through. It's a rather common reaction
when a warrior faces his own death."
"Do you recall anything else?" one of the farmers asked gently. "The
way this English soldier looked? His name, perhaps?"
She thought a moment, struggling to pull something, anything, out of
her clouded memory. So many fragments. Bits and pieces that
seemed to flash through her mind, then go blank. "Aye. His name."
She thought long and hard, then nodded. "His men called
him...Halsey."
Some of the men grew agitated, looking at each other for
confirmation, for they'd heard the name before.
"Halsey enjoyed the killing." Briana closed her eyes a moment, then
stared down into her ale. "He actually laughed as he sent my
companions to their death. Lads who had done nothing more than try
to defend me. Lads who'd had so little time to laugh, to love." She
shivered. "To live."
"How did you survive when no others did, lass?" a farmer asked.
Her eyes hardened. "I know not. I was filled with a rage that seemed
to take over me. I t
ook up the sword Halsey had thrust through one of
my defender's heart. And when that braggart feared I would best him
with his own sword, he ordered his men to hold me."
There was a collective gasp from the men. Briana looked over and
saw Keane's lips moving in a fierce oath. It was all coming back to
her. So clear now. So vivid. So fearsome. "And as Halsey drove his
sword through my chest, he told me that this land, and all who live in
it, will answer to an English sword." For a moment her voice
wavered, and Keane started toward her. But seeing it, she lifted a
hand to hold him at bay and began to speak faster. It was important
that she get everything out, for it had been festering in her soul all
these long days and nights. "I remember his face now." She closed
her eyes as a feeling of blackness came over her. With her eyes closed
she saw hishated face come into focus. In a near whisper she
described what she saw. "His face is scarred from many battles. His
nose is flattened from having been broken. And only a puckered scar
remains where his left ear should be." She opened her eyes. Her voice
caught in her throat. "As I lay near death, I heard Halsey order his
men to a tavern, where they could wash away the taste of...the filthy
Irish."
Keane's fingers were grasping the tankard so tightly it shattered in his
hand. A tavern wench hurried over to clean up the shards and to press
a towel to his bloody hand. He flung it aside and made his way to
Briana, while all around her the men muttered and swore.
"Come, lass." He caught her hand. "I know what this must have cost
you. It's time we returned to Carrick House."
"Wait. There is one more thing. I saw him. Halsey." As the image
rushed into her mind, she felt herself sway. "The day I was on
Peregrine. I saw him leading a group of soldiers through a nearby
wood."
"You only dreamed it, Briana. It was the fall."
"Perhaps. Aye. Nay." She stiffened, tried to push away. "I did not
dream it. I saw him, Keane. I saw Halsey. That's why I fell. I
remember it all now."
Her eyes were wide with shock.
As if in a daze she allowed herself to be led through the crowd of
men. She was only dimly aware of them squeezing her shoulder, or
calling out words of encouragement.
"You showed 'em, my lady."
"Next time, it'll be our turn, my lady."
"You're a hell of a scrapper, my lady."