Chapter 56

Two days later, just before sunrise, Eleanor stood by the window and watched the line of men disappear over the hill into darkness. At least this time she knew where they were going.

She almost wished he had lied.

Keeping her fears to herself and not shedding a tear when he kissed her goodbye had been the hardest thing she’d ever done. Harder even than letting him lower her into the deep, narrow crevasse that she had been certain would become her grave. Knowing she wasn’t likely to see him again until she could sit a horse made it ten times worse.

“It would be best to keep busy now,” Mairead said, placing her hand on Eleanor’s shoulder. “I know that won’t be easy since you still need to stay as still as possible. Have you ever tried sketching?”

Fann and his group of mercenaries stood at the edge of the woods on the MacInnis side of the river. They were looking across the valley to the MacDonald keep on the top of the hill on the other side.

“The ride from here is short, but also a l