Anna closed her eyes for a moment remembering her beloved black stallion. "I think my horse found his true love and is off making colts and living free. I would have it no other way."
*
"Of course, they noticed her," Connor was saying to the council. "She is bonnie, what lad would not notice her?"
"Aye," the others agreed.
Justin stroked his beard. "She does not know she is bonnie."
Finlay asked, "How did she get back inside the wall?"
Gordon said, "She has found a way under it."
Kevin ignored them. "I would much rather send a lad, but she is little and can hide in places a lad cannot. We have nine hundred thirty-six people, half of them children, depending on us to make the right decision. We must know if they prepare to attack. Rachel avoided the Fergusons last night, but can she do it again?"
Justin's arms were folded and his muscles were tense. "She has risked her life twice already. If anything happens to her, it would kill her mother and Anna."
*
Rachel had never before entered the great hall when the council was in session, and she might not have this day, if she hadn't been concerned about the strange actions of her mother and sister. Through the closed back door, she heard Connor say someone was beautiful. After that, she couldn't help but listen and realized they were talking about her. She moved closer to the door and heard Justin's voice. He was against her going out again to spy on the Fergusons and she was not about to let that go unchallenged. She opened the door and stepped in.
Connor spotted her even before Kevin did. He decided this time he would see if he could read what she was thinking and not interfere.
"Rachel, what is it?" Kevin asked.
"They are staring at a bush."
Kevin and Justin knew exactly what she was talking about, but Connor and the others looked confused. Rachel walked to her father and stood before him. "They have been there for an hour. If we do not give them relief, and soon, they will go daft. I do not know why they do it, but their eyes are urgent. They are not even speaking now; they only stare."
"Who?" asked Angus.
"My wife and her mother." Kevin answered
Gordon frowned, "War frightens all lasses."
Said Justin, "They are not frightened of anything save losing their freedom. When the bridge is up, they cannot go out."
"But the bridge is up every night, and..." Gordon began.
Kevin raised his hand to silence them. He turned his back, walked to a far wall, put his right arm high against it and lowered his head to think.