"How could we keep her in? You heard her; she would have gone out anyway. At least this way she knows we depend on her to come right back."
Thomas squared his shoulders. "The Camerons will watch the doors at night. We will guard them, find your traitor and silence him."
"Good. Just make sure they do not keep a lass from coming in. We must have Rachel back."
"Have you a plan for winning this war?" Thomas asked.
Kevin lowered his voice. "I do. We must first..."
*
Four hours after Rachel left, Connor slipped through the door in the wall to wait for her. She might need his help climbing out of the moat and he would not let her down. It was another night of pitch black with clouds hiding the moon and he was glad. The noise inside the hold was normal and he strained to hear and feel any movement in the water. He stood for a while, sat for a while and stood again. Still, she didn't come back. The minutes seemed endless and he stayed all night until the sky began to lighten. He thought about just staying outside the wall now that the Fergusons knew about the doors. However, Kevin wanted everything to look as though the MacGreagors didn't suspect a traitor, so he reluctantly went back in.
Where was she? He was starting to feel the hurt in his heart Kevin felt when Anna left, and he didn't like it one bit. Now Rachel would have to hide all day until it was dark enough for her to come back. She wouldn't sleep, she wouldn't eat, she would be exhausted, and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. Loving Rachel was beginning to tear him apart.
*
Kevin was up all night as well and he was exhausted. Still, the next morning he knew Thomas would appear again on the hill and he wanted his old friend to know. He waited and as soon as Thomas walked his horse into the clearing, Kevin moved to the window. It was dangerous. Standing at the window made him an easy target for any number of Fergusons hiding in the forest with their bows loaded. His movements were swift. He wiped ashes on both sides of his face and then moved away from the window.
It took him a moment to understand, but then Thomas caught his breath; Smudges had not come back. He guided his horse out of sight, brought his hand up and ran his fingers through his dark hair. He could still remember how he felt when they feared little Rachel was lost forever. The King killed the scunner and Thomas was more than happy to watch, but it took two long days before they found Rachel in that closet the scunner locked her in.