Guilt ate at him for bedding her. Yet he doubted he could resist her if he remained at Inverleith. She was like water to a man thirsting to death. In the course of three days, they had found twenty-eight clansmen who had been reluctant to leave their crofts. His last stop was at the village destroyed by Campbells. He found Alex and his father and three other men rebuilding. They had already rebuilt two crofts. “You have to come with us,” he said. “Why?” Alex’s father asked. “The danger has increased,” Rory said. “We expect more raiding from the Campbells, perhaps even a siege. We will need every Maclean on the walls.” The man nodded. It was his duty to come when the laird summoned. “We found a few cattle,” Alex said. “We will take them with us,” Rory said. “We are bringing them in from other areas as well.” He knew livestock represented a better life. The ground was not good for farming. The Macleans packed what remained after the raid and followed Rory on foot.
