03 Shake Loose the Border by Robert Low

Author:Robert Low [Low, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 9781800322585
Google: Z6cbzgEACAAJ
Amazon: B08LZ8KDW1
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing
Published: 2021-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

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Dickon had them routed out and back to the hall and Batty, stiff and shivering, felt the cold rain-wind as he sloshed across the wet garth to where Dickon, Fergus and the others were all gathered, festooned with arms, helmets in one hand. Batty felt fey, misted.

He had no idea what time it was, but it was likely to be this dark well into what would be morning. Dickon looked up and round them all.

‘Watchers say the Selbys are on the move,’ he began, ‘hoping we have been heavy on the drink and feasting and can be taken unawares. The trail he is taking will take him ower the Newhope Water, which isna deep, but has steep sides and is too wide to hop a hobbler. The crossing everyone here knows well and we shall ride hard to be there first and catch them wet.’

‘How many?’ someone asked from the dim.

‘A few score,’ Dickon replied, ‘all lanced and well mounted.’

Later, as more heidmen crowded in to hear how the Ride was to go down, the Frasers huddled round Batty and he could feel the nervous intensity of them like a heat, even above the fireplace where the ashes of the spitroast flames still trembled the air.

‘I have nivver done anything like this,’ Ewan breathed, in awe of what was happening, in awe of all the bear-men in their grim intensity and wargear. Batty hoped he would not ask about how it was, for the truth – as Batty was painfully aware – was that he had never been on a wild Border Ride either. In all the time he had been in these lands he had hunted solo, dragging men back for judgement on something they had done on such a Ride as this.

Dickon, his boots already muddy from the garth and no doubt wishing he hadn’t worn his fur-trimmed cloak in the hall, laid it all out for them as he sweated.

This was not for stolen kine, nor loot. This was to stop the Selbys committing outrage on Netherby, revenge for the murder of Eliza’s man and Clem Selby’s treatment of a Graham woman. This was to seize and hold Blackscargil.

‘When we put a cinch in the Selbys as they cross the water,’ he went on, ‘they will turn and flee. It will be oor job to run them away from Blackscargil. Fergus – it will be your job then to take your two-score and make for the tower with Batty and let him do what he does – blow in the doors and gain entry. There will be few men left to defend it and, once the entrance is breached, none will stand. We will have our rightful tower – and Will Elliot besides, for Clem will not bring him out on his Ride.’

Round-shouldered, bearded like a rampant badger, Fergus nodded his balding head. He was scarred on the left side of his face and had two fingers missing from the hand that clasped a horn cup of wine, tossing it down his neck in toast.

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