The drovers’ roads avoided the towns, which suited Callum’s plans for travel. At this time of the year, they would meet with no drovers and few travelers, all the while staying clear of gathering places where they might draw undue notice. From time to time they would veer off of the road to avoid other travelers. When encounters could not be avoided, they simply rode past and did nothing to draw undue notice.
After eight days of hard travel, they followed a path through the trees that lined the shores of Loch Oich. They were looking into the hills for the castle when Callum held out his hand to signal Mari to stop.
“Ho, there, strangers!” From the dark shelter of trees rode three well-armed men.
The one in the lead said, “For a man with the face of a six-month-old old tattie, ’tis a gey
