“Well, ye are. Yer as responsible as if ye had taken a sword to each of them yersel’,” he announced firmly, nodding solemnly when she winced. “And ye’d do it again to save the people within these walls, so don’t fret over it. ’Twas their choice to attack. Yer choice is whether to fight or surrender and walk out like lambs to a slaughter. Yer not a lamb, lass. Accept the guilt as the part of ye that makes ye human, but don’t let it rule ye. Ye did right. I’m proud to call ye a Dunbar.”

“’Tis not just Greenweld’s men who died this day,” she pointed out miserably. “We lost four of our own.”

“They gave their lives for their loved ones. There are two hundred women and children within these walls. Any one of my men would give their life to keep them safe.”

“Men? Two of the dead were but boys!” Iliana protested with disgust.

“Even boys have honor. Do not take it from them to salve your own conscience.”

Iliana stiffened at that, and Angus smiled gently, holding a trembling hand out to her.

“There.” He sighed when she slid her small smooth hand into his large, scarred one. “’Tis obvious ye don’t understand our ways, but this is what ’tis all about. Meself and any one of my people would give our lives for ye. Me, because I am yer laird. Our people, because they swore an oath to protect ye with their lives on the day ye wed me son. ’Tis not so different from what ye did today, risking yer bonnie neck with that foolishness on the wall rather than ordering another to do it,” he added with a glare. “There is nothing more honorable to a man than to die in defense of those he loves. As for those two ye claim were just boys, they were not. They were men. Leave them their honor and let go yer guilt. They will be remembered for their bravery this day.”

Iliana felt some of the tension in her ease and nodded solemnly.

“Good.” Angus managed a smile, then let his head drop wearily back on the bed. His eyes closed for a minute, then opened again. “We are in a spot of trouble.”

“Aye,” Iliana agreed quietly. “It would seem either Greenweld’s man lied when he claimed to be alone, or Greenweld changed his mind and was on his way here and the fellow did not know.”

“’Tis more like he lied. ’Twas just damn lucky for Greenweld that Duncan was called away. Too damned lucky.”

Iliana stilled at that. “Think you the message was a ruse to lure Duncan away?”

“I do not know. From what he said, Allistair ne’er saw the message. He merely saw a rolled-up scroll, and that was gone by the time he arrived back.”