"Aye," said Margaret. "I yield."
Ilsa carefully stood up, never taking her eyes off the woman. She realized she had dropped her dagger in the fight and quickly drew another from inside her sleeve. Margaret had recently assured Geordie that she would not poison him so Ilsa had a very good idea of how empty the woman's promises could be.
The moment she stepped back and Margaret got to her feet, Ilsa knew it was not going to be that easy. Margaret also had a dagger and lunged at Ilsa.
Cursing softly, Ilsa slashed the woman's hand, making her cry out and drop her dagger. Then Ilsa punched her in the jaw. She shook her hand to ease the sting as she watched Margaret collapse into the dirt.
She stared at Margaret for a moment to be sure the woman was unconscious, then turned to go to her children. Her brothers and Diarmot were just stepping into view when Ilsa heard the whisper of movement behind her. She had erred, should have taken Margaret's dagger completely out of her reach. There was no choice for her now. She stood between the men and Margaret so they could not take this burden from her. With a heavy sigh, she turned and threw her dagger.
Margaret stood, her dagger still clutched in her hand, and stared at the knife buried in her chest. Slowly, she collapsed to her knees. Even as Ilsa stepped up to her, the woman fell almost gently onto her back. Ilsa stared into Margaret's eyes and saw the haze of impending death begin to cloud them.
"I told ye I could kill ye," Ilsa said. "Why didnae ye believe me?"
"Oh, but I did," Margaret whispered.
So, she had been chosen as the executioner, Ilsa thought and she leaned down and gently closed Margaret's lifeless eyes. Diarmot reached her and pulled her into his arms. She leaned against him and glanced around at her brothers Sigimor, Somerled, and Tait. A moment later, a small body wrapped itself around her legs, and Ilsa smiled down at Alice. Liam and Nanty walked up, each carrying one of the twins.
"How did ye find me?" she asked as she eased out of Diarmot's hold and picked up Alice.
"Odo followed ye," said Diarmot, standing so that Alice could not see Margaret's body as the Cameron twins took it into the cottage.
Ilsa shook her head and idly rubbed Alice's back. The child was clinging to her, but did not seem overly upset. Ilsa prayed there would be no scars left by this adventure. She then noticed that Alice had a lot of scrapes upon her arms and legs.
"What have ye done to yourself, dearling?" she asked, looking more closely and seeing that someone had already tended to the small wounds.
Diarmot smiled and stroked Alice's hair as he told Ilsa what Alice had been doing. "She was a verra brave, clever lass."
"Och, aye." Ilsa kissed Alice's forehead. "Ye did verra weel, lass. Verra weel indeed."
"May we go home now?" Alice asked.
"Tait, Liam, and I can take them back to Clachthrom," said Nanty. "I dinnae think--" he hesitated and glanced toward the cottage.
There were bodies to deal with, Diarmot realized. Geordie and Lucy could simply be buried in the wood for all he cared, but Margaret had kinsmen who would wonder what had happened to her. He would have to take her back to her cousin and try to explain all that had happened. That was not going to be easy, he thought, then kissed both his daughter and wife on the cheek.
"Aye," he said. "There is some work to be done here."
"Diarmot," Ilsa began. "Margaret--"
"I learned about Margaret at Muirladen. This wasnae a great surprise. Tis why we rode back here after but a day at Dubheidland. I will tell ye all about it later." He kissed her again and went to join the Cameron twins in the cottage.
Ilsa soon found herself seated in front of Liam holding Cearnach in her arms as they rode back to Clachthrom. She felt very tired and she knew it was not solely because of all she had done. There was blood on her hands now and, deserved or not, it would be a while before she could fully accept that burden with ease.
"Ye had nay choice," said Liam. "In truth, I think she made ye do it."
"She did," said Ilsa. "She made that clear just as she died. I will accept it. I almost do e'en now. And I think it may have been a mercy in this case. She was quite mad. There was nay reasoning with her, nay making her see how insane her belief was about Anabelle and all the woman was and had done."
"Aye." Liam was silent for a moment, then murmured, "Actually, I have a question or two about some of your, er, beliefs. An ugly woman with boils on her arse?"
Ilsa saw Nanty and Tait grinning at her and sighed. They had been there to hear her just as she feared. Now the teasing would begin. Although she sighed again rather dramatically, she inwardly smiled. It would undoubtedly grow annoying but, for now, she welcomed the distraction.