Margaret looked down at Hamish. He didn’t seem to recognize the voice either. What kind of fool did they take her for? She’d not open up for strangers, especially unknown men.
The door rattled as they tried the latch. She silently thanked Angus again for bringing his men to fix it. The trespassers on the other side would find it nigh impossible to break through the thick oaken beam. Unless they’d brought a battering ram.
She moved silently to the one small window and opened the shutters. The wall was so thick she had to scramble on her front side to get to where she could see out.
Two men stood there wearing dark cloaks and black doublets, making their outline nothing more than an extension of the night. Enough moonlight shone down to reveal their beards and scruffy hair. The Hall brothers—at least the two eldest of them. She should have known.
They muttered with their heads together, then rattled the door again, harder this time. “Open up. We just need ta talk.”
She aimed her crossbow at the taller one. “What do you want?” she called through the broken windowpane.
The men stumbled back as their heads swung in her direction.
“Say what you need to say and be off.” She made a show of sliding her finger onto the trigger. “Or I will shoot. And do not doubt that my aim is impeccable.”
The taller man, the one she remembered as the older, dark-bearded leader spoke. “We come ta tell you yer in Hall territory now.”
Hartfell didn’t belong to the Halls. It was its own. The land manager in Newcastle had explained that the manor had been left ruined and abandoned but was still held under the name of Sir Godric Grey.
“This is my land,” she called. “Leave now, and I’ll let you live.”
They both laughed. Fools. With a twitch of her finger their mockery could cost them an eye.
“Since yer new here, we’ll let you live,” the younger man said. He stepped away from the door to see her better. How kind of him to put himself directly into her sights. “Like it or not,” he continued, “this is Hall land. These are dangerous times, lass. Never know when the reivers might be a comin’.”
“Reivers?” Perhaps the Hall clan was responsible for her family’s slaughter. She aimed her crossbow at the elder one’s chest.
“Aye. But we can offer protection.”
“Protection?” No one offered something for nothing.
“Aye,” he said again. “Pay us, and we’ll make sure no harm comes to ye.”
Even if she had means of paying, she’d not give a penny of it to reivers. But she had none. “And if I can’t pay?”
“Well then,” the taller, dark-bearded man said in his raspy voice. “No tellin’ what might happen.”
The younger one nodded in agreement. “As I said. These are dangerous times.”
Blackmail. If she paid, she’d be safe. If not, no doubt the Halls would be the reivers who came calling. Not that any of it mattered. She had nothing to give. A few meager coins in her alms purse and the scanty furnishing from Angus.
Let them come. She’d be safe inside her tower. She doubted they’d put too much effort into an attack on a penniless woman with no livestock to drive off into the night.
“I decline your offer.” She called out. “Now be off.”
“Yer makin’ a big mistake.” The taller man drew his sword.
A warning shot might be enough to send them away. With a quick breath to steady her aim, she squeezed her finger. A bolt whizzed out and landed in the tall man’s foot.
He swore as he pulled it out. “You’ll pay fer that.”
“I already told you I can’t pay.” From her place wedged into the thick wall of the windowsill, she couldn’t load another bolt. “’Tis barely a scratch. If you’re going to come here threatening me, at least be a man about it.”
The younger man snorted, and his brother swung a fist into his face.
Seemed Margaret’s work here was done. “Good night, boys.”
She wriggled out of the wall, securing the shutters tightly, then dropped to the floor. Hamish was still standing at the door, perhaps hoping for his turn with the Hall brothers. It was tempting to open the door and let him have at them. But this was Angus’s dog and not worth the risk should the brothers get a hand on him.
“Come,” she said, pointing to his favorite place by the fire. His bone waited for him, and there was nothing more to be done this night.
Margaret added some wood to the fire to keep off the chill that seemed worse now after her encounter with the Halls. The window had been open, letting in the cold night air, but the shivers that weakened her legs were not from the cold.
What if they did come back? In truth, a good, strong axe was all they’d need to breach Hartfell Tower. How much money did they want for her to be protected? Mayhap she should have asked before she so unceremoniously sent them away.
Then again, they were raiders. She’d rather die here in Hartfell trying to defend it single-handedly than contribute to the coffers of border reivers. No. She’d done the right thing, come what may.
That these Hall brothers were the first to trespass had her wondering. If they were prepared to come reiving now, there was a good chance they’d come six years ago. They were now at the top of her list of suspects. They were also the only names on her list.
Until she knew for sure, she must take measures to protect herself. There was a land warden in Redesdale in charge of all the English Middle March. A visit to him was in order. Surely, he would put a stop to threats and intimidations. ’Twas his responsibility to keep the peace, by order of the king.