If they could capture this it would be a beginning, for with these goods in their possession they could begin to build up their army. If they were successful there would be such a shout about it that men would flock to join Wallace. They would see.

With great exultation Wallace assembled his men in the woods where they camped throughout the night. As dusk was falling he spoke to them. He talked of what the English had done to the Welsh and how they must all stand together to prevent the same humiliation falling on Scotland. They were aware of the arrogant English in the garrison towns. Their King, old Toom Tabard, chosen by Edward of England, was now in English hands, completely subservient to them. William’s father and his brother had been killed by Captain Fenwick’s company so this looked like a sign from Heaven. Captain Fenwick was now being delivered into his hands – along with all the supplies and ammunition they needed to start their campaign.

They were with him to a man – loyal to Scotland, all of them. There was not one who was not ready and willing to give his life for that country.

It was early morning when the convoy appeared. Wallace watched its approach and noted that there were somewhere in the region of two hundred men guarding it. Two hundred against fifty! On Wallace’s side, however, was the element of surprise which was always useful. He hoped none of his men quailed at the sight of those well-equipped soldiers on their splendid horses while they had only humble equipment and were on foot.

They emerged from the wood.

He heard Fenwick shout, ‘On guard. ’Tis the outlaw.’

The outlaw was Wallace and Fenwick was exultant. What glory for him to be able to capture the man and take him to Lord Percy!

Then he saw the men emerging from the wood, and though they were more than he had at first thought, they were a straggly band. What good would they be among trained soldiers?

At their head was one who was unmistakably Wallace – tall, distinguished, handsome, a leader in every way.

Wallace recognised Fenwick and made straight for him.

‘Charge!’ cried Fenwick and the horses galloped towards Wallace’s men.

Wallace drove his spear through the body of a horseman. It broke and he snatched his sword from its scabbard. He turned towards Fenwick shouting: ‘Murderer! This is for my father!’ Before Fenwick could lift his arm Wallace’s sword pierced his heart and he fell from his horse. Great exhilaration filled William. His father was avenged. So should Scotland be. He was as one inspired. They said afterwards that Heaven had sent angels to protect the Scots. It was not easy to imagine how it could have happened otherwise.

Many of the Englishmen’s horses lay writhing on the ground as the battle ensued. William, shouting encouragement to his followers, hacking right and left, felling the English as he went, miraculously escaped all harm, though sometimes narrowly. Before the battle was over a hundred English bodies lay on the Loudoun field.

Those who had been set to guard the convoys attempted to join in the fight and that gave the Scots the opportunity to seize the booty.

The English lost heart and those who remained, seeing the convoy lost and so many of their companions dead and wounded, seized what horses were left, their great object being to get away.

This was triumph indeed. The saddle horses were led into the wood, their burdens joyously examined.

‘It is a sign from Heaven!’ cried William. ‘This day we have begun to turn the English out of Scotland.’


* * *

They dared not stay in the Loudoun woods for they knew there would be immediate retaliation. They must hide their booty and find headquarters where they could safeguard the spoils of their victory.

‘It is of the utmost importance that we keep our secrets,’ William told them. ‘Depend upon it they will double their guards after this. And they will come looking for us and in particular myself. Remember though: this is a glorious beginning. We have seen that God is on our side. Let us thank Him now for this victory, and when we have done that we will take our booty to a safe place and I’ll swear to you that after this, loyal Scotsmen will come flocking to our banner.’

They hid in woods during the day and travelled by night, and William decided that the forest was the best place for their headquarters. Now and then some of them went into the town to listen to the talk, and they came back to report that everywhere the raid on the convoy was discussed and Wallace’s name was on every lip.

‘There is a glint in the eyes of Scotsmen when your name is mentioned,’ William was told.

‘That is good, but we must beware of traitors. We can be sure the English will set their spies everywhere.’

‘Lord Percy is furious,’ was the report. ‘He has reprimanded the guards at Ayr prison for throwing what they thought was your dead body over the wall. He calls them idiots because first, they did not ascertain who you were and secondly, did not satisfy themselves that you were dead.’

William was delighted; his head buzzed with plans.

‘A beginning,’ he cried. ‘We are on the road.’

During the next few weeks they made forays into the town; they attacked bands of Englishmen and took what they could from them. They were beginning to collect a store of ammunition. They had ‘won’ as they called it many fine horses. They had arms of all descriptions. Nor did they need to go hungry.

William did not wish them to stay in one place too long as he considered that dangerous and they moved around constantly, and he trusted his men – in particular Stephen and Karlé who became his closest friends and associates. That was not all. His uncles – and other members of his numerous family who were too old to join him – sent him money and goods for his cause. He was by no means merely the outlaw who could make himself a nuisance to the intruders; he was a name to be reckoned with.

‘It may not be long,’ he told his men, ‘before we go into real battle.’

Moving from forest to forest they came near to Ayr and he immediately thought of Ellen and his desire for her was so strong that he found it difficult to resist. There was no reason why he should not disguise himself and slip into the cottage, after dark. He could leave again before dawn.

He would go. He could not stop thinking of Ellen and until they had been together he would go on doing so. He persuaded himself that it would be folly to allow himself to be obsessed by her. The best thing was to see her and get the longing out of his system.

He must disguise himself and the idea came to him that he would go as a priest. No one would molest a priest and it was the last calling which would be connected with William Wallace. The idea amused him and he decided to put it into practice.

It turned out to be an unfortunate choice. For as he approached the house he was seen by one of Ellen’s admirers. This man was coming to visit Ellen, but when he saw a priest going to the house he hung back and waited, not wanting to come face to face with the holy man who, he suspected, might have been going to remonstrate with Ellen on her way of life.

The priest knocked at the door. He was let in. Ellen would surely not keep him long. He would wait until the man came out.

Meanwhile Wallace was received with surprise by Ellen. Then he threw off his habit and she was in his arms and they were laughing at the efficaciousness of his disguise.

‘And you came as a priest!’ It seemed a great joke to them. ‘And such a one that I believed you to be of the Church.’

He told her that his longing to be with her had been so great that he had had to take the risk of coming to her.

She said she had hoped he would some day and whenever he came there would always be a welcome for him.

They went up to the attic where she and her mother had sheltered him all those weeks and they lay together on the truckle bed as they had in the old days.

He told her afterwards that he with his men were in the nearby forest and that they planned to be there for some days.

‘So,’ she said, ‘it may well be that I shall have another visit from you, sir.’

‘That could well be,’ he replied.

‘Perhaps tomorrow night?’

‘Why should it not be?’

‘I shall look for you.’

‘Are you still my true friend, Ellen?’ he asked.

‘Until we die,’ she answered.

So they made love again and again, but he was wary for the first streak of light was in the sky. He did not want to be seen in or near the town of Ayr by daylight for, good though his disguise might be, there was a price on his head.

Meanwhile the man from the town waited outside Ellen’s house for the priest to emerge. He wondered why he did not. A priest … to spend the night in the house of a light woman! It was unbelievable!

He had an impulse to knock at the door to discover what was happening but he decided not to. He would wait there until the priest came out and then he would follow him.

He was watching when the door opened and the priest came out. Ellen was with him – beautiful Ellen – with her hair streaming about her shoulders and a loose robe scarcely covering her nakedness. She and the priest embraced in a manner which left no doubt as to their relationship and then the priest lifted his long robes and ran.

He followed him to the edge of the forest. He saw him throw off the robe. There was something familiar about the man who emerged.

Could it be … Wallace!

What should he do? There was a price on Wallace’s head. What riches, what glory for the man who delivered him into the hands of his enemies!