Lady Anne Mackintosh was a real, historic figure from the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. She was a true heroine and brave, married to the head of her clan, who was a redcoat officer in the government army, however she herself led-out her Highland clansmen as "Colonel Anne" in support of the rebel Young Pretender, Charles Edward Stuart, often known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. Some readers, particularly in America, may know of the '45 Rebellion in Scotland if you're familiar with the Outlander series of books and TV.
This story is not about Lady Anne herself, but her little known cousin Lady Mary MacGillivray, a widow in her late 30s, who was also a beautiful Highland noblewoman supporting the Jacobite cause. Because the action takes place in the wild Highlands of Scotland, our characters would generally be speaking Scots Gallic as their first language rather than English, but for the sake of fantasy and to appease you Sassenachs, the dialogue here will be in the English tongue (thank heavens, because I can't speak Gallic!):
Shouts and a loud bang, followed by the fizz of a musket ball flying past his head, shocked Lachlan into spurring his horse towards the nearby stone tower. Dismounting at the entrance steps, he ran upwards to the solid oak door, banging furiously at the knocker. Within a few seconds, a barred hatch opened and old servant Mackay peered out into the gloom. On recognising the young man, he unbolted the heavy door, opening just wide enough for Lachlan to enter with his basket-hilted, broad-sword at his side. Once safely inside, Mackay locked the door and Lachlan greeted the lady of the house coming fast down the spiral staircase, alerted by the commotion.
"What is it Lachy?" she asked breathlessly, for she knew the lad, as he was the son of her estate factor.
"The redcoats are coming to arrest you" said Lachlan: "they're fast on my heels".
Without hesitation, she grabbed Lachlan by the arm, dragging him upwards round the stone staircase, calling for Mackay to run home as fast as he could, securing the tower behind him.
"Hurry" she said to Lachlan: "we have a secret place, a priest-hole near the top of the tower, where we'll be safe". Nearing the top of the stairs, Lady Mary stopped suddenly, reaching-up to take a lit candle and pulling downwards on the candle-stick secured to the wall. There was a click, springing a narrow opening, cunningly hidden in the stone. "Quickly, inside" she said, leading him into the darkness.