Skye’s expression softened. “And yer faither wanted ye to get it back?”
“Aye, his wishes were quite clear in a letter that was given to me, and the clan council, after his death.”
“Why didnae yer faither buy it back from Blackwell?”
“Oh, he tried many times, but he was turned away. It never made sense to me. That little piece of land is nothing to Blackwell. He doesnae use it, and he never goes there. Indeed, he dare not since it is a consecrated graveyard.”
“It makes sense to me,” Skye said. “That man enjoys controlling people. It doesnae matter whether it’s about gaining something or not. He likes to see people scared or hurting.”
Arran didn’t doubt her words. “I’m sorry, Skye. I’d heard that he is a hard man, and I knew he enjoyed taunting me faither. But that was between them. I had nay idea the kind of person he might be until he taunted ye with selling ye to the highest bidder.”
Skye didn’t reply. She paced around her cell, and he wondered how she weighed his actions and reasons in her mind.
“And that’s nae all.”
She stopped walking and looked back at him.
“If I’m unable to get the lands back, I will be ousted by me council. It is a condition of me faither’s will.”
“That seems a bit harsh,” Skye blurted out. “After all, it wasnae ye who gambled away the land.”
“I agree with ye, but because of me faither’s mistake, many in the clan questioned whether he was fit to lead. This caused bickering and many other problems throughout the years. For the clan to prosper, he kenned the clansfolk would have to have to trust their Laird again.”
Skye’s face softened, and he hoped she understood his motives and would forgive him for bringing her back to this place.
We’ve got to get out of here.
“Grayson said the master of the guard would come. Me plan is to knock out the guard when he opens the door. When I get out, I’ll unlock yer cell. Be ready. We’ll find a way out of here.”
“Ye seem confident, Arran. Do ye really think we’ll be able to walk out of here when everyone is up and about? Ye and I, we kind of stand out, do ye nae think?”
“I do ken one thing. I am nae going to remain locked up. I will claw me way out, one way or another. And I dinnae think ye are meant to suffer here either. But a way out isnae going to be handed to us, Skye. We have to take action to get out of here. Dinnae give up!”
Skye turned toward him, and with a determined look, she stated calmly, “Oh, I’m nae giving up.”
She bent over, reached under her skirt, and produced a kitchen knife. She reached through the bars and gestured toward his hands, then cut his bindings.
Arran rubbed his wrists. “Excellent. Now that me hands are free, when the guardsman comes, I’ll have a better chance.”
“It’ll be too late. The sun will rise soon. We’re getting out of here now!”
“And just how do ye…” Arran started to ask but stopped when she saw her use the tip of the blade to pick the lock.
“Where did ye learn to do that? And more importantly, will it work? Can ye unlock it?”
“Aye, it will work. Ye didnae think I’d let meself get hauled down here without a way to get out, did ye?”
Arran smiled and shook his head, admiring her craftiness. “What did ye do to get thrown in here?”
“I made a ruckus in me bedchamber that upset the guard. He ran to Grayson and told him I was losing me mind—lots of wailing and moaning. I threw some things out the window, too. So, I’m here because I didnae behave meself. Grayson said I could yell and scream all I wanted down here in the cells.”
Arran’s admiration for her grew, but he also felt sad. Watching her pick the lock, he suspected she’d been locked in these cells more than once.
“Braw!” he exclaimed after she’d opened his cell door and they both stood in the hall. “Now what?”
“Follow me. I ken a secret way out.”
Up they went back to the ground floor of Castle MacKeith. Skye paused at the top; then was surprised when Arran stepped in front of her. “All’s clear,” he whispered, reaching back to grab her hand. She gestured toward another door, and they duckedacross the hall, stepping through the door she indicated, and into another corridor.
