“Och... Reyna…” Finlay sighed. “I thank ye fer being so brave, and I ken ye probably didnae give him a choice, but ye shouldnae have come, and Faither shouldnae have let ye.”
“I had tae rescue ye.”
“Nae, ye didn’t. I kent what was likely tae happen when I was caught. And in any case, ‘twas all me own fault, fer riding about hunting on the moors without an escort, and even more so fer nae coming back when night began tae fall. I made it far tae easy fer someone tae catch me off guard, and I kent there were brigands and roving guards from Murray clan and others on the moors.”
“’Twas nae yer fault. I ken ye were looking fer food that Tessa might eat.” She recalled how sick Tessa had been, and none of them had known that it was the sickness that came with carrying a child, not then. She’d not been showing, and Reyna was the closest thing to a healer her clan had. Finlay had been half out of his mind with worry for his wife. “Besides...ye’renae the main reason ye wound up in Laird Murray’s cells.” She shot a poisonous look at where Blake sat in the cell across from theirs. “He’s the one that put ye here.”
Finlay glanced across the small corridor to the opposite cell. “So ye’re the one that thumped me over the head and threw me in here, are ye?”
Blake nodded, his expression tight. “Aye. I’m afraid ‘tis true. And I ken it means little, but ye have me apology fer all ye’ve gone through, and the trouble I’ve brought tae yer clan.”
Reyna bristled. “Shut up, Blake. Ye dinnae have the right tae speak o’ the harm ye’ve done, much less as if an apology could possibly make it right. And ye’ve nae right tae address me braither.”
“I’m the one that spoke tae him, Reyna. Dinnae be quarrelsome about it.” Finlay frowned, peering through the bars. “Blake... nae the same Blake ye were after sneaking out tae see when we were children, and ye thought Faither wasnae paying any attention?”
Reyna felt her cheeks heating. “Mayhap. But I didnae ken…”
“That we kent what ye were about? O’ course we did. But Faither never did see any reason ye shouldnae be meeting a Sinclair lad, so long as it wasnae anything more than playing in the meadow. Meant he didnae have tae worry so much about keeping guards on ye, as ye had one already. And there was some hope ye’d end the fuss between the clans. Which does remind me o’ a matter I have quarreled with ye over.”
Finlay shifted closer to the bars. “Dae ye ken how much she pined after ye? How heartbroken she was when ye disappeared?”
Blake winced. “I’ve come tae understand more o’ it, aye.”
“Then why did ye act as ye did? Promising tae come back fer her, and then vanishing?” Finlay’s usually calm voice was cold. “Ye hurt her sore, heart and soul, and never even sent a word o’ apology or explanation. Why, if ye cared at all fer her?”
Blake grimaced, one hand touching the scar on his face. “’Tis a bit o’ a complicated tale. I can tell ye I’m sore sorry things turned out at as they did, and fer what I’ve done since I left me clan. I wish I’d had the wisdom tae act differently, but…”
“But naething. Ye’re a brute, Blake Sinclair. A bloody snake, and a coward!” Reyna snapped the words at him.
Finlay glanced between them. “I confess, given the temper ye’ve put me sister in, especially seeing as yer here in the dungeons with us... I’m fair curious tae hear this tale o’ yers.”
“It’s nae important.” Reyna glared at Blake. “Ye dinnae need tae ken the whole story tae ken…”
She was cut off by a loud thump from the corridor outside the cells. Seconds later, they all heard the creaking sound of the door opening, followed by a quiet exclamation and another thud.
A moment later, Preston appeared, sword in one hand and keys in the other.
