What did she want?
Safety. That's what she wanted. And she had no idea where to find it.
"Ye still need somewhere tae go," Alpin said gently, like he could read her thoughts. "Somewhere safe."
Mhairi let out a bitter laugh. "And I suppose ye have just the place?"
"Aye. MacDougal Castle. It's two days' ride north." He kept his voice even, non-threatening. Kept his distance. "Ye can stay there as long as ye need."
"And then what? Ye'll send word tae me clan?" The clan that had sold her. The father who'd signed the papers.
"Only if ye want me tae." Alpin ran a hand through his hair. "But ye cannae stay out here. It's nae safe."
"And yer castle is?" The words came out sharper than she'd intended. "How dae I ken ye willnae just lock me in a room or turn me into yer slave?"
She watched him carefully, searching for any flicker of deception. Any hint of the same cold calculation she'd seen in Ashcombe's eyes.
But Alpin just met her gaze steady. "Because I give ye me word as a laird and as a MacDougal. Ye'll have yer own room, and if ye want tae leave, ye can leave. Nay one will stop ye."
Mhairi studied him for a long moment. "A room with a door that locks. I need that. I need tae ken that nay one can... that I can keep people out if I want."
"Aye," Alpin said without hesitation. "A room with a proper lock. And ye'll have the only key. I promise ye that."
Mhairi studied him for a long moment. Searching his face for lies. For ulterior motives. For any sign that he was just like all the others.
But all she saw was... earnestness. And beneath it, carefully banked fury—not at her, but at what had been done to her.
"Why?" The question came out barely above a whisper. "Why would ye dae this fer me? Ye dinnae even ken me."
"Because it's the right thing tae dae." His voice was gentle now, almost tender. "And because nay one should have to go through what ye went through tonight."
Something in Mhairi's chest cracked at those words. She'd been holding herself together through sheer force of will—through the auction, through Ashcombe's hands on her, through the desperate flight through the forest. But this... this simple kindness...
She blinked hard against the burn in her eyes. She wouldnae cry. Not in front of him.
"Ye promise?" Her voice came out smaller than she'd like. "Ye promise I can leave if I want?"
"On me honor."
"And ye willnae..." She trailed off, but he seemed to understand what she was asking.
"I willnae touch ye," Alpin said firmly. "Willnae force ye tae dae anything ye dinnae want tae dae. Ye have me word."
Mhairi's shoulders sagged slightly. Some of the tension draining out of her. She was so tired. And she didn’t have any other options.
"I dinnae have much choice, dae I?" she said quietly. "Either I trust ye, or I try tae make it through this forest alone."
"Ye have a choice." Alpin took another step back, putting even more distance between them. Giving her space. "Always. I'm offerin' ye sanctuary, but if ye'd rather I point ye toward the nearest village and give ye coin fer passage, I'll dae that too."
Mhairi blinked, caught off guard. "Ye would?"
"Aye."
"Why?"
"Because ye've had enough people trying tae control ye." His voice came out rougher now, edged with anger. "I'm nae about tae add meself tae that list."
And that... that was what decided it.
