“I wilnae do such,” Irvine replied as Bridget whirled on him. “He’s in no condition tae ride!” she told him.
Irvine chuckled. “He’s a leader. Maybe not a laird by the title, Bridget, but a true leader. There’s nothing a good leader wilnae do for his people.”
She backed down then, knowing that Irvine was right. After all, she had come into this castle with the intent of saving her father and her tenants.
Perhaps they were one and the same after all.
“Alright,” she stated. “We will go.”
“Fresh horses are waiting for ye,” Lisbeth said softly as she joined them. “And I want tae apologize for wot mah uncle did tae ye. Had we known...”
“There is no reason tae apologize,” Leathen said, holding out his hand. “I’m Leathen Wright.”
“Lisbeth McMillian,” she answered, taking his hand. “Formerly McPearson.”
Bridget watched the interaction, her heart filling with warmth for what her father was trying to do. He wasn’t upset about what she had done with Irvine, the alliance she had made in order to save them all.
“And I am vera sorry that I lied tae ye,” Irvine added. “I didnae want tae, but I had no choice.”
Leathen waved a hand at Irvine. “’Tis not of importance now. I now understand why ye did it. ’Tis all for family.”
“Aye,” Irvine said softly, glancing over at Bridget. “Family is all that matters.”
“Well,” William started, “are we going tae ride or talk all night?”
They ended up riding through the night to reach the farm, and when it finally crested on the road, Bridget let out a soft cry. The farm was on fire, the flames everywhere.
“Stay close!” Irvine shouted at her as he raced toward the fire, dismounting when he was close. Bridget did the same, taking her dagger in her hands and moving toward an injured tenant on the ground. “Go tae the wood!” she told the injured Scot, feeling as if they had just given the same direction hours before.
There was less fighting this time around, and as Bridget stepped over the debris from one of the huts, she realized what Kenneth was doing. “He’s raiding the houses!” she told Irvine. “The caves!”
His eyes widened, and he called for some of the warriors that had accompanied them to follow him, moving through the wood and to the caves that held the coin they had protected with their lives. Sure enough, there were guards waiting for them, and Irvine growled as he lifted his sword, engaging in a fight with one of the guards.
“Stay back, lass,” William stated as he moved forward, his jaw clenched. Bridget stepped behind one of the trees and watched as the father and son fought side by side, their movements mimicking each other. It was a deadly dance, and soon they had cut through the guards at the entrance.
She rushed in behind them and found Kenneth standing in the mouth of the cave, his sword pointed at them. “This is mah coin!” he shouted, his eyes wild with anger. “Mine!”
“Nay,” Irvine stated. “Drop yer sword.”
The guards behind him looked at the two warriors with some unease, not bothering to raise their swords as the other warriors from the castle joined Irvine and his father. Soon they were vastly outnumbered, and Bridget waited with bated breath for something to happen.
Finally, Kenneth chucked and lowered his sword. “Ye think that ye are going tae get away with this? I was named laird, not ye, Nephew. This is mah lairdship!”
“Not any longer,” Irvine said harshly. “Ye are finished here.” Turning toward the warriors behind them, he nodded. “Take them. We will let the new laird and the elders decide their fate.”
Bridget exhaled as the warriors moved to do what they had been commanded, and once Kenneth was led away in chains, only then did she walk over to Irvine. “Are ye alright?” she asked softly.
He blew out a breath, sliding his sword into its scabbard. “Aye, I’m fine.” He reached for her, and she went to him, curling herself against his chest. “Are ye alright, lass?”
“I think so,” Bridget replied, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath her cheek. “’Tis over.” Irvine would be laird, and they would be allowed to go on with their lives.
What was going to be next?
Bridget pulled back enough to see Irvine’s face, and he was smiling down at her. “’Tis over, lass,” he said, cupping her cheek with his hand. “’Tis over, and now we can have a future.”
“A future?” she asked, her breath catching. That was all she wished for. She wanted a future with Irvine. “But the farm—”
“The farm will survive,” he told her, brushing his thumb over her cheek. “And so will mah clan. But I wilnae walk away without ye by mah side, Bridget. Say ye feel the same.”
