“I can’t, not a lass,” Finn said. “If I’m the one who takes her, I’ll be responsible for whatever happens to her afterward.”
“I assure you she’ll be treated as an honored guest while she is here,” Moray said, “and returned safe and sound to her family.”
It was Finn’s turn to raise a skeptical eyebrow.
“Mistreating the hostage would cause a blood feud with the Douglases, and that would not serve my purpose. All I want,” Moray said, spreading his hands out, “is a simple exchange. A hostage for a hostage.”
If Moray had claimed some high-minded reason for protecting the hostage, Finn would not have believed him, but his pragmatic explanation was persuasive. Still, Finn did not want any part of this scheme.
“There could be no better way for you to regain the trust—even the gratitude—of your clan than by being the man responsible for the return of their earl and chieftain,” Moray said. “Young Huntly will be grateful as well. And remember, he’s only eleven and likely to be your chieftain for the rest of your life.”
This wasalmostenough to persuade Finn. But the notion of dragging a lass from her home didn’t sit well with him, and the prospect of a long journey of rough travel with a spoiled Lowland noblewoman was worse.
“I understand you have an interest in acquiring lands.” Moray steepled his hands and tapped the tips of his fingers against his chin. “If you succeed in this task, that could be arranged.”
Ach,Moray knew exactly how to tempt Finn. Janet must have told him.
“The property I have in mind is not large, but sufficient to support you in comfort.” Moray paused. “I’m afraid it’s quite a distance from your family, up on the north coast of Sutherland.”
If Finn could live anywhere he wished, it would be in Sutherland—and at a very great distance from his family. With property, he could sleep under his own roof, in his own bed, before his own hearth. He could be his own man.
“I’m giving you the chance to make amends with your Gordon clansmen and gain lands of your own,” Moray said. “But if you would rather leave Scotland and fight for foreigners…”
Finn sighed inwardly. Moray was offering him everything he wanted. He demanded more assurances that the hostage would be well treated, but they both knew he would do it.
“Which Douglas lass do ye want me to take?” Finn asked, dread settling in his stomach like a lump of lead.
“Three of the sisters are married to powerful men. Not only are they well protected, but it would be foolhardy to bring their husbands into this dispute,” Moray said. “That leaves Archibald’s sister Margaret and his cousin Elizabeth.”
“What do ye know of them?” Finn asked.
“Margaret was married for several years to a distant Douglas relative, William of Drumlanrig,” Moray said. “But he had the marriage annulled some time ago.”
Finn shuddered as he envisioned a sour middle-aged woman who would make the rough journey a misery for both of them.
“What of the other lass, the cousin?” he asked.
“From what I hear, Elizabeth—they call her Lizzie—should be fairly easy to take,” Moray said. “She’s loosely supervised, considering she’s a sixteen-year-old virgin.”
“I’m not kidnapping a sixteen-year-old virgin!” The thought gave him hives. Besides that, traveling alone with him would destroy the lass’s reputation and hurt her chances of a good marriage.
“Then it’s settled,” Moray said, folding his hands with a small, satisfied smile. “You’ll kidnap Lady Margaret.”
CHAPTER 4
Margaret stared out the window at the gardens below, wishing she could leave Holyrood Palace and never return. Though she had only agreed to stay for a short visit, she’d been stuck here for weeks. She was sick to death of being paraded before men her brothers viewed as potential allies for them—and husbands for her. Lately, however, they had ceased pressing suitors on her, which gave her hope that they had finally accepted her refusal to wed again.
Her thoughts of escape were interrupted by Lizzie, who came storming into the bedchamber they shared in the palace and slammed the door behind her.
“If I have to spend another day with the king and that Gordon brat, I swear I’ll punch one of them in the face,” Lizzie said, and flung herself down on the window seat.
“Those two certainly can be a trial.” Margaret sat beside her cousin and smoothed her hair back from her face. “Try to remember, ’tis not entirely their fault. Everyone caters to their whims because they’re a king and an earl. At their age, ’tis bound to go to their heads.”
Unfortunately, Archie did nothing to curb their behavior. If he would fill their time with worthwhile pursuits, the boys would not have so much leisure to spend on frivolous ones. The king’s father would be so disappointed. James IV had been a well-educated man who spoke several languages and supported artists, musicians, and universities.
Lizzie’s father did train them in sword fighting, which endeared him to the boys, but Margaret sensed that the men of her family were more concerned with keeping the king entertained than with training him to be king.
“Hopefully,” Margaret said, “the king and Huntly’s behavior will improve as they grow older.”
