“My father has always done what he thought was best for the clan. He puts his duty to our people above any comfort, any desire of his own. And he expects the rest of his family to do the same. While some may see that as an attribute to applaud, something to look for in a Laird, it is nae the quality of a good father.”
“What are ye getting at, Iona?”
“My father and grandfather arranged a marriage for me. They claimed that it would benefit the clan greatly, but they did nae stop to see how it might impact me.”
“Do ye nae love him?”
“Love him? I can hardly stand him!” she shouted in protest.
All the emotions that had arisen when she was first told about the marriage started to resurface. Their appearance made it harder for her to want to go back, knowing that was her fate.
“He is older than my father is and has had three wives before me, who all died under mysterious circumstances. I doubt I will find an inkling of safety there.”
“Then why are ye trying to return to him?”
Finn made no effort to hide the disdain or confusion on his face.
“Because if I dinnae, my father will look like a fool to this man. And if there is one thing my father will nae stand for, it is to be made a mockery of. He will blame Seamus for my disappearance. Surely, word will have reached my father that I am here, seeking sanctuary within the Murray Clan. He will attack Seamus to regain me, but more importantly, to regain his honor.”
Scrubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, Finn looked away from her. He was finally starting to see the bigger picture and for that, she was grateful; even if it meant they would soon have to go their separate ways.
“Can ye nae see?” she continued. “The Murray Clan will only suffer the longer I stay here. My father and grandfather will stop at nothing to see me married off.”
“But we are allies. Does that nae count for something? Would they truly be so quick as to overthrow their allies?”
“Aye. They would. They dinnae care who they hurt, so long as they get what they want.”
Finn huffed in disgust. It was a sentiment she was likely to agree with, though she hesitated to show it. There was still the matter of convincing Finn to let her go back to her father, though with as much as she had shared with Finn, she worried that she had ruined any chance of that. She didn't know what it was about him that made her open up more than she was accustomed to, but it seemed that every time she opened her mouth around him, she had a hard time closing it.
“I am trying to do the right thing, Finn. I am trying to keep yer people from suffering any more than they already have. They dinnae deserve to bear my hardships along with their own.”
“But if ye go back, ye will be forced to marry this man.”
“I am sure the rumors I have heard about him are greatly exaggerated. I was too blind and nervous to see that at first, but I can see that now. Some time away, to clear my head and collect my thoughts, was all I needed. In doing so, I have put this entire clan at risk, and I would loathe to do that for a moment longer than I already have.”
“Ye are so concerned with protecting Seamus, but ye have nae discussed this with him, have ye?”
She shook her head, knowing where he was going with this, and already knowing what her answer would be.
“He has already done so much for me. I did nae want to worry him anymore than he already is.”
There was no way she could have known that Finn had uttered the same sentiment to his men only hours before. Theywere both trying to repay an unspoken debt to Seamus, whether he knew it or not.
“I was being selfish. It was irrational of me to run away without any thought of the people I was running to. I was too naive to see that my actions would have consequences on whomever I went. But I see that now, and I want to rectify what I have done.”
“Ye say it was selfish, but all I see is self-preservation. I still think ye should talk to Seamus about all of this. There is nay way he understands the full extent of the situation, or he would nae have let ye out of his sight. Ye must go back with me. We can bypass Glenkirk Castle altogether and ride straight for Murray Castle. He and Flora will be looking for ye by now. We can explain everything to them and then come up with a better plan than this to fix it.”
Iona shook her head again, more adamantly this time. Though she loved the way he said “we” when it came to dealing with everything, she knew she couldn't ask anyone else to get involved. It would only cause more suffering.
“I cannae get Seamus involved any more than he already is. I will nae go back, Finn.”
Finn sighed, this time through his mouth. He thought for a moment, but still never relinquished the grip he had on her hand and reins. It was almost as though he knew her well enough to know that the second he did, she would make a run for it. Even with a sliver of a chance at escaping him, she would still try. She had to do everything she could to ensure that nothing happened to the Murray Clan or to Seamus and Flora because of her. None of them deserved it.
“That leaves us at an impasse, then. Ye will nae return with me, and I will nae go back without ye.”
“Ye dinnae have to do that, Finn. I can take care of myself. I have made this journey once before, ye ken, and I was just fine.”
“I am honestly shocked that that was the case, considering how ye did nae hear or see me coming just now. Nae to mention, I have ye trapped. What if I was nae a good man? What if there was more than one of me? Ye would never make it.”
