Page 47 of Bewitching her Highland Savior

“Nae long enough,” her mother mumbled under her breath as her arm tightened protectively around Muriel’ shoulders. Her demeanour changed completely within moments when she looked at the laird – her previously warm and loving expression turning cold and hard like steel. “So, ye had me dragged here. What do ye want?”

“I wanted ye to see yer daughter,” the laird said. “It’s been a while since ye last met, has it nae?”

“Stop tryin’ to fool me; it willnae work,” Ailis said. “Ye wouldnae have sent a small army to me house if that was all ye wanted.”

Laird McNeil paused for a moment before motioning to the guards standing by the door, one who had brought Ailis there and the other two who had followed Muriel. One grabbed Ailis and while Muriel lunged at him, the others restrained her by gripping her arms. She thrashed in his hold, trying to reach her mother and Ailis did the same, but neither was able to elude the guards.

“Stop!” Muriel wailed. She had just been reunited with her mother and now she was losing her again, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her vision began to blur, going dark at the edges and her heart beat faster, pounding in her chest. She had to force herself to calm down, drawing in deep breaths even as she still fought the two men who held her.

If I could just grab the knife…

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't move her arms. All she managed to do was exhaust herself, and by the time she gave up, her mother was long gone, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

“Let go of me,” Muriel said, going limp in their arms. The two men released her only when they got permission from her father and then stood by the door, watching like a pair of hawks.

“I’m sorry that I had to do this,” Laird McNeil said. “I hope that in time ye will come to see why I did it.”

“What will ye do to her?” Muriel asked as she pushed back her hair that had fallen over her face and straightened her sleeves which had gone askew during the fight.

“I willnae touch her if ye cooperate,” her father said with a small shrug. “All I want is for ye to go to Lewis willingly and marry Laird Macleod.”

“And if I dinnae?”

“Then I’ll kill her.”

Muriel thought that it shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did. She had always suspected that her father had no feelings for her mother, no matter what he claimed — or that any feelings he had for her were long gone. What she couldn't stand was the way he said those words, without a trace of shame or regret. He acted as if killing her own mother was nothing to him.

“How can ye do this to me?” Muriel asked. “Ye claim to love me, and yet ye threaten to kill me maither? How could I ever believe ye?”

“One day, ye’ll come to realize that this was always the best choice for ye,” her father said. He spoke the words so softly that Muriel thought he must have truly believed them.

He’s delusional. He thinks he’s doin’ what’s best for me.

Her vision blurred once more, and there was nothing she could do to stop her panic. The room spun around her, and she stumbled to the nearest chair, gripping its back to stay upright. When she sat, she buried her face in her trembling hands, hiding her tears from her father.

What can I do? What choice do I have?

Her only choice was do her father’s bidding. She couldn’t refuse. She could tell he wasn't bluffing and that his threat was genuine. He wouldn't hesitate to murder her mother, then find another way to send Muriel to Lewis. She was trapped once more, but this time there was no way out. With Liam imprisoned and the threat of her mother’s death hanging over her head, Muriel had no choice but to marry Macleod.

“If I agree to marry him, will ye let them go?” she asked; her voice small and quiet. “Both of them?”

“Of course,” Laird McNeil said. “All ye have to do is tell the McAlpine lad ye’ll willingly go to Lewis and then he and yer maither will be free to go.”

At least I will get to see him one more time, nae matter how painful it’ll be.

“Fine,” Muriel said through gritted teeth. “I’ll do it.”

“Ye’re makin’ the right choice, Muriel,” her father said. “I’m sure that, eventually, ye’ll truly be happy.”

Muriel wasn't interested in hearing anything else from him. She stood up on shaky legs and walked back to her chambers without saying anything. She couldn't see or hear anything the whole way there and she had no idea how she got to her door. But then she was inside, on her knees in front of the bed.

A part of her wanted to pray but what was there to pray for? It had worked once for her before in Lewis, when she thought Liam had abandoned her there but now he couldn’t save her again. She couldn’t even save herself.

At least I can save me maither. That’s enough.

She hadn’t even managed to say more than two words to her before the guards had ripped them apart. And Muriel knew that she wouldn’t be getting the same royal treatment as Liam. She had no one but Muriel to stand up for her and there was only that much that Muriel could do on her own. Her father didn’t fear her the way he feared the McAlpine clan.

The sooner she went to see Liam, the sooner he and her mother would be free, but Muriel couldn't get off the floor. Her limbs were stiff as ice, paralyzed by the thought of what awaited her in Lewis. When she didn't know what kind of man Macleod was, marrying him seemed like a terrible idea, but one she could live with. Now, she feared that there was a lot more at stake than her freedom and happiness.