Page 51 of Bewitching her Highland Savior

“Maither! Are ye hurt?” Muriel asked; clinging onto her with all her might.

“Nae, I’m fine,” Ailis assured her. “Dinnae fash yerself about me. It’s nae the first time yer faither has done something’ like this.”

Muriel couldn’t recall another time when her father had outright threated to kill her mother, even though she was his prisoner but perhaps she had been too young then to remember it. It rattled her to know that the father she had grown to love and to think he loved her back was nothing but an illusion. What else in her life had been a lie? What other secret lurked in the shadows, only to show itself one day and threaten everything Muriel held dear?

“I’m surprised he let ye see me,” Ailis said. “I dinnae even ken what he wants this time.”

Muriel didn’t even know where to start with the story of everything that had happened to her since she left Edinburgh. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then, but it hadn't been more than a couple of weeks, and Muriel couldn't believe it even as she recounted everything that had happened, every attempt to escape, every attempt on her life, Liam, and her father's decisions. She was drained by the end, her physical and emotional exhaustion like a weight around her neck.

“Muriel… Liam is right,” Ailis said after several moments of silence. “I willnae let ye sacrifice yerself for me. If yer faither wishes to kill me, then so be it. I willnae let anythin’ happen to ye, do ye hear me? I’ll fight him meself before I let him send ye to that man.”

Muriel gave her mother a small, sad smile; shaking her head. She would have liked to believe that her mother could do what she claimed she would but they were both powerless in her father’s hands.

“Ye cannae fight him,” Muriel said. “Ye cannae even leave this room. We are both bound to his wishes and if I can do anythin’ to save ye, then I will. Faither promised that Macleod willnae harm me, so it’ll be fine.”

“I dinnae care what yer faither says.” Ailis curled her hands into fists; her face reddening as rage overtook her. “He willnae be there to stop Macleod, will he? Lewis is so far away. Ye’ll be all on yer own, with a man who doesnae care about ye. Trust me, I ken what that is like verra weel.”

Muriel knew that her mother was right. She had gone through the same thing and she knew what it was like to be bound to a cruel man. It was only natural that she wouldn’t want the same fate for her daughter.

“And what is it that ye want me to do?” Muriel asked. “If I dinnae do as Faither says, he will kill ye. And perhaps for noo, he willnae touch Liam but if he helps me, he’ll kill him, too. He may even go after his family. He’s leavin’ me nae choice.”

Ailis stayed quiet for a while, to the point where Muriel thought she had nothing to say to that. But then she took her hands, holding them so tightly it almost hurt.

“Ye’re me bairn,” she said. “I’d do anythin’ for ye. I dinnae care what happens to me. I can only hope that yer faither willnae harm Liam or the McAlpine clan. But nae matter what, ye’re the one I wish to protect. Ye’re the only one that matters to me.”

Muriel wished that she could promise her mother she would refuse to marry Macleod, after all. She wished she could put her mind at ease, since seeing her so agitated only served to hurt her, too. But she couldn’t lie to her and she couldn’t let innocent people die.

“Forgive me,” she said softly as she let go of her mother’s hands and made her way to the door. “With any luck, Macleod will allow ye to come to stay in Lewis with me and then we’ll have each other, at least.”

She wondered if it was even possible. She'd only said it to reassure her mother, but if she was going to stay in Lewis, the least Macleod could do was allow her mother to accompany her. Not only would they be together, but she would also be out of her father's sight and, more importantly, out of his reach.

“I beg ye to nae go,” Ailis said. It was the first time in a long while that Muriel heard her voice break, even if it was only for a moment. Ever since she could remember, her mother had been the strongest woman she knew. “If ye dinnae do it for yerself, then do it for me.”

Muriel shook her head but didn’t turn to face her mother. “Forgive me,” she said. “I’d do anythin’ for ye but nae this. If other people are in danger, I must do as faither says.”

She didn’t stay to hear her mother’s response – fearing that if she did, her resolve would crack and she would give in to her request. Instead, she left the room, closed the door gently behind her and only stopped walking when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder.

“Everythin’ alright?” Finley asked, gentle as always. Muriel couldn’t wrap her head around how he could be so kind and such a formidable warrior at the same time.

“Aye,” she said. She didn’t want to trouble him, too. “I’ll be leavin’ soon, Finley.”

“Aye, I ken,” he said and his voice carried a sadness that Muriel hadn’t expected to hear from him. “I wish ye weel in Lewis.”

Muriel heard Finley inhale sharply but then he didn’t say anything else. She wondered if he meant to say something more if he had wanted to. She wondered what it could possibly be.

She didn't, however, ask him. She simply wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as she had done as a child. He hesitated for a moment before hugging her and patting her on the back.

“Go on, noo,” he said. “Better to nae have anyone see this.”

Muriel pulled herself away from Finley with a nod, giving him one last look. “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Miss McNeil.”

Muriel hurried down the corridor, the entire time thinking about those two last words. Soon, she wouldn’t be Miss McNeil anymore. She would be Lady Macleod. She whispered her new name to herself, curious to see how it sounded.

It left a sour taste at the back of her throat.