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“Well, then perhaps ye should trust in yer daughter. She is wiser than her years. She gets that from her father.”

“I think she gets that from ye.” Niall smirked. He ran his hand through his hair and blew out his cheeks, wondering how things had crumbled so quickly. Within a matter of days, he was suddenly plunged into a situation where the safety of his clan was in peril, and where his daughter’s life was now in the balance.

“I hate tae think of her in the clutches of that man,” Niall said.

“Wallace McGrory is many things, but he is nae reckless. He wilnae take vengeance against Maura, not while there is still a deal tae be struck,” Moira said. “Gae tae him now and see what can be gained.”

“And what of the boy?” Niall asked, having mixed feelings for his son. It didn’t seem right that Maura should be the one to suffer for Ruairi’s mistake, but he also could not handle thinking about Ruairi being punished with death, because that’s what would happen if he ended up in the clutches of Wallace McGrory.

“I think he needs tae be with his father. Take him with ye. Perhaps it will dae some good for Wallace tae see how Ruairi is repentant. But be patient and remember that Maura wants the same thing ye dae. Ye may hae tae choose between her and the clan, and if that happens, then let her make her own choice. It is the least ye can dae for her,” Moira said. Niall wore a thin smile as he nodded, hating how chaotic life could be. It had been hard enough to think about arranging a marriage for Maura at the best of times, but now for her to become a McGrory…he shuddered at the thought.

When Niall went to find Ruairi, the boy was eager to make amends for his mistake and said that he was willing to do anything to help save Maura. Niall had to explain that Maura didn’t need saving exactly, and that they might well have to leave without bringing her home. Ruairi was wracked with guilt, so as they left on their powerful horses, Niall told Ruairi stories in an effort to ease his mind. It wasn’t as though Ruairi was the only one ever to have made a mistake. Niall had made plenty in the past. What was more important was the manner in which he recovered from the mistake. Niall tried to instill in Ruairi the strength to come back from a mistake, illustrating the point with the example of how he used to fall off a horse when he was a boy, but he had persevered and now was adept at riding a horse. Niall wasn’t sure if his words had the requisite effect, for Ruairi was mostly silent as they rode towards McGrory lands, but he hoped that somewhere, they were lodged in his heart.

When Ruairi and Niall reached McGrory lands, they were met with suspicious stares and grim mutterings. They rode up to the castle and alighted from their horses. Niall was relieved to see that Scone was standing outside, unharmed. There were pointed glances at Ruairi.

“Keep close tae me, Son, and dinnae dae anything tae make them think ye are here for a fight,” Niall said. Ruairi nodded. They walked into the main chamber. Wallace and Wyl were deep in discussion, while Elaine stared into space.

“Ah, Laird Calbraith. I was just about tae write a letter tae ye. I haed a most unexpected visitor,” Wallace said with a wry smile.

“Where is my daughter?” Niall thundered as he strode towards the dais.

“Maura is with my nephew, Laird Kevan. She is well and unharmed, I assure you.” Niall noticed the way Wallace’s beady eyes fell to Ruairi, although Wallace didn’t make any mention of his son. “I’m glad that ye are here; it means that we can talk about matters directly without having tae rely on the written word. I always find the spoken word a much more accurate judge of a man’s character. I like to look a man in the eyes as we make a deal.”

“There will be no deals made until I hae seen Maura and know that she is safe,” Niall said sharply.

“Why, how little faith ye hae in us. If I were a sensitive man, I might take offense at this. But very well, if this is what is required before we get down tae the important matters, then sae be it. Follow the advisor. I’m sorry I cannae gae with ye, but I hae been feeling fatigued recently. Grief haes some strange effects on a man,” Wallace said with a long, groaning sigh. While Niall wasn’t prone to doubting men’s feelings or making light of their grief, Wallace’s reputation suggested that he was going to use every weapon in his arsenal to generate sympathy and get the best deal for himself. While it didn’t make sense for him to harm Maura, Niall couldn’t take the chance that his rage had not got the better of him. Niall’s hand twitched near his sword just in case he was being led into a trap. Wallace was right in one thing he said: grief could do strange things to a man, including driving him wild with anger.

Wyl said little as he led Niall and Ruairi to a smaller room down a long and narrow corridor. Wyl made mention of how somber the mood had been in the clan since the tragedy that had befallen them. Niall knew the words were pointed, but he could sense how Ruairi quailed at the sound of them. When Wyl opened the door, Niall’s heart leaped as Maura was there, unharmed.

“Maura!” he exclaimed. As soon as she saw him, she ran to him and hugged him. There was another man in the room, a tall man who leaned against a wall and had his arms folded across his broad chest. He was a warrior in every sense of the word, and Niall took him for the new laird, Kevan.

“I’m sorry for leaving like that, Da, but this is the only way. Ye hae tae trust me,” Maura said. Niall placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a firm smile. He tried to be strong for both of his children, but the emotions inside were rampant.

“It’ll all be well, Maura. I’m gaeing tae hae a wee chat with Wallace now, and we’ll see what happens,” Niall said. “I just wanted tae make sure that ye were safe.” He glanced at Kevan, whose face was impassive. Maura offered him another smile and repeated that she was fine. Niall nodded. He, Ruairi, and Wyl left the room and returned to the chamber, where Wallace awaited him. Wallace had risen from his chair and held two goblets of wine. He beckoned for Niall to join him in a small room adjoining the main chamber, where they could talk in private.

Maura was delighted to see her father and brother, even though it was especially dangerous for Ruairi to be in this place. The room she was in currently was adorned with shields and spears hanging on the walls. Kevan was quiet company. He had remained in the same position, surly and quiet for all the time they had been in here. It was only when Niall and Ruairi left that he actually spoke, his gaze shooting daggers to the wall.

“Sae, that’s the man who killed John,” he said in a dry, hollow tone.

“He’s my brother, and it was an accident,” Maura defended.

“Aye, some accident where a man ends up with a sword through his heart.”

“He thought ye were bandits!” Maura cried.

“We weren’t,” Kevan said dryly, and he fell into silence again. Maura had to remind herself that this man had just lost his cousin, but she wasn’t used to men being so quiet. Usually, they were loud and rambunctious. The silence was torturous, but she hoped that now that events were in motion, they might be able to talk. After all, if her plan turned to fruition, then this was the man she was going to marry, the man she was going to spend the rest of her life with. Suddenly, she was filled with a sense of unease, for Kevan was not the kind of man she had thought about marrying at all. While he was handsome, there was no humor about it, and he looked as though he wanted to be anywhere else but in a room with her.

“Dae ye think yer uncle and my da will come tae an agreement?” Maura ventured.

Kevan pursed his lips. “It doesnae matter. We wilnae be married.”

“And why nae? Would ye prefer war?”

Kevan lifted his gaze and leveled it at her. “Because I dinnae want tae be married, and especially nae tae the sister of the man who killed my friend. Every time I look at ye, I see his face twisted in agony. I hear his screams. Dae ye truly think ye can make up for a life taken with a marriage? Dae ye think ye can wash away all the grief?” There was genuine emotion in his voice, and he turned his trembling lips away.

“I just thought it would help us avoid a war, that it might help both our clans move on.”

“Ye thought,” Kevan scoffed, shaking his head. “Ye know nothing. Ye are simply a meddling girl who doesnae know anything about life. Ye would hae been better off nae coming here,” he said.