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“And instead?” Gavan asked quietly.

William closed his eyes briefly. “Instead, I handed dangerous men exactly the chaos they wanted.”

Silence settled once more across the courtroom. Not the silence of certainty this time; the silence of doubt began to spread through the chamber as the certainty of a simple betrayal gave way to the unsettling realisation that something far larger, and far less easily controlled, was unfolding before them.

“You expect this court to believe you forged clan correspondence merely to expose rumour?” Gavan asked from the bench.

William’s face tightened. “Nay. I expect the court to believe I was reckless enough to think I could frighten powerful men into revealing themselves.” His voice roughened. “I did not understand how quickly falsehood becomes weapon once loosed into fearful hands.”

A low murmur moved through the chamber again. Less outrage now. More calculation.

Gavan let the silence stretch before speaking. “Did you profit from these forged letters?”

William frowned. “Profit?”

“Coin. Land. Position. Promises from those seeking harm against Clan Munro or the Crown.”

“Aye.” The answer came without hesitation. “I received an assurance that my gambling debts would be forgiven, nothing more.” Shame darkened his expression.

“And who offered these assurances?” Gavan asked.

William hesitated again.

Sorcha saw fear move visibly through him this time. Not fear for himself alone. Fear of what happened after certain names entered open court.

Gavan saw it as well. His voice lowered slightly, becoming calmer rather than harder. “This court is not determining guilt for treason today.”

That shifted the room instantly. Several heads turned sharply towards the provost’s bench. Even Calder stilled.

Gavan continued evenly, “What has thus far been established is forgery. Serious enough. Dangerous enough. But forgery alone does not prove conspiracy against the Crown.” His gaze remained fixed upon William. “Nor does it answer who benefited once those letters began circulating.”

The chamber quieted completely.

William swallowed hard before finally saying, “I was introduced to men through Hugh Calder’s household.”

An immediate uproar broke loose again.

Calder surged to his feet. “Lies!”

Gavan struck the bench once more. “Enough.” The single word cracked through the chamber hard enough to silence even the loudest protests.

Calder remained standing, anger burning visibly beneath his carefully controlled expression. “Provost, this is slander spoken by a confessed criminal attempting to lessen punishment.”

“Perhaps,” Gavan replied calmly. “Which is why this court will hear further testimony before judgement is rendered.”

He leaned toward the bailies seated below him, and the three conferred in low voices. When both men had given their assent, Gavan faced the chamber once more.

A tense silence descended as his gaze moved slowly across the room before settling again upon the clerk. “Record that William Sutherland admits to the crime of forgery but denies intent to incite rebellion against the Crown. The court will reserve judgement until all testimony has been heard.”

The clerk scratched quickly across parchment.

“Further,” Gavan continued, “questions remain concerning outside influence surrounding the circulation of the letters and any resulting political or financial gain.”

Sorcha felt the air changing again.

Not acquittal or safety, but movement. The noose tightening around William’s neck no longer felt inevitable.

Gavan turned his attention at last towards Hugh Calder. “Clan Calder has asserted injury to its name through these forged documents.” His voice remained measured. “Therefore, Hugh Calder will appear before this court tomorrow to answer questions regarding his household, associates, and any known connection to the circulation of these letters.”