Chapter 16

16

A nne tried to forget about the fact that she had sold her mother's dress for Finlay's sake. This venture to the McLeod Keep had all gone wrong somehow. Instead of using the opportunity to increase her wealth, she had been losing everything. The only hope of emerging with some profit was that Finlay would be so grateful he would marry her, but in truth, profit was the last thing on her mind. She hated knowing that Finlay was at the mercy of those brutes and wanted to do everything she could to save him. She had no idea how a man like Murdoch could function in a place like this, a place that was supposed to be safe. The McLeod clan was vaunted for the protection they offered neighboring villages from bandits and the like, but there was a cesspool of crime festering right under the Laird's nose.

And currently, Finlay was at his mercy.

Anne strode through the keep towards Murdoch's tavern. She thought about involving guards, but if Murdoch was brazen enough to steal the son of a Laird, then what good would guards do? Besides, if the guards helped her, Murdoch might take offense and kill Finlay as soon as they approached, and she did not want to take this risk. She had the money he asked for, and hopefully, he was reasonable enough to keep to the terms he had agreed to.

Rory was in tow, struggling to keep up with her. He had stopped trying to convince her that they should turn their backs on Finlay and focus on other endeavors. From a practical standpoint, he was probably right, but Anne's heart flared when she thought of Finlay and she could not cope with him being in danger. Despite hardening her heart to the rigors of the world, she still found herself vulnerable to the stirrings of love.

However, she had not lost all her wits. Before they entered the tavern, Anne directed Rory to wait outside and peer into the tavern from a low window. She knew what men like Murdoch were like, and she was not about to trust him for a second. She watched Rory take up his position and then she marched into the tavern, making sure to hold her head up high and keep her back straight. She wanted to show Murdoch that she wasn't afraid.

The tavern was unlike the one in which she had been staying. It was dark. All the shutters were closed, while the only source of light was dim lanterns. The air was thick and stale, heavy with the smell of ale and body odor. Men were sitting on chairs, hunched over tables, focused on their cards. From another corner of the room, she heard bone dice clatter against the uneven floor. Her skin crawled, her instincts telling her that this was no place for a lady. Everything inside her told her to run, but she knew she could not.

She walked to the bar.

"I'm looking for Murdoch," she said, making a concerted effort to keep her voice from trembling. The barman looked her up and down with a leery stare. He stretched his lips in something that resembled a smile and she tried not to think about what he was imagining.

"I'm sure ye are. Murdoch is a lucky man," the barman said, pursing his lips as his gaze darted down Anne's body, settling on her breasts. He then jerked his head to a corner. Anne pulled herself away and saw Murdoch looking right at her. He was leaning back in a chair, his legs spread wide. He wore a satisfied smile on his face, as though he had everything in the world and yearned for nothing more. He pulled a chair towards him as she approached.

"Ye must be here for Finlay. What's yer name?" he asked.

"Anne," she replied.

"It's a pleasure tae meet ye, Anne. I'm Murdoch. Welcome tae my establishment," he said, taking one of her hands in between his, sandwiching it between his palms. She shivered with fear. He gestured to the seat beside him. Anne glanced towards it and got the sense that if she didn't take it, there would be trouble.

"I hae what ye asked for. I suggest that ye bring Finlay out here now sae that we can be done with this. I'm sure ye are eager tae spend the money," Anne said, hoping that she could move things along swiftly. Murdoch, however, had other ideas.

"Why are ye in such a rush, lass? I thought we could get tae know each other a wee bit first. After all, there are a few questions I hae for ye."

"Well, I dinnae hae anything tae say tae ye." She produced the coin and placed it on the table. Murdoch's hand reached out and slid the pouch towards him. He never took his eyes off Anne.

"Oh, I think that might change while we talk. I'm surprised that a lass of yer good breeding would endanger her life for a criminal," he said.

"I'm nae," Anne looked confused.

Murdoch arched an eyebrow. "Oh, lass, dinnae ye know anything about Finlay? I'm impressed with yer bravery, but I thought ye would know more about him considering ye are paying quite a substantial sum for his freedom."

"I know everything I need tae know about him. He's the son of a Laird. It's just fortunate for ye that I was unable tae locate his clan's camp, otherwise, I'm sure this place would be surrounded by swords," Anne said, but Murdoch was unfazed by the threat. He smirked.

"Is that what he told ye?"

"He told me the truth, yes."

"Oh, lass, that was not the truth at all. Finlay is nae son of a Laird. He could never hope tae reach that high. His Da is a poor farmer, an honest servant of the land. But Finlay could never even live up tae that breeding. He hae tae make a mockery of everything. He's a criminal."

"What? Nae…ye are lying!" Anne said, narrowing her eyes. Everything in her body went rigid.

Murdoch opened his palm to her. "Anne, why would the son of a far-off Laird find himself in debt tae me? I would nae lie tae ye about this. He's a thief. He ran away from this clan a long time ago because he stole one of the Laird's relics, a prized sword that he thought he could sell. But he was caught and dismissed from the clan's guard, and he found himself in my tavern, hoping tae make a fortune by other means. But he gambled more than he hae, and when he lost, well, he fled instead of paying. I hae heard whispers of him in nearby towns, stories of how he steals food and coin and takes advantage of good people. Just like I suppose he did tae ye, but consider it a lesson learned," he patted the coin pouch, indicating that he wasn't going to return it even though it had been gained by Finlay's lies.

Anne was forced to reconsider everything she knew about Finlay. She was the one who had been conning him, or at least that's what she thought. Was it actually possible that he had been tricking her this entire time? She thought back to his reluctance to talk about his past, and the fact that she hadn't been able to find the Ross clan. She didn't want to believe it, but the logic seemed to fit. She had fallen for it completely and had even risked her own well-being, and all her wealth, in the hope of marrying into a good family, to secure a future for herself and Rory. Instead, she had condemned them both. They were now penniless again, and Rory was never going to let her forget this.

"Then I hope he enjoys his freedom," she said, her voice trembling with heartbreak. She pushed herself up, intending to leave and make the most of the rest of her stay in this place, but Murdoch grabbed her arm. There was a determined look in his eyes as he pulled her back to the chair.

"He may, but freedom is something ye will nae get for a while."

"What are ye daeing? Unhand me!"

"Ye are nae leaving, Anne. I hae sent Finlay off tae dae a wee job for me. I'm gaeing tae keep ye here tae make sure that he does as he is told. He is a liar, but there's something about ye… I think he might genuinely care about ye, if he's capable of caring about anything at all. Either way, we shall find out soon. Consider yerself my guest and enjoy everything that my establishment has tae offer," he flashed a grim smile and Anne glanced to the window, fear blazing in her eyes.

Rory huddled outside. Although the shutters were closed, the tavern was in a state of disrepair and some of them were broken. He pressed his face against the window and waited for his vision to adjust to the dim light inside. He saw his sister walk in and felt a flare of shame. He wanted to be in there with her, to make sure that no danger came to her. He didn't trust Finlay, and he thought it was foolish of them to go to such lengths to save a man they barely knew. Anne had never let her heart rule her head until now, and Rory wondered where this was going to lead. He grit his teeth and his entire body was tense as he watched her move deeper into the tavern, reaching Murdoch. Rory was hidden behind a crate, obscured from the view of other people. A shadow shrouded him as well.

Murdoch took the coin. Rory breathed with relief. He hoped that this would all be over soon. They were still talking, though. Anne looked troubled. What had Murdoch said? Had he killed Finlay already? While Rory wasn't heartless, he thought that perhaps this wasn't the worst outcome. Anne would be sad, of course, but at least they could go back to doing what they did best. Besides, soon enough Rory would be old enough to work himself and he could make an honest living. Anne wouldn't need anyone else.

A few moments later, Anne rose from her chair. Rory relaxed and prepared to move himself. Then Murdoch grabbed her. Anger flared inside Rory's young body and his hand shot to his waist, his fingers curling around the hilt of his dagger. Anne's body language changed. She was frozen with fear, and panic was in her eyes as she looked at the window. It was clear that she wasn't going to be able to leave. This whole thing had been a trap, and now Anne was at the mercy of that murderous criminal, and it was all Finlay's fault.

Rory clenched his jaw and looked around the tavern. For all of his bravery, he knew that he couldn't fight Murdoch's men alone. He was still just a boy, and he cursed his youth. He longed to be a grown man already with the strength that came with it. Things would have been much easier then, and he could protect his sister properly. As it was, he had no allies, no friends, nothing aside from a heart beating with panic.

But he couldn't just stand there and let Murdoch hold his sister captive. She had warned him against going to the guards, but she was an innocent girl who shouldn't have been put in this situation. It was all Finlay's fault, and surely nobody would want this kind of crime to happen right under their noses? The McLeod clan was noted for their willingness to protect people, so he thought they would protect Anne, and if he couldn't go to the guards, well, he would just have to go to the Laird himself. Rory said a small prayer and then rushed towards the keep, hoping that he would not be too late.