Chapter 19

19

F inlay watched Anne leave with a heavy heart. It had been surprising to learn about her deceit, but in a way, he should have suspected it. She had been vague about her uncle and had been reluctant to spend any money. It was a good trick, and he wished he had really been a Laird's son so that he could have been willingly conned by her. But instead of living the rest of his life with her, he had to let her go. She didn't want to be the wife of some criminal, and he understood why she had to protect Rory. That was the way of life for people like them. She was a good woman at heart, and it was a shame that the circumstances had forced her to turn to such desperate measures. He hoped that one day in the future their paths would cross again, and the fact that they had been able to enjoy this short time together would nourish him for the rest of his days. There would never be another woman like her, so the fact that he got to bask in her glory was at least some small consolation. He brought his fingers to his lips, still feeling the warmth of her kiss. Then he turned back to the tavern, resigning himself to his grim fate.

But then, someone grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. Before Finlay knew it, he was dazed from a punch. Gavin loomed over him, glaring at him.

"Dae ye know what he's done?!" he yelled and dragged Finlay back into the tavern.

While inside, Murdoch calmed Gavin down.

"Ye dinnae need tae thrash him, lad. He's one of us now, for the rest of his life," Murdoch said with a smile.

"But he ran away. He killed—" Gavin protested.

Murdoch waved a dismissive hand in the air. "We've lost one man, but gained another. Finlay knows that he hae tae behave with us, otherwise, the consequences are gaeing tae be dire. Is nae that right, Finlay?"

Finlay nodded, wearing a glum look on his face.

"Now," Murdoch continued, "I think that ye should continue with ye original plan while we still hae time. Gae back tae the keep and pick up where ye left off. And this time I dinnae want ye tae return until the job is done," Murdoch jabbed a finger in the air to emphasize this point, and Finlay knew that he had to do as he was told.

"I knew ye would change yer mind eventually. Most people dae where Murdoch is concerned."

"Aye, well, it's nae as though I hae much choice."

Gavin grunted. "I'm gaeing tae be keeping a close eye on ye. I dinnae trust ye one bit."

"That makes two of us. Ye think I'm ever gaeing tae trust ye again after what ye did tae me? If ye hae just owned up…"

Gavin rolled his eyes. "It's all in the past now. I hope ye are nae gaeing tae gae on about this for as long as ye are around. It's gaeing tae get old real quick."

"Murdoch gets his debts, and I will tae," Finlay said, rubbing his aching jaw where Gavin had hit him. Finlay owed him for that and for much more. He had lost Anne, but he would bide his time and find some way to fight against Murdoch and his men.

They made their way back to the keep, avoiding the attention of the guards and the gathered crowd. Finlay looked around, hoping to see Anne's face, but it was a vain hope. It would probably have been easier on him if he never saw Anne again, as at least then he wouldn't have to be reminded of the pain he felt. Gavin kept close by, so Finlay did not have a chance to escape. They returned to the servant's door, which Gavin had left unlocked. The dead body had been stuffed in a bush, hidden for now. Gavin pulled the door open and pushed Finlay through.

The keep was quiet, eerily so.

"Ye remember where tae gae?" Gavin whispered.

"Ye are more familiar with it than I am," Finlay replied, glaring at the man. They pressed themselves against the walls as they entered a hallway. They moved up some stairs and began to relax as they got deeper into the keep. The vast majority of people were outside, so this job might have been even easier than Murdoch had predicted. Finlay took the opportunity to look at his surroundings. It had been a long time since he had been in this keep. It had once been a place of safety for him, even of pride. He used to like doing his duty, knowing that he was helping to keep the clan safe, and at one time he had even had ambitions to rise through the ranks and give his father a better life.

All hopes of that had been dashed when the accusations came out though. He glanced over his shoulder at Gavin, wondering if he could turn on the man and beat him to death now. Would Murdoch even care?

While these thoughts were running through his mind, the sound of a patrol appeared ahead. It seemed as though the Laird wasn't leaving his keep completely unguarded, and had left a small force behind. They were young and idle, talking amongst themselves about all the things that captured the attention of young men. Gavin grabbed Finlay and dragged him into a small recess. They hid in the shadows. Gavin put his finger across his mouth, signaling for Finlay to remain silent until the guards passed. Their long shadows stretched before the hiding thieves, and in truth, the guards weren't doing a very good job. They were more concerned with talking about all the things they were missing out on rather than inspecting the walls, probably assuming that nobody would be foolish enough to infiltrate the keep.

Finlay's heart beat wildly in his chest. Once upon a time, he had been like them, but now he was just a common criminal. He would remain this way for the foreseeable future, his life defined by Murdoch's whims, never able to escape because of the promise he had made. And there was no way out…unless he forced one. All this time he had been hiding from the law, running away from the consequences of his actions, but what if he surrendered to the guards? It was perhaps the only way to get to the truth, and he would rather spend his life locked in a dungeon than under the shackles of Murdoch.

The guards were rounding a corner, almost disappearing from view. If he was going to do anything, then it needed to be now.

He flung himself forward before Gavin could do anything to stop him. He cried out, getting the guard's attention. Gavin's eyes went wide. He was apoplectic with rage, but Finlay was already flailing his arms in the air and falling to his knees.

"Ye caught us, oh, ye caught us. We're just wretched thieves who were trying tae take advantage of the gathering tae steal from the Laird's treasury, but yer keen eyes saw us and there's nae escape for us. Please, show mercy on us, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Finlay cried. The guards were astonished to see two prisoners fall into their lap, so much so that they almost didn't react. It was only when Gavin came storming out of his hiding place that their trained instincts flourished. They brandished their swords, and even Gavin wasn't foolish enough to confront them. He glared at Finlay.

"Ye are gaeing tae regret this," he muttered.

Finlay shrugged. "What could I dae? The guards caught us."

The guards led them to the depths of the dungeons and locked them in a cell, before leaving them to fetch the captain of the guard. Gavin rounded on Finlay, slamming his palm against the iron bars.

"Ye know ye are nae gaeing tae get away with this. Murdoch is gaeing tae be angry."

"I dinnae think it's Murdoch we need tae worry about right now," Finlay said in a small voice. He didn't test the strength of the bars, but rather resigned himself to his fate. He slumped against the wall and closed his eyes, thinking about Anne, wanting to atone for all the bad things he had done in the world. If he was a better man, a man of means, then perhaps he would have been able to give her the life she deserved. It was time to stop running and face his accusers once and for all.

It wasn't long before the captain of the guard approached. He was a strong, grizzled veteran who had served the Laird for many years. He carried himself with pride and looked upon the two prisoners with derision. He expressed shock when he realized who he had captured.

"Look at the two of ye…is this what happens tae guards when they lose their way? I always told ye that ye should hae paid attention in training. I hae such high hopes for ye. Especially ye, Buchanan. After what ye did, I'm surprised ye could show yer face around here again, let alone trying tae repeat yer crime," the captain shook his head as he spoke.

"For a long time I was afraid, but I'm gaeing tae tell ye now what I told ye then; I'm innocent. I never stole the sword. He did," Finlay jerked his head towards Gavin, who muttered something under his breath and turned away.

"And why should I believe ye? Especially after ye hae just been caught sneaking towards the treasury. Did ye leave something behind last time?" the captain leaned forward. There was a mocking tone in his words.

"Ye got the wrong man. I only ever wanted tae dae my job. I never wanted tae steal. Ye were sae quick tae condemn me, though. Just because I was poor, ye thought I was desperate. But if I was guilty then why would I throw myself in front of the guards? Why would I let myself be captured?"

"Ye tell me!" the captain hissed, narrowing his eyes.

Finlay pushed himself towards the bars and stood up, curling his fingers around them and pressing his face to them. "Because I want tae speak tae the Laird. I want him tae hear my story. I want tae prove my innocence tae him," Finlay said.

The Captain laughed and shook his head. "Ye think the Laird is gaeing tae bother with ye taeday of all days? Ye hae a high opinion of yerself, Buchanan."

"Perhaps sae, but are ye nae curious why I confessed? Ye know that Gavin and I are familiar with this keep, dae ye really think yer wee guards found us? We know this place better than they ever will, there's only one reason why I'm here, and that's because I confessed tae them. I think the Laird deserves tae know why. Given how highly he values justice, I'm sure he wouldn't like knowing he hae an innocent man in his dungeons."

The captain studied him for a few moments. Then he pressed his lips together as he seemed to have made a decision. "Ye know, Buchanan, I did always find it strange why ye took the sword. Ye were a good guard, I just thought ye were an even better liar. Very well, I'll allow the Laird tae hear ye out, but if this is a waste of my time I will make ye pay, and I'll make sure that ye never see the light of day again."

The captain unlocked the doors. Finlay looked back towards Gavin and flashed a smug smirk. He wasn't entirely sure that this was going to work, but at least he was going to get an audience with the Laird.

Finlay's arms were bound and he was accompanied by a guard at all times. He was left to wait in the main hall while the captain went to fetch the Laird. Finlay thought about the things he was going to say and hoped that the Laird's reputation was well-deserved. It wasn't long before the Laird arrived. Like the captain, he walked with purpose and held himself well. His gaunt frame was stoic and regal. His hair was gray, just like his eyes. He had a stern look on his face, and Finlay knew that if he made one wrong move, the Laird would not hesitate to punish him for wasting his time.

"Laird McLeod, thank ye for seeing me," Finlay began, bowing low.

"I'm told that ye hae something important ye need tae tell me."

"Aye, I'm nae sure if ye remember me. My name is Finlay Buchanan and I was once a member of yer guard. I was dismissed because I was accused of stealing a sword. I was innocent, but another guard spoke against me. He was the real thief, and he is sitting in ye dungeon now."

The Laird arched an eyebrow. "I see, and I suppose I'm meant tae be grateful tae ye for solving this crime?"

"I just want tae make sure ye know the facts, sir, and the truth. The truth is that after losing my position here I became as bad as I had been labeled. I went from village tae village, clan tae clan, stealing and tricking people tae survive. I turned away from my home, left my Da behind because he could nae bear the shame of haeing a thief for a son. I was nae guilty of that crime, but I hae been guilty of many others."

The Laird shared a confused look with the captain. "I must say, this is a strange thing tae say. I hae never come across many criminals who try tae make themselves innocent of one crime, only tae confess guilt tae another."

"That's because I dinnae want tae be a criminal, sir. I thought there was nae way out. I found myself indebted tae Murdoch, and he wanted me tae work with him. But I dinnae want that life. I dinnae want tae be like him. Murdoch sent me here tae steal from ye, but I ruined his plan because I want tae hold ontae what little honor I hae left. If my Da ever learns that I hae returned then I want him tae at least know I did the right thing. I would rather be held as a prisoner than live freely as an outlaw, and I wish tae surrender myself tae yer judgment," he bowed his head deeply and waited for the Laird to respond.