Chapter 10

Ian's eyes watered with pain, but he gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to cry out. He bristled with anger, and heat radiated from his body. He pulled her back to a small room and pushed her inside, telling her to be quiet and wait. He wished he could say more, but there wasn't any time. Glancing anxiously over his shoulder, he was relieved to hear silence fade as he returned to the front of the shop. Just then, the door opened, and the guard walked in. If he had been a few moments quicker, then he would have seen Lucy.

Ian glanced towards the basement door, which he had closed shut behind him when he had come upstairs. He hadn't had a chance to drag the table back across it, but he did kick the rug across the door. He composed himself, trying to make the anger ebb away.

"Morning, what can I help ye with?" Ian put on his most cheerful demeanor and tried to pretend that everything was well.

The guard was a tall man. He angled his head around, surveying the scene. "Is anything wrong? I thought I heard something."

"Oh, there's always some noise here, a forge is never a quiet place tae be. It's probably just the damn stray cat that hae been hanging around. Ye feed it one time and it never leaves," he shook his head and smiled. The guard nodded, tutting as he did so. He moved across to a shelf and inspected the examples of Ian's handiwork. He clasped his hands behind his back and leaned forward. Ian waited patiently, ignoring the bead of sweat that trickled down his temple. Had the guard overheard Lucy? Had he seen some glimpse of her? Ian's heart thumped in his chest, just waiting for the hammer to fall.

The guard rocked back and forth on his heels and then came to the counter. "I'm hoping ye could help me. I need some new shoes for my horse. What's the best price ye can dae?"

Ian sighed with relief, releasing all of the tension in his body in one rush of breath. The guard looked at him strangely, so Ian had to cover it by clearing his throat and thumping his fist against his chest, pretending that he was suffering from a cough. He quickly negotiated a price, offering favorable terms to the guard in order to get him out of the shop as soon as possible. The guard seemed happy with the arrangement, so Ian gathered his tools and led him outside. He approached the horse and did his work swiftly, with well-practiced movements. He avoided the urge to glance back at the shop, not wanting the guard to think there was anything amiss, even though all he could think about was Lucy in that back room.

Thankfully, the guard was not one for small talk. He let Ian get on with the work, and then paid him immediately, leading the horse away. "I'll make sure tae send more business yer way. I'll mention ye tae my men," he called out as he left. Ian thanked him, although his heart sank. The last thing he needed was more guards visiting his shop. He waited for the guard to get out of sight and then returned inside, closing the door behind him. He rushed to the back room where Lucy was petrified with fear and opened the door.

"Will ye be quiet, lass? Ye almost gave yerself away. I hae tae stop a guard from discovering ye," he said quickly. As soon as he said this, her anger melted away, replaced by fear. She clasped her hands together and her features became drawn, her face even paler than usual.

"Was he here for me?" she squeaked.

"He just wanted shoes for his horse. I hae seen him away. Ye are nae in any danger now," he said, but he looked at his palm and flexed his fingers, embracing the pain from the bite marks she had left. She looked at them as well and felt ashamed.

"I'm sorry for that. For a moment I thought ye were gaeing tae kill me."

"Kill ye? Why would I dae that?"

"Tae protect yer secret. Because ye are angry with me. Ye dinnae know what it's like tae live in fear all the time, tae know that yer fate is nae yer own. I thought I was gaeing tae die, but honestly, what fate can I look taewards? Either I am gaeing tae die or I am gaeing tae be captured. Ye are right, I am nae made for this world. I hae made such a terrible mistake," her head fell into her hands and she began to sob. She shuddered as mournful sounds poured out of her, and as they did so, Ian's anger receded. She wasn't some scheming villain, she was just a girl, vulnerable and alone.

"Dinnae be like that, lass. Come on, let's gae and sit down. Ye are nae in any danger. The guard is gone. Ye know that ye are safe here," he said gently. He reached out his hand. She studied it for a moment before taking it, helping herself up. She sniffed as she did so, and then her hand slipped away from his. The touch had been tender, but fleeting. They returned to the basement. Ginger mewed and rushed towards Lucy, slinking around her legs. Lucy hadn't stopped crying yet. Her eyes glistened like sapphires and her cheeks were flushed. Her chest heaved. Ian fetched her some tea, and by the time he returned she had calmed down somewhat.

"I'm sorry for lying tae ye," Lucy said as she cupped her hands around her mug. She stared into the abyss of the liquid, though, not looking up to meet his gaze. "I never meant tae deceive ye, I just dinnae think that ye would keep me here if ye knew the truth. But ye are wrong about me. I'm nae just a spoiled girl. This is nae some wee adventure for me," she glanced up at him when she said this, and her eyes flashed with strength.

"Then why did ye run?" he asked.

Lucy pressed her lips together for a moment and looked up towards the ceiling. "My father is an oppressive man. He was nae always this way, but once I came of age he hae certain expectations of me. Recently, he hae been trying tae get me tae marry. I turned all of them down, and in the end he said that I could nae be trusted tae make the decision, sae he was gaeing tae choose for me. He chose a man I detested. I begged and pleaded with him tae find someone else, but he dismissed my concerns, saying that I would grow tae love him. But I could nae… and I dinnae want a life with him. I dinnae want that marriage tae be my life," her voice cracked on emotion as she spoke, and her eyes were filled with terror.

"Sae ye ran, and ye stole the jewels tae make sure ye hae some funds?"

She looked up at him sharply. "I never stole the jewels," her voice was clear through the rumbling emotion. "She helped me, took pity on me. I think perhaps she related tae my plight, and she knew that freedom out here was better than a life spent with a man I dinnae love."

"That sounds more like the Lady I know. She hae always been understanding and kind. I could nae understand why she dinnae offer help tae yer sick aunt."

"Ye know her?" Lucy asked, an element of surprise creeping into her voice.

"I hae met her on occasion, when I made a necklace for her."

"Well, she helped me escape, only I dinnae expect sae many guards tae come after me. I thought this place was empty. I only intended tae stay here until I could move on, but then, of course, I met ye."

Ian nodded. "And I would nae let ye on yer way," he finished her sentence for her.

"But I cannae gae back tae him. I cannae gae back tae my father."

"But why did ye hae tae label yerself as a thief? Why nae just run away? Surely ye are just drawing more attention tae yerself this way?"

Lucy shifted her position and sipped her drink. The shuddering sorrow had subsided now, but she was still sitting with hunched shoulders and a bowed head.

"Because public image is everything tae Da. By branding myself as a thief, I ensured that nae reputable man would want me as his wife, making me useless tae Da. I want him tae be ashamed of me, tae treat me as though I dinnae exist. I want him tae forget about me, sae that I can live freely."

"That explains why the guards are eager tae keep this a secret," Ian mused.

Lucy nodded. "I'm nae a thief. I'm nae a maid, and I dinnae hae a sick aunt. Naething I hae told ye is true, and I'm sorry for that. It would hae been easier if I hae gone intae any other building."

"Aye, lass, perhaps it would hae, but ye dinnae. Ye came intae mine," he said. She looked up at him and when she realized that anger did not rest in his eyes, she smiled at him. After explaining her predicament, Ian understood why she had taken these actions. When he thought of her in the keep being marched away to marry a man she detested, he was filled with anger and envy.

"Is that why ye kissed me then, because ye know that it would make yer Da mad if he ever found out?"

Lucy dipped her head and shook it slowly. Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips. "Nae I… I kissed ye because… because I wanted tae," her voice fell to a whisper. Ian's heart skipped a beat. He was seized again with the urge that he had experienced the previous night. Hazy tension ran through his body.

"I thought it might hae been tae gain my trust. I thought it was another lie," he admitted. Their eyes locked. This time it was his turn to have a cracked voice, to reveal some tender emotion.

"I would never lie about something like that," she said. He moved towards her. She rose from her chair, reaching towards him. Their hands met again, fingers slipping against each other.

"Prove it," he murmured, and his words were quickly swallowed by a passionate kiss. His hands fell around her waist, pulling her into him. Her hands ran through his hair, fingertips pressing against his scalp. Her breath was sweet and warm, her lips moist from the tears that trickled down her cheeks. Her hair brushed against him and his grip tightened, as though he wanted to hold on to her forever.