Chapter 10
Merith turned slowly toward him. Neither of them said a word to each other for a long time.
The silence inside the study felt more suffocating now than it had while Murdoch stood only a few feet away. Somewhere beyond the narrow windows, rain had begun tapping softly against the glass to match the beating of Merith’s heart.
Locke was the first to move. He stepped away from the curtain and ran a hand through his dark auburn curls. “We should go.”
Merith barely heard him. Her mind remained fixed upon Murdoch’s words.
She has no choice.
The confidence with which he had spoken shook her more than she wished to admit.
Perhaps he had meant nothing by it. Perhaps any laird arranging a marriage alliance would speak the same way. However, hearing it had left a strange ache inside her chest.
Locke reached for the sturdy door and then stopped just as quickly. A small leather ledger protruded beneath several documents upon the desk and his eyes narrowed on his target.
Merith immediately recognized the look. “No.”
He glanced back at her. “No?”
“Do not touch another thing,” she commanded. “I mean it.”
A faint smile appeared. “I’ve always struggled with followin’ instructions, lass.”
Before she could stop him, he crossed to the desk and picked up the ledger.
Merith stared in disbelief. “Locke.”
He flipped through several pages rapidly as Merith stepped closer to peek at the papers over his shoulder. She saw numbers, names and land agreements. They were all lists she could not fully see from where she stood.
His expression hardened before he tucked the ledger beneath his coat. Shock exploded through her.
“What are ye doing?” she asked, fighting the urge to raise her voice.
He closed the distance between them. “What I came here tae do.”
Realization struck her in that moment. The missing pendant. The suspicious questions. The way he had been searching Murdoch’s study. All the pieces suddenly fit together and a chill ran down her spine.
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Ye’re… a thief.”
The words hung between them, and for the first time since she had met him, Locke did not immediately answer with a joke.
Finally, he shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”
Disappointment crashed through her. She had known he was reckless. Known he was infuriating. Known he rarely followed rules. But theft inside Murdoch’s own home? He had to be crazy.
Her hands clenched at her sides. “Why?”
“Because yer betrothed’s no better,” Locke replied, not bothering to hide the venom in his voice.
Merith let out a disbelieving scoff. “What does that even mean?”
“Nothin’,” he said, looking away.
“Nothin’?” she repeated incredulously. “Ye steal from him and then accuse him of crimes ye cannae explain?”
Locke furrowed his brows and kept his eyes on the door. That bothered her more than any answer could have.
“You have no proof,” she tried again.
“I have enough,” Locke insisted, snapping his eyes back to her.
“Then show me.”
There was silence in which Merith’s anger grew.
“I said show me,” she insisted.
Again, he said nothing. That was when she realized that he could not show her. Whatever game he was playing, whatever suspicions he carried, he had nothing she could see. Nothing that justified this.
Her voice trembled. “I should tell Murdoch.”
At last his gaze returned to hers and something unreadable flashed in his eyes. Then unexpectedly, he laughed. Not because he found it amusing, but because he already knew something she did not.
The sound only fueled her fury. “Do ye find this funny?”
“Nay, my lady,” he replied with a grin.
“Then why are ye laughin’?” she asked.
“Because ye’re still pretendin’ ye have that choice.”
Before she could respond, he stepped forward. Merith instinctively backed away. One step. Then another. Until her shoulders touched cold stone.
Locke planted one hand against the wall beside her, caging her in. However, he wasn’t being gentle either. He was simply refusing to let her walk away from the conversation.
His voice dropped lower. “Think carefully, lass.”
Her pulse quickened at his words as she searched his face.
“Ye’ll tell Murdoch what?” he asked, staring at her.
She opened her mouth and then shut it just as quickly. The answer came to her immediately.
She would have to explain why she had been inside the study. Why she had hidden behind the curtain. Why she had remained silent while Murdoch discussed private matters. Why she had not raised the alarm the moment Locke entered.
Worse still… there was the pendant.
Murdoch still believed she knew nothing about it. If she exposed Locke, she would end up exposing herself.
His smile returned, faint and humorless. “Ye see it now, don’t ye?”
Merith hated that he was right, and she hated even more that he knew it too.
“We are not the same,” she said, frowning at him.
“Aye, we are.”
“We are not,” she argued, pushing herself off the wall.
“We hid together,” he reminded her as his eyes remained fixed on hers. “We lied together.”
The words landed like blows.
“And now we’re both standin’ here discussing whether tae betray one another.”
Merith’s chest rose sharply as fury burned through her. Without another word she shoved past him. This time he allowed it.
The study door flew open and she stormed into the corridor without looking back.
Only when she reached the stairwell did she hear his voice behind her. It was soft and almost regretful. “There is no turnin’ back now, Merith. We’re partners in crime now.”
She had hated herself for fearing he was right.
The following morning dawned brighter than the day before. Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the clouds and painted the surrounding hills in pale gold.
From her chamber window, Merith could see sheep grazing upon distant slopes while wisps of mist curled between the valleys below. The beauty of it did nothing to comfort her, though. She had spent half the night replaying every conversation she had ever shared with Locke Reid.
Every smile. Every joke. Every impossible moment when he had somehow made her laugh despite herself.
A thief. He was a thief. A criminal.
The word still echoed in her head.
Shona watched her from across the room. “Ye’ve stabbed that poor hairbrush three times already.”
Merith blinked. “What?”
“The brush,” Shona repeated, nodding toward it. “I fear fer its survival.”
Merith glanced down. She had indeed been gripping it far too tightly.
Shona folded her arms. “Did ye quarrel with him?”
Merith nearly dropped the brush. “What makes ye think that?”
“Because ye look precisely the way I looked after throwin’ a loaf of bread at my cousin Angus,” Shona replied.
Merith sighed. “That explains absolutely nothin’.”
“Aye, but the expression is the same,” she said.
Despite everything, a reluctant smile appeared on her face. Shona grinned triumphantly.
Merith set the brush aside. Today would be different. Today she would stop thinking about Locke. Stop questioning every choice. Stop allowing confusion to rule her heart.
Murdoch had offered her kindness, security, and protection for her family. Perhaps it was finally time to accept what had been placed before her.
By late morning she was dressed with unusual care. Her deep green gown complemented her hazel eyes, while small silver pins held her dark blonde hair neatly in place.
Shona stepped back and nodded approvingly. “Verra lovely, my lady.”
Merith smoothed her sleeves.
“Are ye nervous?” Shona asked, tilting her head to the side.
“A wee bit,” Merith replied honestly.
The maid smiled knowingly. “Ye’re goin’ tae accept him.”
At that, Merith looked toward the window. After several seconds, she nodded. “Aye.”
Murdoch received her in one of the smaller audience chambers overlooking the inner courtyard. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, illuminating polished wooden furnishings and richly woven tapestries displaying generations of Carnegie history.
Murdoch rose from his seat immediately when she entered and a warm smile touched his face.
“Lady Merith,” he greeted her with a nod that looked more like a bow.
“My laird,” she replied kindly.
Something hopeful flickered in his eyes. Before either could continue, however, a steward hurried into the chamber.
Murdoch turned at the interruption. “What is it?”
“A delegation from the eastern villages requests audience,” the steward said, refusing to meet Murdoch’s eyes.
Murdoch glanced briefly toward Merith before nodding. “Show them in.”
Several villagers entered moments later. Their clothing was clean but worn from travel. Mud clung to boots and hems. An elderly man led the group, accompanied by two women and several younger farmers.
Murdoch stepped forward immediately.
“My friends,” he greeted warmly, spreading out his arms. “Welcome tae Carnegie Keep.”
The older man bowed respectfully. “My laird.”
“No ceremony today.” Murdoch clasped his shoulder. “Tell me what troubles ye.”
The villagers exchanged glances before beginning.
They talked about a damaged bridge, several livestock disputes, and concerns regarding winter supplies.
Throughout the entire discussion, Murdoch listened attentively.
He asked questions and offered solutions.
Never once did impatience enter his voice.
Merith found herself relaxing more with each passing minute as she watched the exchange.
This was the man she had come to know. The man who had offered help to her family without demanding gratitude. The man who treated his people with kindness.
When the meeting concluded, the villagers thanked him repeatedly.
“We look after our own here,” Murdoch said, smiling at them all.
Relief washed through Merith. Perhaps Locke truly had been wrong. Perhaps he had created enemies where none existed.
After the delegation departed with the steward, Murdoch turned back toward her. “Forgive the interruption.”
“There is nothin’ tae forgive, my Laird,” A genuine smile touched her lips. “Ye handled their concerns kindly.”
His expression softened. “They depend on me.”
For the first time in days, certainty returned. Maybe not complete certainty, but enough. Enough to silence her doubts and definitely enough to move forward. The remainder of the day passed quietly. Merith spent most of it with Shona in the gardens and solar rooms overlooking the valley.
Whenever she glimpsed a flash of dark auburn hair somewhere within the keep, she immediately turned the other way. She had no desire to speak with Locke. Not today and perhaps not ever again.
When evening came around, the sun had slipped behind the mountains. Long shadows took over the courtyard while servants lit torches along the walls.
As Merith returned from supper, a strange thought occurred to her. She had not seen the villagers leave. Not one of them. Could they still be talking with Murdoch?
At first she dismissed it. Carnegie Keep was a large place. They could have departed hours ago without her noticing.
But the doubt remained.
She walked through the building until she saw movement at the end of the corridor. She couldn’t help herself. She had to find out the truth… just to put her mind at ease.
Near the kitchens she stopped beside a passing servant. “The delegation from the eastern villages departed safely?”
The woman hesitated. “A-aye, my lady.”
“When did they leave?” Merith asked, smiling softly at her.
The servant looked away. “I think it was this afternoon.”
Merith frowned. “Which gate did they use?”
Without enough time to come up with something, the servant finally said, “I dinnae ken, m’lady.”
The woman curtsied and hurried away. Merith stood motionless in the same spot.
She asked another servant. Then another. Each offered vague answers. Each avoided her gaze. Each seemed strangely eager to leave the conversation.
The worry that had haunted her since yesterday returned with renewed force. By full dark she could no longer ignore it. Something was wrong.
The keep felt different tonight. It was tense and watchful, as though everyone knew a secret they dared not speak aloud.
Following instinct rather than reason, she moved deeper into the quieter portions of the castle.
The corridors grew colder as they were less traveled.
Eventually she noticed guards stationed where none had stood before.
Two men watched a narrow passage descending toward the lower levels. The dungeons.
At the sight, Merith’s stomach flipped. She waited hidden in the shadows.
The moment both guards turned to refill their cups, she tiptoed and slipped around the corner. Holding her breath lest she make noise.
As she headed down the stairs, the air grew damp and torchlight flickered against ancient stone. Voices drifted faintly through the darkness, but they did not belong to guards.
It was the villagers.
Merith’s blood turned cold at the sound. She reached the bottom of the stairwell, looked through the iron bars, and froze. The delegation from earlier stood inside the dungeon cells.
Every one of them. She saw the elderly spokesman, the women and the farmers. All were locked behind iron doors.
Fear spread through her like ice water. One of the women noticed her and their eyes met.
The woman’s expression filled instantly with desperate hope. “My lady, what are you doing down here?”
Merith stumbled backward. “No…” The whisper escaped before she could stop it.
The world seemed to tilt beneath her feet. Murdoch had welcomed them. Promised to help them. He had promised…
Her breath caught painfully because suddenly she remembered every warning Locke had given. Every unanswered question. Every suspicion. Every secret.
Terrified, confused, and desperate for answers, Merith turned and ran. The guards were still occupied when she exited the dungeons and did not turn back.
There was only one person in the entire keep who might explain what she had just seen, and she found herself praying that Locke Reid had not been telling the truth after all.