Page 72 of Highland Spy

“The only thing that made ye weak was lowerin’ yerself to such deceitful ways.”

“I realize that now and I hope ye can forgive me.”

“Me? What about the rest of the lairds? What about the king? When they find out what ye did, ye’re goin’ to be strung up for guid now. Ye’ll be lucky to walk away with yer life.”

“I ken I made a bad decision, and I’m willin’ to pay for it, even if it means my life.”

“Why did Valan even help ye?” asked Caleb. “I’m sure ye couldna pay him, so what was in it for him?”

“My daughter was raped by an enemy durin’ a battle months ago,” the man said sadly. “My wife and I kept it a secret from the clan, because we didna want my daughter to have to live with the shame.”

“But it wasna her fault.”

“Nay. But no man would ever want her after that. So, when Valan found out, he told me he wanted to marry her. He is barren and wants to pretend the child is his.”

“He’s barren? Are ye sure?” asked Caleb, in surprise, thinking about poor Bridget.

“I’m sure. If I wasna too desperate to help my clan and if I hadna been too proud to ask for help, I never would have blackmailed Valan. I told him I would only do what he wanted if he helped me to win the title of Leader of the Lairds.”

“And Valan went too far.”

“Aye,” said Clement with a sad nod. “I tried to stop him, but he seemed to go mad. I didna ken what to do. Ye’ve got to believe me when I tell ye that I dinna even care about winnin’ the contest anymore. All I want is to see my wife and children again. But I fear I’ve failed as a laird as well as a husband and faither, too.”

“Nay. Dinna say that. I saw how ye threw the sword fight, so I ken ye mean what ye say. I will help ye, Clement, because I dinna want yer family or clan to suffer.”

“If ye help me, ye will be a part of this horrific crime as well.”

“No’ if we can capture Valan and bring him before the king. If the king realizes ye meant no harm and were only tryin’ to help yer clan, he might give ye a lighter sentence.”

“Nay, Caleb. Ye are wrong and we both ken it. No one can deceive the king and live to tell about it. I will pay for my mistake with my life just as anyone else who makes a fool out of our king will do as well.”

That thought scared Caleb more than anything. He would not let Bridget go to her death for what she did. Clement, in his opinion, should not be executed either.

“We will end this competition now,” said Caleb.

“What do ye mean?”

“Slink and I will distract the guards and the dogs and lead them in the opposite direction. Ye get to the loch as fast as ye can, and dinna tarry.”

“But that will mean I’m the winner.”

“Aye. And in the meantime, I’m goin’ back to the castle to find Valan. I will make certain the man never tells the king about yer part in this deception.”

“But that’s no’ right, Caleb. I dinna deserve to win now, I can see that. And ye shouldna have to keep my secret.”

“Sometimes in life, there are secrets that need to be kept. Ye and I both would do anythin’ at all to help those we love, and I’m no’ about to let anyone stop that from happenin’.”

“What are ye goin’ to do to keep Valan quiet?” asked Clement.

“I’ll do whatever I have to,” he answered, anger pushing through his veins. Valan made Bridget think she was barren and because of it, the poor girl had never married again. She’d been mistreated by him, and she never once thought of herself. Instead, she did whatever she could to help her father with his problem, risking her life to do it. Well, now Caleb would risk his life to help Bridget find the happiness she deserved. And by God, if he had to kill the bastard Valan to do it, then so be it.

“This way,” shouted a guard, and the sound of running horses and barking dogs became louder again.

“Keep to the river and it’ll take ye all the way to a giant oak,” Caleb told him. “When ye see it, take a right and go down a hill. There, ye will find the loch.”

“I dinna ken why ye want to help me, Caleb, but thank ye,” said Clement with a nod, running toward the river as Caleb stepped out into the clearing.

“Ye need to help us, Slink. Keep the dogs off my trail for a few minutes and be careful that ye dinna get eaten.” He put the pine marten down on the ground. It ran, and he heard the dogs chasing it through the woods. “Get up in a tree, Slink,” he said to himself, heading back in the direction of the castle.