Page 82 of How a Scot Surrenders to a Lady

“This is verra dangerous, this game ye must play,” Iain said.

“Aye,” Cameron agreed.

“What next, Brother?” Lachlan asked.

Cameron swallowed, his throat growing dry from so much conversation. “Hugo will be forced to travel back to his castle from the Falls to wed Sorcha, so I will ken exactly where to wait to ambush him and take Sorcha back.”

“And what about that bastard Hugo?” Bridgette spat. “What will ye do with him?”

“Hugo will die in the ambush, thereby giving the king the death of the man who killed Katherine. The Earl of Ross will nae blame the king, either, because he will nae ken that the king knew I was going to kill his son.” He took a deep breath. “Anyway, I get ahead of myself. After we take March’s castle, I’ll ride to the Falls with Sorcha to deliver her to the king, as he’s commanded. Once there, I will protest her being given to Hugo, thus forcing the king to demand I leave.”

“Ah, and then ye will have time to hide so you can ambush Hugo,” Isobel said. Cameron smiled grimly, his emotions warring inside him. He was filled with comfort that his entire family was supporting him and offering their aid, yet he did not want to risk any of them, nor risk Sorcha.

“With Hugo dead, I dunnae doubt that the king will want Finn dealt with, as well,” Iain said.

Cameron nodded. “I’m going to request he spare Finn’s life and hand him over to me to punish in the king’s stead.” He inhaled a shuddering breath. “I dunnae ken that he will, however, and it weighs heavy on me. I dunnae want to hurt Sorcha more than she already has been.”

Lachlan clasped Cameron’s shoulder. “Brother, ye kinnae control everything. Yer plot is wise, and ye are doing all that ye can.”

“I agree,” Iain echoed.

“As do I,” Graham added.

Cameron nodded, his throat tight with gratitude for his brothers and their counsel. He prayed that Finn’s life would be spared for Sorcha’s sake, though he was not certain Finn really deserved to be spared. He’d plotted to kill an innocent woman, stood by and allowed it to happen, and had actively tried to murder his own sister. If it were not for Sorcha’s feelings, Cameron would likely kill the man himself.

He clenched his jaw on a fresh wave of anger at Finn. He inhaled a calming breath as he knew everyone was waiting for him to finish explaining. “I have asked Broch to make it seem as if he is betraying me when I protest the king’s marriage of Sorcha and Hugo at the Falls. I will draw my sword, and Broch will stop me. The king will then have a believable reason to order Broch to accompany Hugo and Sorcha to his home. That way, Broch will be there to defend Sorcha for the short time I am not with her. I would nae be able to allow her to ride off with Hugo otherwise.”

“It will also allow the king to appear as if he has upheld his agreement with the Earl of Ross so he does nae join the petition again and will reveal who else is behind the uprising,” Graham added. “Verra clever.”

Cameron merely nodded, suddenly overcome with worry. He would be deceiving Sorcha, and he despised that. And if anything should go wrong… He shook the thought away.

“Ye have my full support,” Iain said.

Lachlan gripped Iain’s and Cameron’s forearms. “And mine. Divided we are weak, but together—”

Graham came closer, clasping their forearms, as well. “We are strong.”

Cameron nodded and swallowed past the thick emotion that was clogging his throat. “Aye. Together we are strong,” he repeated, thanking God that he truly understood that now.

Soon Lena, Marsaili, Bridgette, Marion, and Alex joined them in their huddle.

After they broke apart, Cameron said, “The one question I’ve nae come up with the proper answer to is when I should tell Sorcha that she is my wife.”

He looked to Marion, Bridgette, Marsaili, and Lena for counsel. Marion sucked in her bottom lip, Bridgette cocked her head, Marsaili appeared utterly befuddled, and Lena quirked her mouth.

Finally, Marion released her lip and said, “When all is done.”

“Aye,” Bridgette agreed. “Otherwise, she may do something foolish to try to defend ye.”

He nodded, though the thought of lying to her made his gut ache. “How long do ye believe it will take her to forgive me for lying to her?” he asked the women.

They all grinned, and Marion answered—and by the look shared among the four of them, Marion spoke for them all. “About as long as it took you to forgive her. Love is quite odd that way, Cameron.”

He prayed they were right. “We will leave,” he said, looking to Graham and Alex, “as soon as Broch returns from delivering my plan to the king. I’ll need confirmation from Broch if the king has agreed to this plot.”

“He will agree,” Iain said in a confident tone. “He kens that to name ye an enemy would be to name the MacLeods an enemy, and he will nae do that. Ye have a good plan.”

They all nodded their agreement, and Marion clapped her hands. “Now we must determine the best way to get Sorcha to confess her intent to marry you in front of the priest.”

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