Page 118 of Kidnapped by a Rogue
“You’ll guarantee the hostages safety?” Finn asked, though this was usual as well.
“Of course,” John said, sounding offended. “I swear it.”
Finn shouted the terms up to Lachlan and the other Murrays on the castle wall. It did not take long for them to discuss it among themselves.
“We accept the terms,” Lachlan shouted down. “We’ll draw lots for the hostages and send them out first.”
“Since that’s settled, I’ll be off,” Finn said, and got up.
“I have one more term ye must agree to,” John said, “or I’ll slaughter them all.”.
Damn, damn, damn.Finn knew what it was without John telling him.
“Must ye do this, John?” he asked without much hope.
“Ye should have sent someone else to give the message to Alex,” John said. “But ye had to be the one to come into Dunrobin disguised as a peddler and humiliate my father.”
“What gave me away?” Finn asked.
“The dog,” John said with a dry laugh. “Barbara saw ye take that one-eyed mongrel. After Alex escaped, she put two and two together.”
It would be Barbara. At least Alex was safe at Huntly castle and free of her and the rest of the Sinclairs.
“Do ye believe this will finally win your father’s approval?” Finn taunted him. “That you’ll replace your brother William as his favorite?”
“My father will be grateful that I’ve caught the Murrays and forced them to surrender and agree to my terms.”
“You’re the better son, the best of his children, but you’ll never change your father’s mind,” Finn said. “I was always the unfavored son, too, so I know.”
“What I know is that I’m the son who’s going to give my father what he wants,” John said. “And what he wants is you.”
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When they reached Girnigoe, the three hostages were allowed to ride into the castle unbound. Finn, however, was forced to walk with a rope around his neck, removing any doubt that he was a prisoner, rather than a hostage.
He sensed something was wrong the moment they crossed the first gate of Girnigoe and the drawbridge was raised behind them with unnecessary speed. MacKay sensed it too, for he turned his horse and galloped over the half-raised drawbridge, sailing over the gap in the rock and landing on the other side.
“Run!” Finn shouted to the Murray hostages.
He pulled a dirk from the belt of the Sinclair warrior who held him and sliced the rope that tied them together. It was a hopeless attempt, of course, as he was on foot and too far from the drawbridge. He heard the drawbridge close with athumpas he was tackled to the ground by several of the Sinclair men.
This time, Finn’s hands were bound, and John held the rope around his neck. Without hesitation, John rode through the next gate and into the inner courtyard where his father was waiting.
“Chain these prisoners together, hand and foot, and line them up,” George ordered.
Finn struggled against the men who clamped irons around his ankles and wrists.
“The Murrays are hostages, not prisoners, Father,” John said.
George turned on his son with such rage in his eyes that Finn had to give John credit for not stepping back as George walked up to him until they were nose to nose.
“Ididn’t agree to accept hostages,” George said.
“You sent me to deal with the Murrays,” John said. “I agreed to—”
“You let the Murrays go!” George said. “I did not tell ye to spare them.”
“Ye gave me the task, and I did it,” John said. “I did it well.”
