Beauty and the Beastly Highlander by Kenna Kendrick

Chapter Twenty-Three

Finley slammed the door to his study and kicked it for good measure once it was closed, unable to control his anger. He shook with it, fists clenched tightly by his sides, his body begging him to destroy something, anything to release his fury.

Me own brother. All this time, it was me own brother.

He could hardly believe it himself, but the evidence was clear. When they had made it to the brigands’ hideout, they had found that they were well-prepared, waiting for them precisely where Finley had planned on striking. Some brigands had been sent to the trap, perhaps as bait, and though his men had quickly captured them, it hadn’t been so easy for his own team to defeat the brigands that were waiting for them in their camp.

The only conclusion that Finley could reach was that one of the men that he trusted was the traitor since they seemed to know the entire plan, even the parts of it that he had only shared with those closest to him. And out of all of the men in his team of confidants, Lochlan had been the only one to leave his sight, even if he only did so for a short time, claiming that he had to relieve himself on the way to the hideout.

No one else could have had the chance to even send a note to the brigands. The only one who could have done it was Lochlan.

And the betrayal had broken something in Finley. He had never thought that his own brother would do that to him, and he couldn’t even understand why he would betray him.

Did I na treat him weel? Did he want to be the Laird? What is it that he wanted?

Lochlan had always claimed that he wanted nothing to do with power. He was glad that Finley was the Laird and not him. He would never be able to handle all the pressure that came with leading a clan. But perhaps it had been nothing but lies, a misdirection so that Finley wouldn’t suspect him. Finley didn’t know what was a lie and what was true anymore. All he knew was that there was an unbearable weight on his chest, Lochlan’s betrayal hanging heavy over him.

“Bastard,” Finley whispered to himself, slamming his fists onto his desk and sending his papers flying around the room. “Why did he have to go and do that?”

A part of him ached at the thought that he would have to kill him, but of course, he had no choice. There was only one punishment for traitors, and that was death. He couldn’t simply let him live just because he was his brother. Another part of him, though, wanted to take revenge for what Lochlan had done, no matter the cost.

The only thing that could hold him back was the thought of his grandmother. Lochlan’s death would hurt him, but it would kill her, and Finley didn’t want to do anything that would hurt Arlene. He loved her dearly, and he couldn’t stand seeing her so broken.

And then there was Etna, who had begged him to reconsider. But what did Etna know? She had been so quick to accuse him of murder, but when it came to Lochlan’s treachery, she turned a blind eye.

The knock on the door startled Finley, who was lost deep in his thoughts. Clearing his throat, he opened it and saw none other than Dougal standing there, looking as though he was walking straight into the mouth of a beast.

“Me Laird—”

“I’ll stop ye right there,” Finley said, and despite everything that had happened that day, seeing Dougal was pleasant, a welcome change from his boiling anger. “Ye’ve kent me as a wee lad. Ye can call me Finley.”

“Finley, then . . . may I come in?’ Dougal asked, and Finley stepped aside to let the man in before he took a seat behind his study. “Perhaps this isna the best time considerin’ . . . weel, considerin’ everythin’ that happened earlier, but I wished to speak with ye.”

As he spoke, Dougal took a seat across from Finley, and Finley poured them both a cup of wine. He didn’t know about Dougal, but he certainly needed it.

“What is it?” he asked, taking a sip. “Anythin’ that takes me mind off all that for a moment is a welcome change.”

“First of all, it’s verra nice to see ye again, laddie,” Dougal said. “Although I wish that it was under different circumstances.”

“It’s good to see ye, too,” Finley said, and he was sincere. He only wished that Lochlan’s actions hadn’t tainted their reunion. “But I do hope that ye dinna come here to speak to me about me brother. I have made up me mind. There’s na changin’ it.”

“Na, I didna come here for that,” Dougal assured him. “I came to ask for yer permission to leave with Etna.”

It wasn’t what Finley had been expecting to hear, and he frowned, confused by Dougal’s words. “Leave?” he asked. “Ye only just arrived.”

“Aye, that’s true, but I’m sure that ye have different things on yer mind noo,” Dougal said. “It’s na the best time for me to be visitin’ and, weel, I do have a new position in Edinburgh. It’s what Etna always wanted. Of course, I’ll give ye the names of other tutors that I respect and trust. I wouldna dream of leavin’ wee Malina without a tutor.”

But Finley wasn’t listening. He had stopped listening the moment that Dougal said Edinburgh was what Etna always wanted. He had known that for a long time, of course, and her return to Edinburgh had been one of the conditions of their agreement, but he had thought that after what they had shared, she would want to stay.

“Did . . . did Etna say that she wishes to go with ye?” Finley asked though he dreaded the answer.

“Aye,” Dougal said. “She said that she’s verra excited for it.”

I’m a fool. I’m nothin’ but a fool.

Finley had dared to believe that he could be happy with Etna. She was the first woman in a long time to make him feel that way, and though he hadn’t gone as far as to consider anything like marriage, he had thought that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her. He had dared to think that his luck had changed. He had dared to be happy.

Perhaps he could even say that he had felt the first stirrings of love. It scared him to admit it, but he felt the same way for Etna as he had felt for Anna when they had first met, and he recognized it as what it was: the beginning of love. He had fallen for her, no matter how much he had tried to keep an emotional distance from Etna, and now he had to pay the price.

But it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, he thought, to hear that Etna wanted to go back to Edinburgh still. He had been foolish to think that a few nights together would change her mind—though, for him, it had been more than just those few, steamy nights—but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t angry still.

He couldn’t help it. First, he was betrayed by Lochlan, and now he was betrayed by Etna. Anyone he came close to eventually hurt him, and it was his fault. He had allowed Etna to hurt him.

I should’ve kent better. I should have kent about Lochlan, and I should have kent that Etna would do this to me.

“If that’s what ye wish, then I willna stop ye,” Finley said as he stood from his seat, pushing down his anger just because he didn’t want Dougal to see it. “Stay here for a moment, please. I’ll find Etna, and we can discuss it further.”

If Etna wanted to leave so badly, he wanted to hear her say it. He wanted her to say it to his face.

* * *

After leaving the courtyard, Etna ran straight to Arlene’s room. When she got there, she found the woman in bed, a servant pressing a cool towel over her forehead.

“Are ye alright?” Etna asked Arlene as she rushed to her, kneeling beside her bed. Arlene smiled at her, sending the servant away with a thank you, and once the door was closed, she turned to look at Etna.

“Lochlan . . . how is he?” she asked.

“I dinna ken,” Etna said. “But Finley didna hurt him any further. He must be in the dungeons noo.”

Arlene let out a sigh of relief when she found out that Finley hadn’t hurt Lochlan any more than he had already had. It was a small mercy, Etna supposed. She didn’t know how much more Lochlan could handle, as he was already so battered and bruised.

“Ye must go and see him, Etna,” Arlene said. “Promise me that ye will.”

“I’m sure that the guards willna let me,” Etna said. “I want to, I really do, but how can I go there? Finley must have told them to let no visitors inside.”

“Get me some paper and a pen, lass,” Arlene said, pointing at the vanity across the room. Etna did as she was told, passing them to Arlene, who began to scribble. Once she was done, she folded the piece of paper and handed it back to Etna. “This should do nicely,” she said. “Give it to the guards, tell them that ye’re there on me orders. They will let ye in. Will ye do it for me?”

Etna nodded, placing the note in her pocket. “Of course.”

As she stood, Arlene reached out and grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Whatever ye do, dinna let Finley kill Lochlan,” she said. “He listens to ye. Ye must promise me.”

Etna didn’t know how she could make such a promise. She swallowed around the knot in her throat, though, and promised it anyway because she couldn’t handle the thought of Arlene in anguish. “I promise.”

As Etna sneaked her way to the dungeons, her heart hammered in her chest. If Finley found out that she was there, there would be hell to pay, surely. He was so lost in his own anger that he couldn’t see past his own nose, and the last thing that Etna wanted was to agitate him even more. But she had to save Lochlan. She couldn’t leave him to die.

As she stepped down the stairs, Etna wasn’t surprised to be stopped by two guards, who blocked her way deeper into the dungeon.

“Here,” she said before they could ask her why she was there and handed one of them the note.

Once the guard read it, he nodded at his partner, and the two of them let her pass silently. Etna breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they hadn’t questioned her.

It was dark in the cellar and so damp that she could feel it in her bones. The only sources of light and warmth were a few torches, and her skin broke out in goosebumps, making her shiver even as she wrapped her own arms around herself. It didn’t take long to find Lochlan. He was the only occupant of the dungeon, and so he was easy to spot, even as he was curled up on the floor.

His pained moans made Etna’s stomach drop. He sounded like a wounded animal, and it was then that she decided that it didn’t matter what she had to do or say to Finley. She would force him to let the healer see Lochlan.

“Lochlan . . .” she said as she approached his cell, reaching in through the bars with a hand. “Lochlan, can ye hear me?”

“Etna?”

Lochlan’s voice was barely a whisper, and Etna had to strain to hear him. But he sat up, if only just a little, and looked at her.

“Aye, it’s me,” Etna said. “How are ye feelin’? Are ye in a lot of pain?”

“Aye,” Lochlan said. “How did ye get here? Didna Finley stop ye?”

“He doesna ken I’m here. Yer grandmaither sent me,” Etna said. “Lochlan, tell me what happened. Ye’re na the traitor, are ye?”

“Na, I swear it,” Lochlan said. “I dinna ken who it is, but it isna me. But Finley wouldna hear of it. He’s certain that I betrayed him, but I swear it on me life, I didna. I would never do that to him.”

“I believe ye,” Etna assure him. “I dinna understand why he’s actin’ like this either, but I promise ye, I’ll do anythin’ in me power to stop him.”

“There’s nothin’ that ye can do,” Lochlan said. “Once Finley has somethin’ stuck in that head of his, he doesna let it go.”

“He’ll listen to me,” Etna said with conviction. “He has to. He’s bein’ unreasonable, Lochlan.I ken that he wants to find the man responsible, but ye’re his brother.”

“For a long time, the only thing in his mind has been the brigands,” Lochlan said. “He blames himself for all the lives that have been lost, and I ken that he would do anythin’ to stop it. I dinna ken why, but he’s certain I’m the traitor, so the fact that I’m his brother means little to him right noo. But ye shouldna have come here. If he finds ye here, he’ll be verra angry at ye.”

“Let him,” Etna said, her anger toward Finley suddenly flaring up. “I willna let him kill an innocent man. I willna let him kill a friend.”

At that, Lochlan looked up at her and gave her a small smile, managing to find a hint of happiness even in his situation. “I’m glad I’m yer friend, Etna,” he said.

Etna reached for Lochlan’s hand, taking it in hers and giving it a comforting squeeze. But just as she opened her mouth to ask him who he thought was the real traitor, she heard thundering footsteps approach as someone descended the stairs.

Finley.

She didn’t even have to look at him to know that it was him. The angry footsteps gave him away. Etna pulled back from Lochlan, but she didn’t care if Finley had seen her hold his hand. Her allegiances were not a secret. She was on Lochlan’s side.

“Come with me,” Finley barked, but Etna simply watched him, unimpressed, with her hands on her hips. “Didna ye hear me? I said come with me.”

“How dare ye give me orders and talk to me like this?” Etna demanded. “After what ye’ve done to Lochlan? Finley, listen to him. He’s na the traitor, I’m sure that he can explain everythin’ to ye.”

“I dinna want to hear a word of it, na from him and na from ye,” Finley hissed, and his tone was so vicious that Etna couldn’t help but recoil. “Come noo.”

“Na.”

Finley glared at Etna for a moment, and she thought that he was going to give up. But instead, he grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her out of the dungeon as she tried to push him off, writhing and attempting to loosen his grip on her.

It was to no avail. Finley was strong, and he was angry, and there was no stopping him. And so, Etna was dragged along, tripping on her own feet as she followed him reluctantly.

Just ye wait until ye let go of me, Finley. Just ye wait.