anyone’s way, nor has it compromised the mission.”
Archie nodded, watching Toran for what seemed like forever. There was so much still left unspoken between them. And Toran needed to make it right.
“I’m sorry, Archie,” he said. “For what happened at the garrison this summer. I’m a bastard, and I dinna expect that ye’ll ever forgive me, but I’ll ask it all the same.”
Archie was silent, the muscles in both sides of his jaw flexed hard enough to cause divots. Slowly, the tension in him dissipated.
“Ye are a bastard for so easily betraying your clan. There’s blood on your hands, but they were determined to get into the garrison one way or another. If ye’d not supplied the information, someone else would have, or they would have gone in anyway without it. I could hate ye forever, but it would do no good. The fact is I owe ye my life. And if I’d believed rebels responsible for my mother’s murder, I too might have taken the same path.” Archie ran a hand through his hair. “Ye’ve changed, Cousin. For the better. I trust ye, and I forgive ye.”
Emotion swept through Toran. He pulled his cousin against him, pounding him on the back. “Thank ye.”
“Ye dinna have to thank me. That is what family is for. To forgive one another, to take care of one another.”
“I’ll thank ye all the same.”
Archie squeezed him back, cautious not to slap him on the back as men often did.
“Speaking of family… What are we to do about Simon?” Toran broached the topic, though he’d be just as happy if his cousin rotted forever in the dungeon. They’d kept the Fox at bay by forcing his cousin to continue sending mundane updates.
“Uncle is going to come after ye soon. He’ll eventually figure out that the missives ye send are untrue and demand to see the son he’s been missing for months. He will believe that ye’ve figured out his plans if it comes to that. The Fox may have tried to toss ye into Boyd’s clutches, but he doesna believe ye’re stupid.”
“Aye. I’d thought to keep him locked up until after the battle. But I dinna want to bring more danger to Cnàmhan Broch while we’re gone.”
“Why no’ give Simon a taste of his own doing?”
Toran’s brows rose. “Ye mean send him to Boyd.”
Archie grinned. “Aye.”
“Boyd willna kill him because of the alliance with our uncle.”
“Exactly. He may torment him a bit though, which is no worse than what Simon was planning for ye. In fact, ’tis showing him mercy.”
“I’ll speak with Jenny about it.”
When his cousin had gone, Toran ripped off his wet shirt and replaced it with a dry one. He picked up his plaid where he’d laid it to dry by the brazier the night before after washing it in the nearby loch. The wool was still damp in a few places, but he didn’t care. He belted it in place, pulled on his frock coat, boots, and cap, and then donned his weapons. The journey south would take four or five days, depending on whom they met along the way and whether the weather cooperated.
Toran hurried into the castle, sneaking up the back stairs, hoping to catch Jenny before she exited, and was lucky to find her just outside her chamber.
“What are ye doing here?” she whispered, glancing up and down the corridor.
“I needed to speak with ye about something afore we go. ’Tis important, or I’d no’ have risked it.”
“All right.” She reopened her chamber door and ushered him inside.
“’Tis about Simon. I want to send him to Boyd.”
“Nay!”
“Hear me out. If we leave him here, my uncle will come for him, and that will only bring danger to your mother and the rest of the clan staying behind. If we send him to Boyd, the danger will be directed away from Cnàmhan Broch. Boyd will use him against my uncle, but he’ll no’ kill him.”
Jenny shook her head. “Ye’re right. Leaving him here is dangerous. But sending him to Boyd, he’ll only divulge everything he knows about us. Better to send him back to his father. That bastard already knows what’s going on here.”
“Aye.”
“The Fox would be a fool to retaliate while we’re away. He’s got bigger problems than to attack an empty castle.”
“I’ll speak with Dirk and have a few men take him to the garrison in the middle of the night.”
Jenny pressed a swift kiss to his lips and then pulled back before he could wrap her