Ambrose thought things were finally going his way. Four weeks ago, after the first message from Lindsay arrived, he had asked Tomas MacHenry to stay on permanently. The lad hadn’t agreed outright, but said he would stay until there was someone to replace him.

Gregor hadn’t been the least bit put out by this. He agreed that convincing Tomas to stay was in everyone’s best interest, including his own. Looking back over the last two months, Gregor said he could scarcely believe how much his own skills had improved. He wasn’t anxious for the Carrs to leave.

The clan seemed to love the Carr warriors in general and Tomas specifically. Ambrose simply had to find a way to persuade him to stay.

But tonight, an unwelcome message had arrived during the evening meal. Ambrose took one look at the seal and slipped it into the sleeve of his tunic.

Unfortunately, this messenger hadn’t arrived during a feast, and Vida took notice.

“Who is the message from, Papa?”

“It’s nothing important, my darling.”

She frowned. “But who is it from?”

“It’s from Naughton Lindsay. You know, he’s an old friend of mine.”

“Does it have something to do with the ship that hasn’t returned? He invests in imports and exports too, does he not?”

“Aye, he does, but it’s not about that.”

“How do you know? You didn’t open it.”

“I know, because I know. And I didn’t open it because I don’t have to. I’ll open it later. Now let this drop, Davida.”

She frowned and looked hurt, but said no more.

Ambrose hated distressing her so, but the truth would be worse. He had to think about his options. “Excuse me. I’ve had enough supper. I’m going to retire for the evening.” As he stood to leave the table, it occurred to him he needed to discuss this with someone who had a general knowledge of the law. “Father Michael, I would appreciate a few minutes of your time when you’ve finished dining. I’ll be in my solar.”

“Certainly, Laird. I can come now if you wish.”

“Nay, that isn’t necessary. There’s no rush. Enjoy your supper first.”

“As you wish, Laird.”

Ambrose left the table, but felt the stares of everyone in the hall as he left. Once in the privacy of his solar, he opened the missive. Much to his dismay, this one was not from Naughton. It was from his brother, Laird Lindsay.

Ambrose, by the grace of God, Laird Ruthven,

It has come to my attention that my younger brother, Naughton, entered into an agreement with you concerning a debt you incurred August last. Please be assured that a debt to Naughton is a debt to me.

I understand said debt was guaranteed with funds to be gained from the sale of a shipment of Genoese goods, which is now long overdue. Alternatively, my brother agreed to accept your daughter’s hand in marriage and the debt would be forgiven.

I fear you must accept that the Mermaid Queen has been lost, as several vessels leaving port after yours have long since returned. I understand payment on the debt is due by the end of December. If we have not received the full amount by then, I will arrive at your gates on Hogmanay. You will either pay your debt then, sign the betrothal between Davida and my brother, or I will take what is owed me.

Sincerely,

Howard, Laird Lindsay

There had been no word from anyone about his ship. Laird Lindsay was right, several other ships had returned over the last few weeks. The news from those captains didn’t bode well. No one had seen the Mermaid Queen since it left Cadiz, where it had stopped to take on provisions. It never arrived in Genoa.

The idea that he promised Vida’s hand as a guarantee was preposterous. He would pay Lindsay back. True, he couldn’t pay absolutely all of it immediately or he wouldn’t have sufficient money to ensure the clan’s survival through the winter months. But the Merry Mistress might return as early as January, and certainly by March. Surely, it wasn’t lost too. No one has that much bad luck. The reason he invested in a second Mediterranean-bound ship was to mitigate losses should something happen to one of them. And even if the worst happened, he still had his other ships that had sailed to the Baltics in October, after the fall harvest was in. They too might be back as early as January if the weather didn’t turn foul.

Aye, he had ways of paying the debt eventually. Were the issue of a betrothal to Vida not in the mix, this wouldn’t present a problem. Naughton would have to accept the bulk of what Ambrose owed him and renegotiate the remainder of the debt.

But what Ambrose thought had been a jest, Naughton was taking seriously, and now he had the might of Clan Lindsay behind him. Unless Ambrose could prove to Laird Lindsay that it had only been a jest, and Ambrose doubted that was possible, Lindsay could have an army at his gates on the first of January. Then Ambrose would only have two options, pay what he owed and risk the safety of his clan, or fight…and risk the safety of his clan. Because, as long as he drew breath, he would not marry Vida to Naughton Lindsay.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Enter.”

Father Michael stepped into the room. He was a tall, slender man with sandy hair who was not much younger than Ambrose himself. But unlike Ambrose, he had been educated in a university as priests from affluent families often were. He would know enough about the laws to help sort this mess out.  “You wished to see me, Laird?”

“Aye, Father.” Ambrose motioned towards a chair. “Please, make yourself comfortable.”

Father Michael sat in the chair opposite Ambrose and steepled his forefingers under his chin, as was his habit when he was listening.

Ambrose proceeded to tell him everything.

When he had finished, Father Michael appeared to consider things before asking, “Was anyone else present when you entered into the financial arrangement?”

“Aye, several men. A couple of Laird Ogilvie’s sons were there, as was Laird Gow’s heir. Laird Rattray and Laird MacNab were there too.”

“Are any of these men close allies of yours?”

Ambrose frowned. He hadn’t really expended much effort in building close ties over the years. “None of them are enemies…except for Gow, I suppose. And that’s only since he started raiding my land. I’ve done nothing to provoke him. Why does it matter if they are allies?”

“Because, Laird, I fear Naughton’s statement that you considered a jest, could be construed as a verbal contract.”

“How is that possible? I never agreed to it.”

“Tell me again exactly what was said.”

“We were in the midst of a game of chance. I had lost a considerable sum, but I had the chance to recoup my losses. I asked if anyone would extend me credit. Naughton asked what guarantee I could offer that the debt would be repaid. I told him I had two ships heading to Mediterranean ports, each of which would bring at least four times what I would owe him, including interest. He agreed that the payoff from Mediterranean ships was enormous. Then he said, ‘I’m sure you’re good for it. And never fear, if something goes awry, you can give me your daughter’s hand in marriage instead.’ I laughed, but I didn’t agree to that.”

“But you didn’t disagree? You didn’t tell him you wouldn’t bargain with your daughter’s hand?”

“Well, no. Everyone laughed. It was just a jest. At the time, I didn’t want to insult anyone by taking it seriously. And I believed I couldn’t lose.”

Father Michael arched an eyebrow but didn’t comment. “Was anything else said about it?”

Ambrose thought for a moment. “We negotiated the terms. We agreed on the amount of interest that would be paid and that the debt would come due when the Mermaid Queen returned to Dundee, or the end of December, whichever came first.”

“So, you captured the agreement in writing.”

“Nay, we were in the middle of a game.”

“So, you finished the game and you lost. Did you write the agreement down then?”

Ambrose was becoming exasperated. What was so hard to understand? “Nay, Father. It was an agreement between gentlemen, witnessed by others, it didn’t need to be written. When the game was over, I left the table.”

“And he said no more?”

“Nay, he laughed and said he’d see me in December if not before, but that marriage to Vida would be well worth his investment too. Everyone laughed again.”

“And you didn’t clarify at that point?”

“Father, it was a joke.”

“Laird, I’m sorry, but I fear it wasn’t. You have no written agreement. In the context of agreeing to the loan, Lindsay included two ways to repay him and you didn’t clarify that. He implied that Vida’s hand was the price of defaulting on the loan as you left and you still didn’t clarify.”

“But there were witnesses. Any reasonable man would have seen it as a jest and not part of the agreement.”

“Any reasonable man who was a friend of yours might see it that way. But I fear you didn’t have friends at the table. Laird Lindsay and Laird Ogilvie are extremely close allies. Rattray and Ogilvie are as well. I’m not certain if Gow has any formal relationship with any of the others, but he certainly doesn’t have a good relationship with you. MacNab might be the only one who would see things differently, but one lone voice wouldn’t be enough.”

“Oh, dear God. I didn’t mean…I never would have…Father, I swear I didn’t think he was serious.”

“Do you have enough funds to pay the debt?”

“Almost. I could pay ninety percent and have absolutely nothing left. If he’d accept eighty percent, we’d have enough left to manage until the Merry Mistress, or one of my other ships, return. I can renegotiate the small debt that remains and agree to pay more interest on it.”

Father Michael shook his head. “Laird, ye’re missing the point. The only reason Lindsay would have to renegotiate the terms of the contract would be if you couldn’t make good on it.”

“I can’t make good on it.”

“Sadly, Laird, you can. If Vida is unwed by Hogmanay, and you can’t pay your debt in full, he has every legal right to claim her hand.”

Ambrose couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “How could that off-handed comment have become part of the agreement? I never meant that. I’d never have agreed to it.”

“Laird, the Lord Sheriff in Perth could be called upon to adjudicate, but I don’t believe he would find in your favor.”

Ambrose put his head in his hands, and moaned, “What am I going to do? I cannot agree to the betrothal.”

“Do you have an ally who would loan you the money to cover the debt?”

Did he? He wracked his brain, trying to think of someone who might extend him a small amount of credit, but came up with nothing.

Father shrugged. “Then I only see one option and there is a risk involved.”

“What is it? I’ll do anything.”

“If Vida is married before Hogmanay, she cannot be given to someone else. Then, if you could not repay the full debt, Lindsay would be forced to renegotiate, or you would go to debtors’ prison until the loan was fully repaid.”

“Debtors’ prison is a risk I would take.”

“I assumed you would, but that’s not the risk I meant.”

“What else could happen?”

“For a moment let’s just assume that you can find a suitable husband for her. I believe you when you say you did not intend to enter into a betrothal agreement and nothing exists in writing which disputes that. So, I can agree to conduct the wedding. However, I will have to post the banns for three Sundays beforehand. It’s possible that word of the pending wedding could reach Lindsay. That is, after all, why the Church requires the banns—so any impediments to marriage might be identified. Then, he could challenge Vida’s freedom to marry because of the verbal agreement for a betrothal he believes he has.”

“What could happen then?”

“Again, he’d have to take ye before the Lord Sheriff. If the sheriff agreed you were trying to default on the loan by marrying Vida to someone else, he could block the wedding and force the loan to be paid immediately. Then if you couldn’t pay the full amount, Vida would be forced to marry Naughton and no one could stop it.”

Ambrose sat considering the awful consequences of what he had done. There had to be a way out of this. Then an idea formed. “What if I sent her away? What if I had the Carrs escort her to the Highlands?”

“Laird, you don’t seem to understand. Even if Vida is not here when Laird Lindsay arrives on Hogmanay, if you can’t pay the debt, a betrothal exists. Vida cannot marry anyone else as long as it does. If Lindsay ever found her, even years from now, her first marriage will be nullified. Any children from that marriage would be bastards. She would be forced to marry Lindsay and he would ultimately become Laird of Clan Ruthven.”

“There are no other options?” Ambrose heard the desperation in his voice.

Father Michael sighed. “She could take religious vows.”

“Send her to a convent?” Ambrose brightened. “Well, that’s the answer. She can go to a convent until I can pay back everything I owe. It will only be a few months at most.”

Father Michael shook his head, clearly frustrated. “Laird, I don’t know how many different ways I can tell you this. If you do not pay the full amount owed to Lindsay by the last day of December, a betrothal exists. It doesn’t matter if you can pay ninety-nine percent of what you owe. It doesn’t matter if you only lack a farthing. It doesn’t even matter if you can pay him double the entire debt on the first of January. He is not required to accept anything less than payment in full by the end of December. Failing this, he can exercise his right to a betrothal in lieu of payment.”

“But if she’s in a convent, if he wants his money back, he’ll have to accept it, and once he does, there will be no betrothal.”

“That’s true, but he has no reason to accept it. He’s a bright man and, clearly, he has his sights set on Clan Ruthven. He would have to assume entering the convent was a ploy. He need only sit and wait. If Vida leaves the convent, she is his. If she doesn’t, it is highly likely the leadership of Clan Ruthven would be given to him on your death anyway.”

“Simply because he was betrothed to Vida?”

“Aye, a case could be made. So, you can see how being your heir is ultimately much more valuable than the gold you owe him.”

Ambrose put his head in his hands. “I’ve failed her. What do I do?”

“Tell her and let her choose.”

“I can’t do that!”

Father shrugged. “Well then, there is only one choice that assures she will not have to marry Naughton and that is for her to enter a convent for what is likely to be the rest of her life.”

“Send her away forever? I can’t do that either.”

Father shook his head. “This is why you should leave the choice to her. But if you refuse to do that, the next best chance is to see her married as soon as possible and pray Lindsay doesn’t hear about it until after the wedding.”

Ambrose nodded resolutely. “Aye. That’s what we’ll have to do.”

“You must realize that may be easier said than done. You will need to identify a worthy groom before the twelfth day of December at the latest, to give us three Sundays and still be able to have the wedding before the last day of the month. The third Sunday would be St. Stephen’s Day, so we could have the wedding the next day, on the feast of Saint John.”

“That’s cutting things awfully close. What if we posted the banns this Sunday? The wedding could be a week earlier.”

“Nay, it couldn’t. I can’t perform a marriage during Advent, so the earliest possible day for the wedding would only be two days earlier on Christmas.”

“Aye, well then, the twelfth it is. Now, it’s just a matter of finding a groom.”

“Laird, that’s no small matter, but allow me to make a suggestion.”

“Of course. At this point I’ll consider anything.”

“Would you consider asking Sir Tomas?”

Ambrose frowned. “Sir Tomas?”

“Aye. He’s a good man and an excellent leader. Clearly, you think so yourself, because you want him to stay as your commander.”

“Aye, I can’t dispute that.”

“Not to mention the fact that Vida is clearly fond of him and I suspect he harbors warm feelings for her as well.”

Ambrose cocked his head. “Really?”

“Aye.”

Ambrose frowned. “But he isn’t a nobleman.”

“Are you certain?”

“I…I guess I don’t really know. I just assumed so. He hasn’t claimed to be a nobleman.”

“He could be the younger son of a younger son. Actually, I suspect all three of them are of noble houses. They all read and have the manners I would expect of noblemen.”

Ambrose frowned. “Those things are true. I hadn’t thought of that possibility. But why would they be part of Laird Carr’s guard then?”

“Highlanders do that. If they have sons living and working among other clans, their alliances are stronger.”

“Then I’ll ask Tomas if he’s a nobleman.”

The priest shook his head. “I don’t advise that.”

“Why not?”

“Laird, you really only have one choice. You have not opened negotiations with anyone else, and if you begin asking now, you have no hope of keeping your plan secret. Besides, anyone in his right mind would have to wonder why the rush now and would be hesitant to agree. If your search for a husband leaves these walls, you can be certain it will get back to Lindsay. Perhaps even before the first banns are posted.”

“But if Tomas isn’t a nobleman, maybe one of the other two are?”

“Laird, forgive me, but you are losing sight of your daughter in all of this. She likes Sir Tomas. I’m certain she would not be opposed to such a union, especially if she understands the reasons for it. She is the one who must now bear the brunt of the consequences for your actions. It would seem to me ensuring she has at least a hope for happiness would be paramount.”

Ambrose sighed. “You’re right. Of course, you are.”

“So, would you like for me to inform Sir Tomas that you wish to speak to him?”

“Aye, there’s no time like the present.”