Tomas had just lost another chess game to Vida. Every time he played with her, he knew the instant she was certain of winning. She grew quiet, frowned slightly, her cheeks went pink, and she chewed on her bottom lip. It would have been entirely adorable except that he knew this was her response because she was somehow ashamed of beating him. If he stayed here very long, he’d have to figure out a way to stop this.

“Would you like to play again, Tomas?” she asked hesitantly. It was as if she feared someday he would say no.

“One more game tonight, then I need to get some rest.”

Her face lit with a happy smile and she began to set up the board. Oh, the things that smile did to him.

So distracted was he that he didn’t notice Father Michael approaching them until the priest spoke. “Lady Vida, Sir Tomas, please pardon the interruption.”

“Good evening, Father,” said Tomas. “Would ye care to join us? Perhaps the two of us together could manage a victory.”

Father laughed. “Don’t count on it.”

“Perhaps the two of you would like to play and I’ll watch,” said Vida.

Father Michael smiled. “While I’m certain I’d enjoy that, your father has asked to speak with Sir Tomas. Shall I take his place?”

Tomas had no idea what the laird wanted with him, but he was fairly certain it must have something to do with the missive he received.

A frown flitted briefly across Vida’s face, but she replied, “Of course, Father. It’s been a while since we’ve had a game.”

Tomas stood up. “Thank ye, Father. Please excuse me, Lady Vida.”

Father Michael took Tomas’s seat. “You’ll find the laird in his solar. He’s expecting you.”

Tomas nodded. “Aye. Thank ye.”

He made his way to the solar and knocked on the door.

The laird called, “Enter.”

Tomas stepped in the room and closed the door behind him. Laird Ruthven paced in front of the hearth, obviously upset by something.

“Father Michael said you wished to speak with me.”

“Aye. Sit down. We need to talk.”

Tomas frowned and sat in one of the chairs by the hearth. This was a glimpse of the Ambrose Ruthven Tomas remembered.

Ruthven took the chair opposite him. “I have to tell you something. I’m not proud of it, but I can’t change it now and we have to deal with it.”

Over the next three quarters of an hour, Tomas listened to a sordid tale that began with Ruthven overextending himself in a game of chance. It moved on to a missing ship, a shortfall of funds, and a misunderstanding that meant Vida would have to marry her father’s creditor if the entire debt couldn’t be paid by the last day of December.

Ambrose ended by saying, “I don’t have quite enough money to pay the debt and can’t let her marry that man. Father Michael believes it wasn’t what I intended, but he’s equally certain that if forced to go before the sheriff, the sheriff will rule that a verbal contract existed.”

Tomas wanted to rail at the man for being an idiot. How could he even have joked about Vida’s hand in marriage? How could he incur such a debt in a foolish game of chance in the first place? But all that was water under the bridge now. “Why does Father think that?”

“Because all but one of the other men there were friends or allies of Lindsay.”

“Who else was there?”

“Two of Laird Ogilvie’s sons. Ogilvie and Lindsay are close allies. Laird MacNab and Laird Rattray were there. Rattray is a close ally of Ogilvie. And Gow’s heir was there too.”

“A Gow was there? And you didn’t think it was important to tell me all of this when we learned Gow was one of the people raiding yer land?”

“You think they’re connected?”

Tomas stared at him. How had the Ruthvens managed to survive the last nineteen years under his leadership? “Aye, sir, I think they’re connected. Every man at that table knows you were way overextended. It’s likely not a coincidence that nearly every man there was connected to the Lindsay’s in some way. For that matter, I suspect MacNab is too, we just don’t know how yet. Tell me, before that night, had Naughton Lindsay ever mentioned a betrothal?”

Ruthven frowned. “Aye. Many times. I’d always turned him down. That’s why I thought it was a jest. He knew I’d never agree to a betrothal between him and Vida.”

“By all that’s good and holy,” swore Tomas. “Laird, ye were set up. I wouldn’t be surprised if they somehow managed to rig the game so ye’d lose, but there’s no way to prove that. I am absolutely certain Lindsay entered into that game intending to come out of it with ye in his debt and at least the potential to win Vida’s hand.”

“Maybe so, but if my ship had returned from Genoa, it wouldn’t have mattered. He can’t have had anything to do with that.”

“It doesn’t seem possible, but I’m not certain of anything at the moment. Is there any way at all out of this mess? Do ye have enough to pay the debt?”

“Almost.”

“So, that would be nay, ye don’t.”

Ambrose winced. “I had planned to pay the largest portion of it and renegotiate what remained.”

“There is no way he’ll do that. The money was never the issue. He ultimately wants to marry Vida so he can be Laird of Clan Ruthven.” God’s bloody bones. Fate couldn’t deal a more appropriate blow to the current man who’d weaseled his way into that title, than having it taken in the exact same way. But just like before, the person who stood to lose the most was an innocent.

“Aye, that’s what Father Michael said. All along I thought it was simply about the money.”

Tomas shook his head. “Did Father have any other suggestions?”

“He said, because there isn’t a written agreement, Vida could marry someone else before the end of December. He said the banns would have to be posted and there would be no guarantee Lindsay wouldn’t challenge the legality of it before the wedding. But if he didn’t, the marriage would be valid.”

“And if he challenges it?”

“The Lord Sheriff in Perth would hear the case and most likely rule in Lindsay’s favor. I’d have to pay the debt in full, or Vida would have to marry Naughton.”

“Christ almighty, man, how did ye let this happen?”

Ambrose just shook his head. He looked old and beaten.

The time had arrived. Tomas could deal the death blow by simply leaving. He could maybe even convince Vida to run away with him. But Moyna and Katherine came to his mind. It wasn’t the action they would take and neither of them would ever respect him again if he did.

“How much can ye afford to pay him?”

“If I give him every last farthing, I can cover about ninety percent of the debt, but I’d have nothing left for the clan and winter is coming. If I only had to pay eighty percent of it, with economies, I think the clan could get along until one of my other ships arrives. If I can manage to have her married without Lindsay finding out, he’ll have no choice but to negotiate.”

“Or throw ye into debtors’ prison until the loan is paid off.” It nearly killed Tomas to ask this next question. “Do ye have an appropriate husband for her in mind?”

“I do. At least, I know the man who I’d like for her to marry. Obviously, I haven’t approached him yet.”

“Then see it done. Your clan’s financial affairs are none of my business.” Tomas stood and started walking toward the door.

“Sir Tomas, you’re the man I’d like for her to marry.”

Had he heard that correctly? Tomas turned back around. “Excuse me?”

“You have every skill needed to lead this clan. Skills that I confess, I’ve never had. You will make a fine laird someday and I have reason to believe she’s fond of you.”

By all that was holy, Tomas was more than fond of her, but that didn’t change who her father was. “I can’t marry yer daughter. Ye don’t know who I am.”

“Please, don’t say no without thinking about it. Think about what you’ll gain. You will be a nobleman, eventually the laird of this clan. If managed well, Cotharach can be profitable. It was when my brother was in charge of it. You are a good man. You would be a gentle husband for my daughter. I can want nothing more for her.”

“You want me to marry your daughter and become Laird Ruthven?”

“Yes.”

“Ye’re absolutely certain about that?”

“Yes. Please, Sir Tomas. You are my only hope.”

Tomas gave a mirthless chuckle. “Well, Laird Ruthven, this is a surprise.”

Tomas could marry her, then as her husband, take her with him to the Highlands. There would be nothing Ruthven could do. “I’ll think about it.”