Molly found Castle Leoch familiar and comforting, reinforcing her delusion that staying there was the best option. Despite the injuries she had sustained, returning to the castle provided some measure of solace, shielding her mind from the traumatic events she had experienced. Castle Leoch felt like home; it was warm, welcoming, and safe. But the group didn't receive the warm welcome they were expecting. Upon their return, Laird MacKenzie, who knew of the trouble they had run into, sent for them.

The Laird silently watched as Molly and the others lined up like children about to be punished. Molly feared the punishment they were about to receive would be severe. Her strategy was to remain quiet, stand still, and avoid making direct eye contact. Some might call this cowardice, but she was tired of dealing with men with too much power and ego.

"The only thing you needed to do was collect rent," Colum stated abruptly, directing his gaze toward his brother. "You're our War Chieftain, but perhaps the position has become too much for you. I have to find out that you have been swindling money for your political cause, along with allowing the English to know of Jamie's whereabouts. They might be on their way here as we speak. Do you understand the kind of trouble this puts me in?"

"I acted in the best interest of our people. Our resources are limited, and we need more support to build a stronger army that can protect our homeland and finally eliminate the English threat," Dougal explained.

"What cost, Dougal? Look what happened!" Colum spat as he pointed his finger in Molly's direction. "Look at her. That is the result of poor leadership. Your carelessness is putting innocent people in danger."

As Molly stood there, her stomach felt heavy with anxiety. Nobody said anything, yet she could sense their eyes staring at her as the floor creaked beneath their shifting weight. Colum seemed to know everything, and Molly couldn't help but wonder how. Yes, he had spies, but how did he find out about their encounter with the redcoats? Was there a traitor within the fort? But who would be foolish enough to take such a risk?

"I want to hear from Miss how she fell in their custody." The air in the room was thick with anticipation as Molly stood motionless, gathering her thoughts under the weight of Colum's impatience.

"Um,"

"Speak up."

"It wasn't Dougal's fault. Although the English had been to previous locations, they had never caused trouble."

The War Chieftain became taken aback by Molly's answer as he anticipated her to out him. She lied and told Colum she had fallen ill and couldn't keep up with the group. Despite her insistence that they should continue without her, Angus volunteered to stay with her. Unfortunately, the English captured them, but Angus managed to escape while they seized Molly. Molly clarified that her capture was due to her loyalty to Jamie and Clan MacKenzie. Similarly, Dougal's loyalty was the reason for her presence before him.

Colum's intense stare sent shivers down her spine. His gray eyes kept darting between her and Dougal as if he expected her to throw him under the bus. For a moment, she thought about doing just that. After all, Dougal deserved punishment for his actions. But something inside her was changing. Molly disagreed with his methods, but she supported the underlying cause. Having gone through her experience, Molly now understood why Dougal was the way he was. Laird MacKenzie meant well, but he was not there to witness the situation firsthand.

Colum was not a foolish man. He could tell Molly was not being transparent, but he respected the loyalty displayed by Molly, which spoke highly of her character. "You are all free to go now, except for Dougal. We still have a few things to discuss."

Molly felt a wave of relief wash over her and immediately headed towards the door as soon as the meeting ended. The others also rushed to leave the room, causing chaos as they stumbled over each other's feet to be the first out. However, Molly managed to win the race and emerged as the clear winner. She didn't wait for anyone and moved quickly without looking back.

"Molly," Murtagh called out respectfully, maintaining a safe distance until she turned to face him. As he drew closer, a hint of disappointment crossed his features.

"I know, I know," Molly replied quietly. She found it difficult to look at him, so she kept her eyes fixed on her feet. He didn't say anything; she knew he would have liked her to be more assertive, but she felt burdened with too much knowledge, and her naivete of Scotland's situation had worn off. "This situation is much larger than myself."

After the brief two or three-second conversation with Murtagh, Molly said goodbye and retired to her quarters for some much-needed rest. She had spent most of the day locked up in her room and skipped dinner until her stomach growled too loudly to ignore. As the sounds of post-dinner festivities echoed through the cobblestone walls, Molly tried to avoid any interaction, quickly grabbing some leftovers before returning to her room unnoticed. However, she was eventually spotted.

"Quite a few people are looking for ye."

Molly abruptly lost her appetite when Dougal appeared in the kitchen with her.

"What do you want?" Dougal approached Molly slowly, his intense gaze leaving her feeling intimidated.

"I only want to talk. I have a proposition for you," the man said as he snatched a carrot from Molly's plate.

"Not interested."

"Unless ye want yer next meeting with Randall to be on the receiving end of a noose, I would become very interested if I were you."

He knew, she thought as her eyes locked on him, and he now had her full attention. "I'm listening."

"The first thing to understand is that yer Scottish blood cannot save you. You were born in the colonies, and the crown owns ye. The English will get what they want. However, there is a way around it. A legally binding contract can help protect you."

In all honesty, that was not what she expected him to say. "What do you mean?" she asked, but deep down, she already knew. "You mean like a marriage?" she cried out in anger. Dougal's silence confirmed that was what he meant.

"Are you ill? No."

"This is the only way. Marriage to a full-blooded Scotsman is the best protection we can offer ye. It will bind you to the clan, and the Crown will have no choice but to recognize you as property of Scotland."

"You cannot treat me like cattle, Dougal. I am a human being, and where I come from, women have rights and freedoms."

"Yes, and I'm sure Captain Randall will be very understanding," Dougal said mockingly. Taking a deep breath, "It is just business, and it will happen one way or another. Plenty of my men would be more than willing to take your hand in marriage. Jamie..."

"No!" Stopping him before he could finish. "I'm sorry, he is a good friend but too young." Perhaps it was due to growing tired of fighting to prove herself to these people or that she had decided to stay and now had to face the consequences. Regardless, she felt herself giving in. "I would marry if it was the right person. They would have to be someone I knew well, got along with..." She trailed off, stunned that she was even considering the idea.

"Well, it seems you and I have come to an understanding. Don't worry, I'm confident we will find someone who meets yer satisfaction." Dougal smiled before extending his hand out to her.

Molly hesitated, unsure if she could trust him, before taking his hand and sealing the deal.

"I must ask, why did you defend me?"

"We may not have to like each other, Dougal, but we are on the same side."