The laird breeds his bride to seal their alliance.
Adelaide holds the disputed deeds. Archer Drummond offers the protection her lands require. She accepts knowing the surrender he will exact. She bites her lip at the thought of what he will demand next. The hidden passages become the site of his most thorough claims.
Every negotiation over maps ends the same. He claims her against the oak table and degrades her until she yields. His demands grow stricter with each alliance meeting. The rival threatens the lands if she breaks the alliance. He uses the hidden passages to claim her more thoroughly. She could end the partnership. She never does.
The hidden stair door closes behind them.
