Brian thought he could manage the danger quietly, but Ellen knew better. Their plan was already fragile, and the smallest mistake could ruin everything. She came to the gathering with a careful purpose: to invite her friend, Lady Nairn, to their wedding. Instead, she found herself standing in the middle of political tension, family suspicion, and a secret that was no longer safe. Her brother Dougal was there too, drawn into the Jacobite cause, and she immediately understood how reckless that could be. Brian, aware of the threat, urged caution, but the fear was obvious in both of them.