Page 55 of Highlander's Captive Bride
“So, what happened then?”
“A short while after Elodie was born, Bridie became sick with childbed fever. It was only on her deathbed that she told me who the faither was. She said that while she was a captive at Castle McGowan, Lachlan Pearson—Nadia’s braither and the Laird’s heir—had forced himself on her. Me bitterest enemy is the faither of me sister’s bairn.”
Daisy’s hands flew to her mouth. “Och, my God, Bellamy, that’s dreadful!”
“Aye, well. As Bridie was dying, she made me swear to protect Elodie with me life, as if she was me own child.”
“And, of course, ye have,” Daisy put in, squeezing his hand once more.
“By that time, I already loved Elodie. And so, when I lost me sister, I knew I couldnae send the bairn away.”
“So, ye decided to tell everyone she was yer daughter.”
“Aye. But there was more to it. It was likely that if one of McGowans’ enemies—and he had a lot of enemies—found out she was Lachlan Pearson’s child, they would try to kill her. I had to do it to protect her. As Laird Murdoch’s daughter, she’s safe. And that’s how it’s been ever since.
“Everyone, including Elodie, believes she’s mine, born out of wedlock, her maither just a village woman. I told everyone her maither died, and when I brought me daughter home, nae one asked any questions. The only one who kens the truth apart from ye is Jamie, and he’ll take it to his grave.”
“And so will I, Bellamy,” Daisy promised, wanting to give him all the reassurance she could. “I love the wee lassie, and I’d never do anything to hurt her.”
“I ken,” he said. “That’s why I decided to tell ye. After all ye’ve done, I figured ye deserved to ken the truth.”
“Thank ye for trusting me. I’m honored.”
Then, something occurred to her, a loose thread in the story she could not quite catch.
“But if Nadia is a McGowan, how did she come to live with ye as yer ward?”
“Can ye nae guess when I tell ye she was supposed to be the last of the McGowans?” Bellamy asked her, a meaningful glint in his eyes.
“Ye killed them all? The whole clan?”
It was the obvious answer, and Daisy was not surprised. Clan wars were often vengeful, bloody affairs that resulted in whole clans being wiped out or taken over by others.
“I was so broken up and furious when Bridie died, and when I found out who was the cause of it, I raised all me men and staged a surprise attack on their stronghold. We quickly overran the castle and gained control. I gave orders nae to spare anyone. I killed McGowan meself, and Lachlan was among the dead, so I was assured. Even today, I regret nae being the one to end him,” he said through clenched teeth.
“But towards the end of the fighting, I discovered Nadia—she was just a young lassie then. She was wandering the halls alone, crying. I couldnae bring meself to slaughter a child. So, I brought her back with me, and she’s lived here in the castle ever since.”
“But why does she nae hate ye?”
“She’ll tell ye herself, her faither was a monstrous man, a very cruel man, even to his children. She kenned she was better off with me. It was almost like I’d rescued her, ye see. So, she’s thankful, nae vengeful,” he explained.
* * *
“I see.” Daisy tried to take it all in, and she found herself profoundly shocked by Bellamy’s revelation.
“So, now that I’ve told ye the truth, ye can maybe see why I’ve been so set on upholding me vow to protect Elodie, by bringing ye here in such a desperate fashion. And that’s why I want to thank ye, Daisy, for helping me do that.”
She still had her hand on his, and now he took both of hers in his own and held them together, close to his chest. Her heartbeat quickened, and there was a rushing sound in her ears that had nothing to do with the rushing water of the burn.
The way Bellamy was looking at her, his eyes as deep and gray as the water of the loch, were making her feel as if she would fall into them if she was not very careful.
She made an effort to gather herself, appreciating the confidence he was placing in her by sharing this information that was so important to him.
Wanting to give him comfort and reassurance, she finally found her voice.
“Aye, now that ye’ve told me all ye’ve been through, I think I can understand better why ye’ve acted the way ye have at times.”
That was true, but it was not all. She was suddenly conscious that by trusting her with the truth, he was handing her the ultimate weapon to use against him if she so wished.
