Page 50 of Kilted Abduction
“Until we’ve been able tae confirm yer story,” he said. “And find out what Fairfax is up tae, and if he’s sendin’ an army our way.”
“Ye realize if ye let me go, ye’d avoid any trouble with Fairfax or me faither,” she said. “If I’m nae here, they’ll have nay reason tae bring an army ontae yer lands.”
“The English have been lookin’ fer a reason tae invade our lands fer longer than I’ve been alive,” he replied. “If word got back to ‘em that ye’re here, they’ll use it as a reason tae invade whether ye’re here anymore or nae. Right now, we’re just tryin’ tae gather information.”
“It doesnae sound like any of that has anythin’ tae dae with me?—”
“It daes. All of this is because of ye.”
“Nae tae point out the obvious, but none of this would’ve happened if ye’d nae abducted me back in the bleedin’ first place.”
“We took ye because we thought ye were a threat tae the clan.”
“But I’m nae.”
Magnus sighed and paused for a moment before speaking. “I ken.”
The bed creaked as she sat up. “Ye ken?”
He nodded, even though she couldn’t see him in the darkness. It was a truth he had been circling for a while in his mind but one he hadn’t really given voice to. But the more thought he gave it, the more he couldn’t escape the certainty.
“Aye,” he said quietly. “I’ve come tae believe ye are who and what ye say ye are and that ye’re nae here workin’ fer Fairfax.”
“Then why are ye holdin’ me here still?”
“Because I dinnae want anythin’ bad tae happen tae ye,” he said quietly.
“I can take care of meself.”
“I ken ye can,” he said. “But if Fairfax is already marchin’ on our lands, there’s nae any sense in turnin’ ye out. ‘Tis safer fer ye behind these walls than out there in the wilds.”
She fell silent for a long moment as she seemed to be absorbing his words. That was the truth of it. Over the days she had been at Dunvegan, Magnus had come to feel protective of her. And try as he might to put the onus of all this on her, if he was being truthful about things, the thought of a man like Fairfax taking her and doing God knew what turned his stomach and filled him with the blackest of rages.
“Ye and yer family are puttin’ yerselves in danger,” she said. “Ye dinnae ken Fairfax?—”
“We ken who Fairfax is. We ken the evil things he does. We’re well aware of the danger we’re in. Ye’ve nothin’ tae dae with that. The bleedin’ English have been tryin’ tae steal our lands and wipe out our clan fer a very long time now,” he admitted.
“Daes yer family share the same opinion?” she asked hesitantly.
“Katherine daes,” he said. “Domhnall doesnae ken what tae believe right now. But I dinnae think he believes ye’re a threat.”
“Ye should let me go.”
“I dinnae want tae,” he said then quickly added, “I’m responsible fer ye. And so long as I am, I willnae let anythin’ happen tae ye.”
The bed creaked again as she laid back. Magnus turned his head, trying to see her through the darkness. Part of him feared he’d said too much. That he’d come too close to confessing the secret feelings he kept deep in his heart even though he didn’t understand them himself. But she remained silent, not making the moment any more awkward than it already was.
And for that he was grateful.
—
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