Page 35 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
Elsie
“I have tae say, me friend,” Alisdair said, clapping Keane’s shoulder. “I’m impressed. After everything that’s gone on between ye two in the last couple o’ days, I couldnae imagine I’d be looking at that. Under the circumstances, yer kindness is a breath o’ fresh air.”
Keane didn’t answer for a long moment, and then he nodded. “Aye, well, that cave does things tae a man.”
Alisdair chuckled and wandered over to where the decanters of amber liquid sat on the dresser. “Och, now. Is that ye trying tae deny that ye actually have a heart?” he said, pouring whisky into two glasses.
Keane stood and moved to the chair beside the fire. Alisdair joined him, handing him a glass as he sat.
“I dinnae ken. Maybe,” he said, wondering if that might possibly be true. “But then…”
“What?” Alisdair pressed.
“Och, it doesnae matter.”
“Tell me.”
“I told Elsie the waterfall was a sacred place of vows and fidelity. Once we climbed up and intae the cave, she suggested we make a sacred vow o’ our own.”
Alisdair leaned forward a little, clearly interested in what Keane was about to say.
“We made a vow tae treat each other better. After that, she told me why she hated her name.”
“Why does she hate her name?” Alisdair asked, taking a sip of his drink.
Keane curled his lip, recalling what she had told him about how her father had treated her all her life. “It’s what her faither calls her. Ye ken? The man whose parental skills are worse than a stray dog.”
“Ah,” Alisdair said with a nod. “Well, that explains a lot.” He paused a beat, and then continued. “But I’m glad the two o’ ye vowed tae be better tae each other. How things have been over these last few days couldnae have carried on. Nae if she is going tae be a permanent fixture around here. She’s yer wife now, and ye have a duty tae treat her as such.”
His companion’s words were truer than he realized, but Keane kept Elsie’s earlier painful observations about his actions to himself. He then sighed heavily.
“Something else is bothering ye,” Alisdair said. “Is it the fact that Laird Gunn is likely to attack soon?”
Keane’s eyebrows knotted together, for that thought couldn’t be farther from his mind. He shook his head. “Nay. It’s something far more pressing than that.”
Alisdair sat up a little straighter and looked shocked. “What could possibly be more pressing than that?” he gawked.
Keane then lifted his gaze and looked Alisdair straight in the eye. “I think I might be in trouble.” Once more, Alisdair looked stunned and now, more than a little confused. Keane then continued. “I think I might have taken a liking tae me new wife.”
His friend’s eyes widened, but then he smiled knowingly, and he nodded. “Well, I could have told ye that. Though admittedly, ye have a strange way o’ showing it.” Alisdair leaned forward again. “Surely, this can only be a good thing, Keane.”
But Keane shook his head. “Nae at all,” he blurted.
“But, why?”
Keane took a long draw on his drink, and then let out a heavy sigh. Looking intently at the amber liquid that clung to the sides of his glass, he spoke again, his voice low, feeling more vulnerable than he had in a long time. “I’m afraid,” he murmured.
CHAPTER TWELVE
After their visit to the cave, Elsie didn’t imagine she would fall asleep, even if Keane had advised her to rest. Apparently, her body was far more exhausted than she had realized. Once she lay down on her bed, in what was now her chamber, her eyes had closed, and she had drifted off into restful slumber.
The next time she opened her eyes, it was to the soft encouragement of Anna, who was standing over her, gently rocking her shoulder.
“Me lady,” the kind maid said, her voice little more than a whisper. “It is time tae get ready.”
Elsie awoke feeling like she could sleep for another day but knowing it was an important evening, she had little choice but to push herself up in bed. Stretching her arms over her head, she yawned and tried to shake the sleep from her body.
“Now, a new gown fer this evening,” Anna said, wandering around the room and gathering items from different places.
