Page 70 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
“Ye dinnae scare me, son,” he spat patronizingly. “I’ve dealt with better men than ye afore, and I will deal with ye the same.”
“Stop it!” Elsie cried, pushing herself between them. “Please. Stop it.”
Keane and Laird Munro were now both seething. The only thing stopping them from lunging at each other was his delicate and beautiful wife. Bravely, she stood between them, her hand on each of their chests.
“This is nonsensical,” she panted, her fear and worry obvious. “Ye are both grown men, and fighting like this will solve naething at all.”
Munro suddenly took a step back, looking down at his daughter with disgust. He lifted his glare back at Keane. “She’s right,” he growled. “There is only one way tae solve this. I challenge ye tae a duel.”
“Nay!” Elsie cried.
“Quiet!” her father barked before looking back at Keane. “If I win, ye will release Elspeth.”
Keane shook his head. “I willnae fight ye, nor will Ireleaseme wife. What kind o’ man dae ye think I am?”
“A coward, obviously,” Munro smirked back. “Just like yer faither afore ye.”
“Dinnae speak about me faither,” Keane bellowed, launching forward once more. But Elsie still remained between them, and for fear of hurting her, he stopped himself.
“Ifsheis so important tae ye,” Munro tossed a dismissive nod toward his daughter, “why dinnae ye prove it? Or are ye too worried ye’d lose? Is that it?”
The man’s goading smirk sent Keane into a rage, and unable to help himself, he barked, “Afraid o’ an old man like ye? Ye think too much o’ yersel’. Fer a certainty I’ll duel ye, if even tae teach ye some humility.”
“Keane,” Elsie whispered with desperation.
Casting a glance to Elsie, he said, “It’s fine, me love.” He then turned his growl back to Munro. “But I tell ye this now. If I win, when I win,” he corrected himself, “ye will leave us be. Ye willnae return here unless Elsie requests it, and Laird Gunn will be out o’ Elsie’s life forever. Are we clear?”
Laird Munro glared at him for a long second, clearly considering his proposal. At first, Keane wasn’t sure the laird was going to agree, but eventually, he nodded. “Fine. If I win, I tak’ me daughter with me, if I lose, I will leave.”
“Good,” Keane spat.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Elsie could hardly believe what she was hearing. Looking from Keane to her father and back again, she gawked at the two men in astonishment.
“This is madness,” she cried.
“Quiet, woman,” her father spat. “Stick tae what lasses ken. It’s all ye’re good fer.”
Something flashed beside her, and a second later, Keane grabbed her father’s tunic. Yanking him forward, their faces now only inches apart, Keane said, “I have told ye many times nae tae speak tae me wife in such a manner. Next time, I’ll nae use me words.”
Laird Munro only sneered. “Save yer energy fer the battlefield, son. Ye’re going tae need it.”
Twisting his body out of Keane’s grip, the man turned on his heels and stormed out.
For a long moment, a heavy silence filled the room. Keane still glared after the laird, while Elsie could only look worriedly up at him. When he eventually turned to face her, his harsh scowl crumpled.
“Dinnae worry, little one,” he said, stepping towards her and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. “All will be well.”
“Ye are a strong warrior, Keane. I ken that, fer I have seen ye fight. But me faither is strong, too. And besides,” her gaze fell to his stomach, “ye are nae yet fully healed. What if…”
“I’m nae letting ye go, Elsie. I have found ye, and I’m never losing ye. Nae now. Nae ever.”
“It’s nae about that,” she paused. “Of course, I dinnae want tae lose ye either. But more so, I dinnae want tae see ye injured again. I cannae. It was bad enough the last time. I cannae, Keane,” she sobbed. “I just cannae. I’m scared.”
He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms firmly around her, holding her closely to him. “Ye dinnae have tae worry, little one. He willnae defeat me. I promise ye that.”
Half an hour later, Keane and her father faced each other at the back of the castle. Laird Munro’s men stood on one side, while Elsie, Iseabail, Owen, and Alisdair stood on the other. Behindthem, a crowd gathered, made up of guards, servants, and members of the council, as well as others.
