Page 65 of Healing the Highland Sinner
“I’m tryin’ tae protect ye, Rosalind,” he said softly.
She scoffed. “Is that what ye call it?”
“Aye. ‘Tis what I’m tryin’ tae dae.”
“Dae ye ken what I call it? What I call watchin’ everythin’ me and mine dae then runnin’ off tae report tae yer maisters like a trained dog?” she spat. “I call that spyin’. Ye’re a bleedin’ spy, Ellair. A bleedin’ pathetic rat spy.”
“’Tis nae what I’m daein’,” he said, feeling his heart shattering. “I’m tryin’ tae?—”
“Save it. Ye’re nae tryin’ tae protect anybody but yer precious laird and yerself.”
“If that was true, I’d have never confessed tae ye. I’d have never told ye who I really am and just let Laird Gunn dae as he willed.”
That seemed to catch her off guard and she paused for a moment, some small bit of the venom in her expression fading. But only for a moment.
“It daesnae matter,” she said. “What daes yer laird want from me then, eh?”
Ellair sighed. “He wants ye tae let the ship Sinclair ordered ye tae seize tae pass through,” he said miserably. “He wants the shipment tae get tae his lands.”
“Oh, he daes, daes he?”
Ellair nodded. “Aye.”
“And what of me braither if I dae that?” she asked. “If I dae that, Sinclair will kill him.”
“I think we both ken he willnae. Ye’re far too valuable tae him.”
“Easy fer ye tae say. ‘Tis nae yer braither’s life in the balance.”
Ellair ran a hand over his face and turned away for a moment. “Aye. ‘Tis nae. Ye’re right about that,” he conceded. “But I’ve got a good enough read on the man tae believe what I’m sayin’ is the truth of things. Sinclair still needs ye. Ye’ve still got value tae him. And so long as ye dae, he’s never goin’ tae hurt Blaine. Nae fer real.”
“Some of us dinnae have the luxury of guessin’ like that.”
“’Tis nae a guess. I’ve dealt with people like Sinclair all me life. Gotten tae ken how tae read them pretty well,” he replied. “Lettin’ that shipment pass will anger him plenty, sure. But so long as he can use ye, he will. And one shipment will nae sink yer relationship with him. It could, however, be enough tae tip thebalance of war. If that shipment gets through, it could be enough tae cause war in the Highlands, Rosalind.”
“And if there be war, yer precious laird may wind up with a blade in his guts.”
“Gunn is nae me laird,” he said. “But… eventually, if Gunn falls, it may come around tae me laird too. Aye. Ye’re nae wrong.”
She stared at him for another long, quiet moment. Ellair squirmed beneath her scrutiny, wincing at the rage he saw in her eyes.
“So,” she finally said. “It comes down tae daein’ as Sinclair ordered and let war erupt in the Highlands, with him takin’ over everythin’. Or I dae as yer laird wants and risk me braither’s life, which regardless of what ye say about me value tae Sinclair, ‘tis what I’d be daein’.”
Ellair frowned and kicked a small seashell near the toe of his boot. “Aye. I suppose that is what’s at stake,” he said softly.
“Quite the choice ye’re givin’ me.”
“I’m nae givin’ it tae ye, Rosalind,” he said. “I’m only tellin’ ye what is.”
“Sure. Now ye are. After weeks of deceivin’ me.”
Ellair knew there was nothing he could say to fix that damage. He could stand atop the mountain and proclaim the depth of his feelings for her at the top of his voice and she would still call him a liar. His deception had broken something. Permanently.
“What will ye dae?” he asked softly.
“I’ll let ye ken.”
And with that, Rosalind turned on her heel and stormed away. He had tried, hoped that his honesty would lead to a path of redemption and forgiveness. But by the look she’d given him just before turning away from him, there would be no forgiveness found. She was done with him.
