Page 49 of Claimed By the Heartless Highlander
“Ye dinnae have a right to look at me daughter, much less lay a hand on her. And even if ye did, I’d take yer hand off at the wrist afore ye could get close. I swore to me sister that nay one from yer clan would touch her child, and certainly nay one from the Ferguson family.”
Ferguson actually laughed. “Ye can bluster all ye like. But nay laird from any other clan would agree with ye. After all, ye’re only her uncle, when all’s said and done.”
“And ye’re nay better.” Duncan scowled. “And I dinnae ken why ye bother to pretend ye’ve any interest in Lily. Why would ye? Ye’ve barely any will to care for yerself, much less yer braither’s bairn.”
The cold smile that spread across Scott Ferguson’s face made Ailis shiver in fear and revulsion.
“Me braither’s bairn, ye say? Ye’re so like yer sister Daisy—dramatic and mistaken.”
“What the devil do ye mean by that?”
Scott Ferguson sneered. “Yer sister was a fool and a romantic—childishly naive. Full of notions of uniting the clans through love or some such nonsense. ‘Twas pathetic. A few pretty words, and she actually thought I had feelings for her.”
* * *
For one moment, Duncan couldn’t breathe. His mind went blank. “Ye…”
Scott smirked. “’Tis simple enough. I coaxed her with pretty words, then I seduced her, and finally, I ruined her. I left her after I was sure she was carryin’ me brat. All to punish and humiliate yer clan for yer wrongdoings.”
Heat and cold, rage and fear, snarling fury and twisting despair, all ripped through Duncan and left him teetering on the edge of madness. The only thing that held him back from the pit was the sight of Ailis holding and comforting Lily.
She looked pale and more than a little shocked. These revelations must be a shock to her, and he regretted that he’d never given her any hint of the truth before now.
Scott continued to gloat, happy to sneer at him and take full advantage of his shock to keep airing all the ugliness between them.
“I’ve never cared much for the brat, but I wasnae about to let any bairn of mine be raised by yer kin. I sent men to take her, but then the castle burned, and I heard Daisy had perished along with the babe.”
“If ye ken the babe’s dead, then why would ye be pursuin’ her now? Ye dinnae have any idea who Lily Is.” Duncan had to force the words out of his mouth.
“Dinnae be a fool. There’s nay reason why ye’d care for any child save Daisy’s. I’ve kept watch, ye ken, to ensure yer clan remained ruined, and ye remained a broken, isolated man hidin’ by the seashore in yer broken-down, old castle. But then I saw ye bring the lass back. And shortly after that, me men spotted her playin’ with a bairn by the seashore, and I heard a rumor that the woman ye’d brought back was yer betrothed.”
He sneered. “A soft heart like yers… It stood to reason if ye’d claimed a betrothed, ye’d want her to care for yer children… or yer sister’s children. I ken well enough that ye havenae had time to conceive a child. Neither has yer braither, as sequestered as ye’ve been. And she’s the proper age to be Daisy’s.”
“Doesnae prove?—”
“Dinnae bother tryin’ to lie. One look makes it clear whose bairn she is.” Scott gave him a contemptuous look.
Duncan felt his mind swirling and shattering like a storm at sea, or a wildfire in his soul. All this time… all this time, he’d thought his sister’s defiler was dead. But he was wrong.
He’d always thought Scott’s older brother had been the one to seduce Daisy and steal her virtue and ruin her reputation, as well as her peace of mind. But the cruel pride in Scott’s eyes made it clear that he was telling the truth.
Scott’s older brother had died some time ago. Duncan had been the one to kill him back then. But now…
The monster who’d hurt his sister, destroyed his family, and burned his home was standing in front of him.
Duncan lunged forward.
Scott stepped back with a taunting expression. “Och, now, ye cannae raise yer sword in anger. Ye wouldnae want to kill the wee lass’s true faither in front of her eyes, would ye? How will she feel, kennin’ that her uncle murdered her faither?”
“She’ll feel nothin’, for ye’re nay faither to her. Ye’re a bastard who happened to give me sister a bairn years ago. She’s me daughter, true as blood.”
“If ye say so.” Scott gestured toward the door.
Two of his men, guards who were supposed to be subdued, jumped to their feet and slammed their way through the door before Jack or the others could react. Duncan cursed as they shoved past him and took up threatening stances near Ailis and Lily.
“What are ye…?”
Scott laughed, the sound low and cold. “’Tis simple. Ye’re right that I’ve little care for the brat. Like as nae, ye’ve ruined her already. She’ll never be a proper member of Clan Fraser. So, I have a proposition for ye.”
