Page 52 of Claimed By the Heartless Highlander
He’d completely forgotten about meeting her friends on the road, or the fact that he’d sent them on to Castle Muir to wait for their return. He’d certainly neglected to tell Ailis they were here. She must have been worried that they were still waiting for her.
It was all he could do not to groan and bang his head against the wall of the carriage, and Jack’s smugly grinning face didn’t help.
The way things were going, he might need to write a letter to get to spend any time with his betrothed.
CHAPTER21
Ailis hadno idea what she’d expected to happen upon her return to Castle Muir. However, being almost knocked to the ground by her best friend before she’d even properly alighted from the carriage was not among the things she’d anticipated. For a moment, all she could do was grip Maisie’s arms to steady herself and blink up at her friend’s face.
“Ye’re here. I thought… I was planning to send word when we arrived…”
Behind Maisie, she could see Keith, a small smile on his lips as he watched his wife hug her tightly.
“Och, I kenned from yer letters that ye were upset, so Keith and I came to meet ye at the border. When ye didnae arrive near the time ye said ye would, we rode toward Castle Muir, and were within a candlemark of the place when we ran into Laird Muir himself.” Maisie sniffed. “He sent us here.”
Ailis blinked. “Duncan… sent ye here?” She was stunned.
Duncan—fiercely, guarded Duncan, who’d never let his own daughter leave the castle walls for fear of danger to her and his clan—had sent two relative strangers to his home to wait for him. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d done it because they were her friends. The idea filled her with warmth and affection for him.
Maisie, meanwhile, was far from pleased. “Aye, and he told us to wait for him to return, as if we were children,” she scoffed. “I was ready to follow him, but Keith insisted we listen to him. Said it was a manner of honor.”
“Aye… he had the right of it, more than he kenned.” Ailis wasn’t sure of everything she’d heard in Fraser Keep, but she was sure of that much.
Maisie studied her face for a moment. The fierce glare in her eyes softened. “I ken ye must be weary to death of travelin’, and ye had a rough time, but ye need only say the word, Ailis, and Keith and I will take ye away from here, and away fromhim.”
She shot a scathing look at Duncan, who was passing Lily to the maids to be bathed, fed, and dressed for bed.
It was tempting. Ailis turned to look at Duncan and found him gazing back at her, his face a nigh-unreadable mask. Once, it might have upset her, but now she thought she understood. He was giving her the freedom to choose her next course of action, without trying to persuade her as he’d done before the kidnapping.
She knew why Maisie was feeling so fiercely protective of her, but she’d learned things today that she hadn’t known about when she’d last written to her friend. And, knowing what she did now, she was loath to walk away without giving him another chance to trust her.
She looked up at Maisie and smiled softly. “Och, I do appreciate the offer, but there are things that we need to discuss, afore I come with ye. And I’d rather discuss them now while they’re fresh in me mind.”
“Ye do that. And then I’ll take ye away.”
“It will depend, I think, on what Duncan has to say.” She hugged her friend, then stepped back and out of Maisie’s hold. “I ken ye’ve come a long way to see me, and I’m glad to see ye too, but if ye could give Duncan and me a moment to speak in private, afore we decide what to do next.”
Maisie looked like she wanted to protest, but Keith put an arm around her. “’Tis fair enough. Besides, it will be dark soon, and nae a good time to start a journey, even one so relatively short.” He shifted his gaze to Duncan. “Laird Muir, I realize ‘tis fairly short notice, but I’d like to ask if me wife and I could have a room for the night.”
“Ye’re welcome for this night and as many others as ye care to stay.” Duncan nodded. “I’ll have one of the maids air out and prepare one of the guest rooms for ye.” He waved a lass over and gave her some quick instructions.
Ailis bit her cheek to hold back her surprise. She knew enough of Castle Muir’s layout to know Duncan had given Keith and Maisie rooms quite close to the family corridor. It was as if he were trying to show her that he was making an effort to trust, to be more open.
“Thank ye.”
Duncan nodded and held out his hand to her. “Ailis, ye said ye wished to speak to me in private. Will ye join me in me study?”
Their last conversation in the study had hardly ended well, though she almost blushed to think of what else had happened.
Still, she nodded. “Aye.” In a fit of inspiration, she turned back to Maisie. “He has a library. One of the maids can show ye where it is.”
She saw the bright interest in Maisie’s eyes and then turned away to follow Duncan before her friend could realize that she’d been distracted.
The two of them made the short trip to the study in silence, and Ailis waited until the heavy door was shut and locked before she spoke. “I’m sorry. I didnae ken what ye were afraid of, and I didnae give it proper attention or thought. Me actions put Lily in danger, and I’m sorry for it.”
Duncan leaned against the wall. “Ye’re forgiven. I didnae do so good a job of explainin’…” He looked suddenly nervous. “Ailis… I…”
She held up a hand to stop him, and to her surprise, he fell silent, biting back whatever he’d been about to say.
