Page 72 of The Highlander's Alluring Spy
He could see her now, sitting on Elaine’s bed with the little girl cuddled up close, both of them paying rapt attention to a bedtime story. She looked as beautiful as she always did, her long blonde hair loose, her eyes wide and blue and innocent.
Seeing how Elaine adored her ground the shards of his heart into dust. Lying to him was monstrous, but almost understandable as an act of war.
But how can she sit there, night after night, an’ pretend she cares for me daughter?
Elaine yawned. “Is Dadaidh nae comin’ to say goodnight?” she wondered out loud.
“I haven’t seen him since this morning, my sweet,” Magnolia told her in a soothing voice. “No doubt he’s busy. And you’re too sleepy to be waiting up. Shall we continue our book on the morrow?”
“Aye,” Elaine mumbled, and Nathair hastily stepped out of view as Magnolia moved in sight of the door.
“Here, darling, let me tuck you in nice and safe and warm,” Magnolia said. “And I’ll sing you the lullaby you like.”
“I love ye, Maggie,” Elaine said contentedly.
Nathair turned on his heel to leave them behind. He would not see Elaine tonight. He did not trust himself to do so, not without breaking entirely.
What kind of monster was Magnolia Winterbourne? Did she care for nothing and nobody? Did it bother her nothing that she would break the heart of a five-year-old girl who trusted her beyond anything?
Did she care not that if it came to war, he and his daughter would likely…?
Enough.
He tightened his jaw, straightened his back, and marched his way to Magnolia’s chambers.
He’d wait for her there. And maybe, just maybe, she’d have some form of explanation for all of this.
Or even for any of it.
20
The Confrontation
When Elaine finally drifted off to sleep, Magnolia kissed her hair and decided she’d just head straight to her chambers. She wondered idly if William had located Nathair or not and wondered more what the Commander’s problem had been today.
I’ve never seen him behaving so strangely. Perhaps he simply got some bad news.
Well, if Nathair was back at the castle, he’d come to see her before the night was out. The thought made her feel as warm as it did uneasy while she waited for the reply from the Order and from her father.
She entered her chambers and lit one of her night-lanterns so that she might read for a while before she drifted off. As the flame sparked to life, she jumped in surprise to see a figure already sitting at her desk, alone in the dark.
“Nathair! What are you—I mean, I am, of course, glad to see you, but why are you sitting in the dark, my love?” she asked. She smiled a little. “Did you want to surprise me? That’s sweet of you, and it certainly worked, but perhaps use light for your own sake next time.”
He didn’t answer. She frowned but made her way over to her basin to wash her face before bed. She took her time doing this, giving Nathair a chance to speak if he wanted.
He said nothing, just stared at her.
Finally, she said, “What? What is it? You look like you’re trying to solve a puzzle of some sort.”
“I am,” he agreed. His voice sounded off like he had something stuck in his throat.
Is he unwell?
He said nothing more, and she stayed there in complete silence for another few minutes she said, “What puzzle?”
In the same dangerously flat tone, he said, “You.”
Magnolia laughed. Surely he was joking? Perhaps this was some kind of flirtation. She was still inexperienced; she knew not all of these games. She moved towards him, perching on his lap. She stroked his cheek lovingly. “And how difficult am I to solve?” she teased.
