Page 53 of Married to the Icy Highlander
What lover? If Blaine had kept so much of his life from him, hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him, then perhaps Neil didn’t know his brother at all.
“I dinnae ken if there’s even a way to write to him when there’s nay information.”
Ceana placed her hand on top of his with a soft smile. “He will come back when he’s ready. I’m sure that he will explain.”
Neil wasn’t entirely certain that he wanted his brother to come back.
Suddenly, Ersie skidded around the entrance of the Great Hall. She didn’t stop until she reached the head table, bowing at the waist out of respect. Before she started speaking, she paused to glance at Jeanie, seemingly unsure if it would be wise to speak in front of the lass, but Neil beckoned her forward.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“There are a few villagers outside, M’Laird. They are chantin’ something about the truth… They are callin’ for ye to resign,” Ersie said, seeming very uncomfortable with the whole situation.
“What?” Neil scoffed.
She had to be joking. But there wasn’t even the slightest hint of amusement on her face as she waited for his orders, or for him to make a move.
“What are they talkin’ about?” Neil asked as he pushed back his chair. “Who is outside, exactly?”
“Just… villagers, M’Laird,” Ersie informed him. “They havenae been there for very long, but they are causin’ quite the commotion. They keep shoutin’ that ye’re keepin’ secrets and that ye need to tell the truth.”
Neil was at an utter loss. What truth? What secrets was he keeping from his people? He knew that there were rumors about Blaine, but that shouldn’t have caused something like this. He did his very best to be a fair ruler. He wasn’t the sort of man who took his duties lightly or demanded blind faith because of his title. His clansmen all swore fealty to him because they believed in his work and the man he was.
It had always been that way.
So, what was this dissent about? Whatever it was, he was going to have to put a swift end to it.
They didn’t even have to get very far outside the keep before he could hear the angry voices and shouting. It seemed that the guards who were normally stationed at the doors had all moved forward to ensure that no villager found their way inside until their Laird gave his permission.
Good. He would handle this just like everything else.
“M’Laird!”
“We need answers!”
“Tell us the truth!”
Neil quickened his pace at the sound of angry voices around the corner. He heard footsteps behind him and was sure Ceana was following him along with Jeanie, Ersie, and—he guessed—manyof his servants, but he didn’t look back to make sure. He needed answers.
A group of people whose faces he could still remember from the festival that he had attended only the other day was gathered outside the gates.
How could public opinion have turned against him so quickly?
The moment they saw him, they all seemed to yell and shout louder, spewing various choice words in his direction—but they were all demanding the same thing. They all wanted him to tell them something or another.
“Settle down. Settle down,” Neil commanded. Despite their anger, the clamor died down. “What is all this about?”
“We ken what ye did, and we demand that ye fess up!” one of the villagers said, stepping in front of the others and jabbing an accusatory finger in his direction.
Neil arched an eyebrow, and the man seemed to waver for a moment.
“And what is it that I have done?” he asked, his patience growing thinner with every passing second.
“Ye truly mean to deny it? Ye dare stand there and insult all of us like that?” the man grunted.
He was emboldened further as the others behind him started murmuring their assent, demanding that they know more about the situation as well.
“If ye dinnae have the courage to tell us the truth, then ye have nay right to be our Laird!”
