Chapter 19

Lily was dozing,and Ailis was beginning to feel a little tired herself when the sound of the door opening made her bolt upright, wide awake.

A man entered the room, wearing a laird's torc and a bored expression on his face. Ailis tensed.

There was no question he was the man who'd ordered her kidnapping and Lily's. She studied him at the same time he was looking at her.

He was tall and lean, and fair, whereas Duncan was dark. His hair was a shade or two darker than her own, and his eyes were a pale green, like seafoam. His expression was cold and distant, with a cruel twist that made her stomach churn.

When he spoke, his voice was a pleasant baritone that made his words all the more chilling. "Ye're a bonny lass. Pity ye've been with Muir. But either way, there's nay point in ye clingin' onto the child. As soon as I'm finished with me plans, ye'll never see the brat again."

Lily had been awakened by the first words, and she whimpered. Ailis hugged her once to comfort her, before she gently extricated herself from the child's arms and pushed to her feet between the strange Laird and Lily.

"Ye'll take this child over me dead body, Me Laird."

"It would be a shame to waste such a pretty lass, but I've nay problem with that. As Laird Muir's woman, ye're nae worth much in any case." He waved a hand. "Ye have a choice. Ye can get out of me way and make this easier, and mayhap I'll let ye return to yer lover alive, or ye can be stubborn."

"I said it afore, and I'll say it again, Me Laird…" She spat the title like a curse. "I'm nae movin', and ye'll touch this child over me dead body."

"As ye wish. Over yer dead body it is."

"Actually, Scott, I'm thinkin' the only dead body that will be in this room is yers. And I'll thank ye to step away from me betrothed and me daughter. Now."

Ailis's heart leaped at the sound of a familiar and very welcome voice. She thought she'd faint with relief when Duncan's form stepped through the door, blade in hand.

"Duncan!"

"Ailis."

As he moved inside to stand with his back to the nearby wall, she saw other men in Muir tartan taking up positions outside, including Jack.

Duncan's stony countenance took on a faintly mocking expression. "Lady Ailis Anderson, I present to ye Scott Ferguson, the current Laird of Clan Fraser."

"I was wonderin' if ye'd turn up." Laird Fraser sneered. "Though I'll say I didnae expect to see ye so soon."

Duncan snorted with clear derision. "As if I didnae guess who had me daughter as soon as I noticed she was missin' and found me injured guard. Beyond that, the man who took Ailis…" He tipped his head in her direction. "… left carriage tracks plain as day. ‘Twas a simple matter to gather a small group of warriors and come here. And a simpler matter to make me way inside through one of yer side gates."

Laird Fraser's lip curled. "I suppose ye've dispatched me guards?"

"The quiet ones are takin' a nap. The rest willnae be wakin' up any time soon." Duncan smiled back coldly.

"As I expected. Though I dinnae ken why ye'd bother. It's nae as if ye've any right to keep me from seein' the whelp. I've more claim to her than anyone else."

Ailis had no idea what he was talking about, but she did know this was not a conversation any child should be listening to. Lily didn't deserve to be talked about like she was a possession or a pup to be traded, and she certainly shouldn't have to hear the things being said.

She turned and leaned close. "Lily-love, can ye do somethin' for me?"

The little girl looked up at her, confusion and fear plain on her face, and then nodded.

"Good lass. I want ye to put yer hands over yer ears, as tight as ye can, and think about nice things."

"Nice things? Like… puppies? Or kitties? Or dessert?"

"All of those things. Close yer eyes, think of those, and dinnae listen to anythin' else until I touch yer shoulder, all right?"

Lily nodded again, then slapped her hands tight over her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, the way she sometimes did when they were playing hiding and seek.

Ailis turned back to the conversation just as Duncan snarled a reply to something Scott Ferguson had said.

"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."

Duncan was tempted to refuse, but he needed to keep Scott's attention on him and give his brother time and room to make his move. Jack was quick-thinking and cool-headed, and Duncan's own mood was too volatile to ensure clear-headedness.

Duncan forced his hand back to his side and jerked his head in a sharp nod. "What proposition?"

"Ye can have the whelp, and even yer woman, if ye wish. But in return, ye must cede yer clan to me, whole and entire. Ye'll give me yer allegiance, yer people, yer Lairdship, and all yer lands. Ye'll go afore the Highland gathering and publicly renounce yer position and yer tartan, and announce yer subservience to me clan forever."

His stomach churned. As a laird, his heart screamed a refusal. As Lily's father, it seemed like a small price to pay. And for Lily and Ailis both, it seemed a cheap trade, indeed.

He held himself back with an effort. He knew that becoming flustered and fearful was what Scott wanted. Scott wanted him to act rashly.

Beyond Laird Fraser, he could see Ailis looking back at him. Her face was pale and uncertain, but her hands, even bound as they were, were wrapped around Lily, trying to shield his daughter's eyes and ears so she wouldn't witness the things happening around her.

God above, but I love ye, Ailis. I was a fool to nae ken it afore, but the way I feel watchin' ye hold me daughter and protect her now, there's little else I'm more certain of in the world.

He glared at Scott, then walked around the man to Ailis's side, ignoring the guards, who seemed too reluctant to clash with a warrior who had managed to get inside the keep without any apparent trouble. Or perhaps they thought he was surrendering in exchange for Lily and Ailis.

He gently cut the ropes binding Ailis's arms. "'Tis all right. Just be brave a little longer for me."

Ailis nodded.

Duncan turned back toward Scott. He smiled grimly as he spotted Jack moving in. Laird Fraser had turned to follow his movements, and his position blocked the view of the two guards. As a result, none of the men of Clan Fraser could see his brother slipping into position.

Scott sneered. "I see ye've made yer choice. Foolish and sentimental like yer sister—ye'd choose a girl-child over all else."

"I'm nae surrenderin'." Duncan brought up his sword. "Dinnae fool yerself. Ye'll nae take me clan and me kin from me."

"Then I'll take the child."

Jack lunged from his new position by the wall and caught the nearest guard off balance. His movement drew Scott's attention, and Duncan used that opening. He lunged.

Scott Ferguson scarcely had time to draw his blade before Duncan's sword ran him cleanly through. He coughed wetly. Duncan smiled grimly and leaned forward to utter soft words in his ear.

"Ye dinnae deserve me clan. And ye certainly dinnae deserve to ever lay so much as an eye on me daughter, let alone claim her."

He stepped back, and Scott fell with a last, rattling breath. Duncan turned and helped his brother dispatch the two guards with a few swift strokes of his blade.

As the last man fell, he wiped the blood off his sword, sheathed it, and turned to his daughter and his betrothed. "Let's go home."