Chapter 26

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

“ I dinnae want tae wake up,” Kai whispered into the darkness.

“Ye are awake,” Ava murmured with a giggle.

He held her tighter, burying his head into the crook of her neck and inhaling her scent as he pulled her body against his own. She clearly knew what he meant. He could feel the waves of understanding coming off her. They had held each other all night, slept in this perfect position, and now the sun had risen, they would have to face reality. At least here in this bed, they could forget the world.

Aye, we can forget Laird Grant.

“Kai? Kai, are ye still in bed?”

Kai’s eyes shot open at the sudden voice approaching his bedchamber.

“In the name of the wee man,” Ava muttered, sitting bolt upright and wrapping the bedsheets around her chest.

Kai had no further time to respond, he sat up too, just as the door burst open.

“Kai, I need tae talk tae ye about–” Domhnall stood in the doorway, his voice trailing away as he laid eyes on the two of them. What may have started in his eyes as shock, quickly morphed to an intense fury. “Have ye two lost yer mind!?” he roared, making plain the power and intimidation he could hold as laird.

“Domhnall, get out.” Kai pointed a finger at the door as Ava flung herself down in the bed, hiding her body completely from him.

Kai climbed out and pulled on a pair of trews, though it was pointless. The damage had been done.

“Nay wonder the MacKinnon soldiers have been seen on their way here this morning by the scouts!” Domhnall just continued to shout. “Ye’ve stolen his daughter?”

“I’m nae something that can be stolen, Domhnall,” Ava said with danger on her tone, though he took no notice.

“Kai, have ye taken leave of yer senses?”

Kai grabbed his brother’s shoulder and marched him out of the room. They ended up bundled in the corridor as Domhnall, red in the face shouted at him. Kai had to match his volume to be heard.

“She’s betrothed tae Laird Grant.”

“Ye try tae calm me down by telling me just how much worse this is than I initially thought?”

“She cannae marry him,” Kai said under his breath. “She just cannae.”

“Oh, and ye declaring that will make it the case, willnae it?” Domhnall said with thick sarcasm.

Ava suddenly appeared in the doorway, throwing clothes on herself.

“Would it matter if I told ye I was in love with yer braither?” she asked, as Kai stepped forward to help her with the laces.

“Nae in the slightest.” Domhnall shook his head. “I would tell ye both that I would dae anything tae help ye. Of course, I want ye two tae be happy… but dae ye nae see now what ye have done?” He looked between them, as if he was speaking to two children. “This is too tangled now. Dae ye even have a plan?”

Kai looked at Ava.

Marry me instead.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he feared her answer.

“Me laird, me laird!” a shout went up from further down the corridor.

“What is it?” Domhnall barked angrily, turning around.

“It’s Laird MacKinnon and his soldiers.” A guard skidded to a stop at the end of the corridor. “He’s here. He’s just ridden intae the courtyard. He is furious.”

“Faither, faither, please–” Ava ran out of the keep and into the courtyard. She was now fully dressed at least, but her hair was still wild about her.

Her father stood in full battle armor, with his soldiers on either side of him. The sight of him made her break off, coming to a standstill before him.

“Ye were so stunned by me absence ye came ready fer battle tae face yer friends?” Ava waved her hand in amazement.

“It may have taken some time fer Lyla tae confess where ye had gone when yer maid revealed yer bedchamber was empty before dawn when she went to light the fire, but I am nay fool, Ava.” Finley looked over her shoulder. Ava didn’t need to turn to know it was Domhnall and Kai that had appeared on the steps outside of the keep too. “There was only one reason ye would have come running all the way tae this castle in the middle of the night, unescorted. One person ye would have come fer.”

He glowered, his glare on Kai.

“Me laird, please.” Kai stepped forward, but Domhnall took his shoulder, holding him back, just as Finley raised a hand and ordered silence.

“Did ye ken?” Finley addressed Domhnall with this question.

“Nae until this morning,” Domhnall spoke with sincerity. Their friendship was a long-standing one, and Finley nodded, believing him at once.

“Ava, ye are coming home. Now.”

“Me laird!” Kai shrugged off Domhnall’s grip and hurried down to her father. Ava raced to stay at his side. “Can we nae talk about this? Yer daughter and I –”

“I dinnae want tae hear it!” Finley barked so loudly that all in the courtyard suddenly fell silent. “Ye think I wish tae ken what me daughter and ye have done a night alone together?”

Ava felt her cheeks heat as she had never felt them heat before. Was it the shame of everyone watching, a knowing look in their eyes? Or the fury in her father’s face?

“Whatever has passed, it is done. Yer connection, yer friendship… it is over.”

“Faither,” Ava shuddered. “Ye cannae make such a declaration.”

“I can, and I will.” Finley reached out and took her arm. “Ye forget something, Ava. I have watched Kai grow up. I have seen him go from a confident lad tae a rake, a cad, a man who would seduce any woman intae her bed just tae ruin her.”

“That isnae who I am!” Kai tried to run after them as Finley dragged Ava toward a horse. “Me laird, I am nae that man.”

Domhnall was there again. Whatever he said to Kai, he hissed it under his breath so quietly that Ava could not hear it. It had an effect though, making Kai fall limp and still.

“I ken exactly what sort of man ye are.” Finley turned to face him. “I willnae let me daughter be ruined by ye, nae when so much depends on her.”

“Laird MacKinnon.” Domhnall was serious as he stepped in front of Kai to face Finley. “We can talk about this a little more. Let us dae that at least.”

“There is nothing tae talk about. When yer child is grown, Laird MacLeod, then ye will understand the sense of responsibility one feels, how sometimes… one’s hands are tied. Our lives are bound.” He nodded firmly, his own expression sour. “I may have little liking fer giving Ava tae Laird Grant, but her word has been given, as has me own. We have nay other choice.” With these final words, he urged Ava onto her horse with a flick of his fingers.

“Faither –”

“Nae another word,” he spat.

A horn was blasted. It was the call to the soldiers to depart. Ava wanted to argue some more, to point out the unfairness of it all, but what would that serve when this was all her doing? Already her horse was trotting away, following the soldiers. Her father rode alongside her, taking hold of her reins to make sure she could not turn back.

“He is a man nae nearly so bad as ye think,” she hissed, turning back to look at Kai who stood like stone with Domhnall whispering madly in his ear.

“I ken who Kai is, Ava. He’s nae a bad man, but he’s nae an honorable one either. I will protect ye from any man who cannae give ye what ye deserve.”

Her eyes closed as tears prickled. She knew deep down what her father was referring to.

Laird Grant could give their whole family what they needed. It was not about what she deserved.

We need money, and me marriage tae Laird Grant is the only way we can get it.

Lyla stood in the open gateway of the castle as Ava approached. She could see her sister had been crying as she stood in the fresh snow fall, dithering as she pulled furs tighter around her body.

Ava could only guess how her father had managed to break Lyla’s resolve not to tell where she had gone. Finley may have been a loving father, but he was also a laird. He knew how to shout well enough and Lyla felt things keenly.

“What did ye say tae her?” Ava asked her father as they both stepped down from their horses. Finley stretched his back, looking sore after the long ride. He wiped the snow from his face as he turned to her.

“I reminded her of duty. Of family honor. That ye are me daughter tae protect, Ava. As she also is. I can only dae that when I ken where ye two are.” With these final words, he walked into the castle. Lyla stepped out of his way gingerly, beckoning Ava toward her.

Ava left the horse in the care of a stable boy and ran toward her sister. They met under the portcullis and embraced tightly.

“I’m so sorry,” Lyla rushed to say in her ear. “I didnae mean tae tell, I didnae even say the words, but father guessed when I was evasive with his questions –”

“It doesnae matter, Lyla. Please, dinnae worry. Come, let us get inside. It is freezing out here.” She took Lyla’s hand and drew her back across the castle courtyard, heading to the keep. The snow now was coming down in a blizzard, whirling around them, so that the world had turned white.

By the time they reached the keep, they were both shivering, pulling their furs tight around themselves. They went to the sitting room where a warm fire had been made up. Lyla sat nervously in a chair nearby as Ava knelt in front of the flames, holding her hands out to be warmed by that heat.

“I can well imagine how father figured it out,” Ava whispered.

“He just asked me if ye had gone there. If ye had gone tae the MacLeod castle, and when I hesitated… he kenned.”

“It doesnae matter.” Ava urged once again, shaking her head. “I’m sorry, Lyla, I didnae want tae get ye involved in this. What must ye think of me?”

“Think of ye? Whatever dae ye mean?”

Ava felt the guilt swell in her body.

Shame. That is what I feel now.

“If I marry Laird Grant, then ye are safe. Father will have access tae Laird Grant’s fortune. We’ll have him as an ally, and ye’ll be safe. That’s what all of this was about in the first place, wasnae it?” Ava hung her head. “I’m so sorry, Lyla. I should be thinking of ye. I shouldnae be acting selfish.”

“Selfish? Since when is it selfish tae fall in love? Since when is it selfish tae want tae be happy?” Lyla said, her voice suddenly loud. It had been some time since she had heard her sister speak so loudly. It urged her to whip her head around and look at her sister, the flames basking on her face so that one side was fiery red. “Dae ye think I blame ye fer falling in love with Kai, Ava?”

“Ye should dae!” Ava said fiercely. “If I marry Laird Grant, all will be well.”

“Oh, aye, so instead of me being miserable, ye choose tae make yerself miserable instead.”

“It’s a sacrifice I’m willing tae make.”

“It’s nae what I want ye tae dae!” Lyla stood suddenly, the fur dropping from her shoulder.

Lyla so often stood in the shadows, hanging her head. It was a reminder to Ava now that Lyla had strength. It was made all the more impactful by the fact that she didn’t always reveal it.

“Ye never asked me if I was happy fer ye tae swap yer happiness fer mine.” She dropped down to her knees in front of Ava. “I dinnae want ye tae. Ye want tae be happy with Kai? Ye wish tae marry him? Then I give ye me blessing. In the name of the wee man above, Ava, I’ll walk ye up the aisle meself if our faither willnae.”

“Ye would dae that?” Ava said, a smile growing across her face in disbelief.

“Of course, I would. Ye arenae the only obstinate one in this family, ye ken.” Her words brought smiles to both of their faces. “Ava, dae ye think I could ever be truly happy kenning that ye had chosen duty over love?”

When it was summed up so simply, Ava’s shoulders slumped. Yes, that’s what she was doing.

“I’m trying tae protect ye,” Ava whispered.

“And I’m telling ye,” Lyla paused long enough to reach out and take her hand, “ye dinnae have tae. Ye and I both ken that our maither, God rest her soul, chose duty in her marriage, did she nae?”

Ava blinked and looked at the flames. Their mother had been a good woman, though she was now a distant memory. The marriage between her and Finley had been an arrangement, one done for duty.

“Dae ye nae remember her once talking about love?”

“Aye, I remember it.” Ava couldn’t lift her gaze from the flames as she recalled that night. “We were in this chamber, were we nae?”

“Aye, we were. On a snowy night like this. Ma had had a little too much wine and recalled a man she had once loved.”

They both smiled sadly at the fire.

“Dae ye think our maither would want ye tae give that up? I certainly dinnae want ye tae give it up. Ye may be older than me but ye arenae me maither, Ava. As much as I deserve tae be happy, ye deserve to as well. Ye shouldnae sacrifice yer happiness fer me, it isnae yer responsibility.”

“Oh, Lyla.” Ava held her sister’s hand tightly. “What can I possibly dae? Our faither has given his word already. He has made it quite plain today that he has nae intention tae rescind his blessing. And I have given me word too. We are betrothed.”

“But nae married. Ye are nae married yet.” Lyla shook her head. “In the eyes of the lord, ye’ve nae had a handfast. Ye can escape him yet. There is a line in the ceremony which asks those in the church if anyone objects tae the match. If it comes tae it, ye and Kai can fight till the end nae tae be separated from each other.”

“Ye are too good, Lyla.” Ava reached out and embraced her sister, pulling her toward her. “Yer kindness is too much. How could I possibly go tae Kai kenning ye will be forced tae marry… that man.” She couldn’t bring herself to say the name. She had learned some time ago that if that man’s name was ever mentioned in front of Lyla, it was soul crushing for her.

“There are other ways tae avoid him,” Lyla said simply, pulling back a little from their embrace. “Ye think I have nae noticed that after our maither passed, ye have protected me from everything, much as she had done? Well, I am capable of protecting meself as well. Just because ye dinnae marry Laird Grant, it isnae me death sentence, Ava. Believe that.”

Ava inhaled sharply. For so long she had connected the two things. They had become natural, with her and her father talking around the subject so much, it was assumed the only way to escape that man was with the money Laird Grant could bring with him.

“Enough of this now,” Lyla said with finality, sitting tall and reaching for the poker, making the flames dance higher in the grate, so they were both warm. “I willnae be the reason ye and Kai are miserable. I absolve ye of all responsibility, Ava.”

“Ye are too kind,” Ava whispered again.

“Nay. Only honest. Come, ye are cold. I’ll ask the steward tae bring us something warm tae eat and drink.” Lyla stood and bustled out of the room, leaving Ava to stare into the flames.

Is it possible for Kai and I tae be together? He said he loved me… but did he mention marriage?

“Ava, Ava!” Lyla came running back a few minutes later. Ava barely felt as if she had been left alone for a minute. Lyla’s words were still running around her head as her sister presented a sealed parchment into her hands.

“What’s this?”

“A guard just brought it up now, saying a gentleman in a hood left it for ye. Look at the seal, Ava.”

She turned the parchment over, seeing the red and black wax that sealed the parchment marked with the emblem of the MacLeod clan. She tore open the envelope, unfurling the letter and raising it closer to her eyes.

It was from Kai.

‘Ava, love, meet me in the woods. Ye remember our spot where we often ran off tae when we were children? Meet me there. Yer faither never needs tae ken.”

“What will ye daeo?” Lyla asked, having read the letter over Ava’s shoulder.

Ava’s head told her it was unwise to go. She was risking angering her father again, yet her heart had clearly already answered the question.

“I shall go tae meet him. Make sure nay one kens?” she begged her sister.

“I give ye me word.”