Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

T hough Stellan sometimes got a vague sense of feelings that he might have picked up from Anders, he didn't expect to hear from him. But later that evening, after wandering the keep but never finding Alber, a ghillie brought a note from his twin, signed " Stellan ." He grinned at that before he read the missive. The rest of it was not as amusing.

News about Mar being on the move had reached Sutherland. Domnhall still held Dingwall, but for how long? It lay south of Sutherland territory, but close enough to require watchfulness on Sutherland's part, especially as Mar was determined to boot Domnhall back to Islay and out of the disputed Ross territory on mainland Scotland.

Their da was watchful but not expecting Mar to bring trouble north to Sutherland. Rather, he'd stay on Domnhall's tail and continue the disagreement over Ross territory. Anders helpfully informed him that Sutherland had sent a missive to MacKay with what they knew, offering to share information and ally, with the MacKay's consent, for mutual protection, with or without a betrothal between their clans.

Stellan could understand their concerns, but was glad he did not have to be the one to inform the MacKay. As the second son away from home, he would not normally have been privy to Sutherland's thinking and didn't want to have to explain why he had been informed.

But the last bit of news from Anders disturbed Stellan the most. In keeping with his concerns, Sutherland wanted "Anders" to return home, and intended to send him on a scouting mission to see what he could discover about Mar's intentions. If there had been no further threat to the MacKay heir, he was instructed to leave her in the care of her father and her trusted MacKay guards.

Stellan fought the urge to crumple the missive into a ball in his fist. Should he refuse his laird's order and send word to Sutherland that the situation here was still precarious? Anders would convince their father why he was reluctant to leave Mariota. Without Sutherland guards' presence to keep her father honest in his efforts to protect her, Stellan couldn't predict what would happen. The news about Mar added a sense of urgency to Stellan's concern over Mariota's safety. She was still in danger within her keep, but if MacKay was forced to get involved in Mar's incursion, taking many of his best men with him, he could leave his daughter in an even more precarious position.

Was he even recovered well enough to ride and fight? That would be a question for the healer to answer.

Stellan ran a hand through is hair. Should he and his twin switch back? He'd have to return home so that Da would see the two of them together, then he could send the real Anders out on the scouting mission. That would keep Anders busy and away from MacKay. Stellan trusted his twin. But he knew him well. If the real Anders came to MacKay, he would spend a lot of time around Mariota, perhaps fall for her himself, even though she professed to love only Stellan. And with Anders at MacKay, the betrothal their father had proposed could proceed— against Mariota's wishes. And his own. That, Stellan could not allow.

When the MacKay summoned him to his solar the next day, Stellan was still wrestling with what to do about the Sutherland's summons and whether it made sense to switch places with his twin. That would pull Alber's fangs and make anything he'd overheard less useful, though not useless. He could still cause trouble for Mariota and by extension, for Sutherland. Stellan walked into the solar and stopped inside the doorway. The laird sat behind his desk, but across from him, Mariota sat, glaring at the woman standing off to the side. Fionnuala.

Stellan knew instantly that all his concerns about his brother's missive and perhaps even what Alber thought he knew were about to become inconsequential. "Laird MacKay, ye sent for me?" He nodded to Mariota, then turned his attention back to her father, doing his best to remain calm.

"This woman brought me an interesting tale," MacKay said, but his frown made it clear he wasn't amused by her storytelling. "Perhaps ye would like to repeat what ye told me, Fionnuala."

She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

Stellan could see her tremble, and gave himself a moment to feel sorry for her, but she'd brought this on herself. If she was about to say what he expected, she could have kept it to herself. She could have protected Mariota. She should have.

In a quavering voice, she related what she saw when he and Mariota came out of the storage closet. "I held my tongue for days, but finally told my mate and she spread the tale from there. I'd guess by now the whole clan kens."

MacKay glanced at his daughter, gestured from Fionnuala toward the door, and said, "Ye may leave."

"Thank ye, laird," the woman said and got out as fast as she could.

Stellan was surprised to see how calmly Mariota seemed to be taking this revelation. Then again, he shouldn't be. She'd sworn to be strong around her father. But the effort must be costing her.

"Mariota, is her story true?"

"Aye." Mariota spat the word, the only indication of the anger simmering in her. "She came into the storage chamber where we were having a private conversation. We told her so, but she obviously imagined aught else."

"Did he ruin ye?"

"Nay, of course no'." She frowned at her father. "He cares for me."

"More than he should before ye are formally betrothed, it seems," MacKay said in agreement. He turned to Stellan and narrowed his eyes.

Here it comes. Stellan kept his breathing slow and even, waiting for whatever punishment MacKay would choose to mete out.

"Ye have two choices. Marry my daughter or leave. For Mariota's sake, I give ye until the day after tomorrow to decide. Daughter, ye have that much time to prepare yerself for yer wedding, or nay. 'Tis up to him and whatever influence ye may have over him."

When Stellan opened his mouth to object, MacKay waved him to silence. "Make yer peace with what ye did or leave MacKay. And be glad ye are who ye are. Any other lad would be on his way to the kirk right now. I extend Sutherland the courtesy of allowing ye to choose in the hopes that if ye remain, ye will be the husband my daughter needs, and the strength of the clan when I am gone that she canna be. Now get out." He turned his glare on his daughter. "Both of ye."

Stellan held the door for Mariota. She left the solar with her head high and her back straight. He had to admire her courage, though his heart broke for her yet again. Her father had not given her the choice of what to do. He'd given it to the Sutherland right in front of her. Once again, Mariota's wishes, and her value, were ignored by her father.

"I'm sorry, Mariota," Stellan told her back as she paced away.

She kept walking, traversing the great hall and yanking open the keep's heavy oaken door, dodging horses in the bailey until she passed outside the keep's gates and marched around the wall away from any guards on the wall walk. There she whirled and pinned him in place with one finger. "Dinna dare tell me ye regret what we did. I willna accept that."

"I willna tell ye that. I dinna regret a moment of it and given the chance—" he paused and swallowed, not daring to go on or Mariota would be in his arms, their mouths fused together and he wouldn't know how to stop. "But there is aught else I must tell ye."

She frowned, then looked up at the wall walk. Stellan glanced up at the same time to ensure no one was up there to hear what they said to each other.

"Well?"

If he wasn't still intent on wooing her, Stellan might have made light of their situation and asked her which of the options her father gave him she preferred. But first he had to take care of his immediate problem.

"I've been called home. I must leave tomorrow at the latest. I dinna wish to. I would stay here with ye if I could. I'm the twin who wants to wed ye. Never doubt that. But I canna. And for the same reason, ye canna. And if I tell yer father who I truly am?—"

"He'll have ye lashed and send ye on yer way. Is that what ye think?"

"Or force us to wed and damn the consequences. I dinna want to steal yer birthright from ye, lass. No' if that is the future ye truly desire. I wouldna want anyone to do that to me, either, so I will understand if ye decide?—"

"If I decide? I have nay say in this. The laird gave the choice to ye."

"I willna make a decision like that without ye. It affects ye as much— or more —than it does me. I willna treat ye as yer da often does." He hesitated. "There's more. Alber was outside the door and may have overheard my men and I discussing when and how to leave. Whether to take ye with us or nay. And it became apparent they've kenned all along which twin I am. If Alber heard any of that, he will use it to make even more trouble."

She crossed her arms and began to pace, taking short, sharp steps, but only three or four, in one direction, twisting about and returning before twisting about and repeating her steps again. "I could kill ye for what ye have done," she said, though her voice lacked conviction. "Am I to assume the real Anders is at Sutherland impersonating ye?"

"He is."

"He has the easier role to play. Ye were never very good at capturing his humor or the way he flirts with every lass in sight. I dismissed it as the result of being here, in another clan, unsure of yer welcome, yer position here. I couldna have been more wrong."

Stellan wanted to give that the laugh it deserved, but knew if he did, she would never forgive him.

"I have lied to ye—" And how many times would he have to apologize for those lies? Would she even give him the chance? He'd drop to his knees before her if he thought it would soften the anger toward him that he could see in her flashing eyes.

"I ken it. I even understand it. I dinna have to like it." She crossed her arms, making Stellan lament that they weren't wrapped around him. "I must consider what to do."

"Can I help ye?"

"I think ye have done quite enough," she said, turned, and without looking at him, stomped back to the gate and inside the bailey.

Stellan wasn't so upset as to leave her to Alber's tender mercies if she ran into him there, so he hurried after her in time to see her open the door to the keep and enter.

His men were in the great hall. They would stay with her and stand guard outside her chamber door, if that was where she went. Unless— was she going back to her father? To refuse any offer of marriage Stellan might make? Or to ask for his banishment? Stellan hurried inside, didn't see her, so went next to the solar door. It was open and the laird was working at his desk. Stellan moved on, preferring not to be seen. His men were missing, so that told him where she'd gone. To her chamber to think. Or to sulk or to vent her fury in private.

He'd ruined his chances with her. He might as well saddle his horse and ride for home right now. But hope held him in place. She hadn't said no. Would she ever say yes?