Chapter 3

“How could ye dae this? Ye ken ye’re the only heir.”

Elayne swallowed around the knot in her throat. She had always known her father would be furious to know that she had married without his consent, which he would never give. She had known, and yet being faced with his wrath now was even more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, her heart beating fast, sending a rush of blood to her head.

She was instantly lightheaded, but forced herself to breathe slowly, to take control of the situation. From the corner of her eye, she could see the way Dunn’s eyes had narrowed as he looked at her and she couldn’t help but think that he was just as furious as her father for being deceived like that.

Was he going to back down from their deal? Was he going to leave Elayne to her fate, to her marriage with Laird McCoy?

Her father’s hand tightened around her arm, his fingers surely leaving bruises. It was nothing Elayne wasn’t used to, though, having grown up with his violence looming over her head. It was Dunn’s rage that was unpredictable, as she didn’t know him. Panic bubbled up inside her at the thought that he would leave her there to deal with this on her own, to save his own skin. It rendered her speechless, something her father was bound to take as a weakness.

“What use are ye tae me now?” her father said in a tone that sent a chill down her spine.

“We didnae mean tae ruin yer plans,” said Dunn calmly, though there was an edge to his voice Elayne hadn’t heard before. When she dared to meet his gaze, his anger was palpable, but then he reached for her, laying a warm hand on her shoulder. “This happened before Elayne received yer letter. She couldnae have kent of yer plans tae marry her tae Laird McCoy.”

Laird Macgillivray gave a hollow laugh. “Ye think too little o’ me daughter. She has always kent, she’s a clever lass. She only hoped this marriage would save her from him.”

Elayne couldn’t even deny it. Her father had seen right through her, perceptive as he was. Perhaps it had all been a terrible idea after all. Perhaps Dunn had been right to call her plan insane.

“I dinnae doubt that she fell in love with me,” Dunn said, with such conviction that even Elayne herself could almost believe it. He was a good liar, she thought, more so than her. “I only ask that ye give me a chance tae prove me love fer yer daughter.”

“Love?” Laird Macgillivray scoffed. “What does it matter if ye love her? This has naething tae dae with love, lad, an’ all tae dae with politics. It doesnae matter tae me if ye love her.”

Dunn hesitated for a few moments. This was it, Elayne thought. He would think this is too much and decide it would be better to leave and forget all about her, and then Elayne would have to marry Laird McCoy, just as her father had planned. She would have to spend her entire life with a cruel man, hoping that he would leave her alone most of the time.

“Then perhaps it would interest ye tae ken that I am from a good family,” said Dunn. Elayne’s first instinct was to whip her head and stare at him, but she tried her best to conceal her surprise.

Was that a lie, too? Was he only telling her father what he wanted to hear?

“Dunn Mackintosh,” Dunn continued. “Brother o’ Laird Alec Mackintosh.”

It was then that Elayne realized she had never asked for Dunn’s full name. She knew little about him, other than what was absolutely necessary for them to succeed with their ruse, and she tried her best to keep her face neutral, to stop the surprise from showing on her face.

He is either who he says he is or he’s very clever.

Her father’s hand loosened around her arm. The Mackintosh Clan was powerful, too, Elayne knew, and though Dunn wasn’t a laird like Laird McCoy, his brother would certainly take offence if something happened to him. The last thing her father would want was a war between their clan and the Mackintoshes. Without Laird McCoy’s help—which he would certainly not get—a victory against Clan Mackintosh wouldn’t be guaranteed.

And as far as her father was concerned, she and Dunn were already married. The only way for him to get rid of Dunn and marry her off to Laird McCoy would be to kill him.

Though his gaze didn’t soften, her father finally let go of her and took a few steps back. “This isnae over,” he said. “We have much tae discuss still. But I have other matters that need me attention, so ye will go tae yer chambers fer now. When it is time, I will call ye.”

With that, he turned around and left, saying nothing more to either of them.

The moment he was gone, Dunn turned to Elayne, his face like the storm that gathered above them. “What were ye thinkin’? How could ye keep this a secret?”

“Nae here,” said Elayne in a quiet voice as she grabbed his arm and began to drag him towards her rooms. Though there were no servants around, she didn’t want to risk anyone listening to their conversation.

The two of them rushed through the corridors of the castle, Elayne not giving Dunn a moment to breathe as she pulled him along. When they were finally in her chambers, the familiar space helped her relax a little. It finally felt like she was on her own turf, her own territory, the rich tapestries on the wall and the big, oak furniture like an extension of herself.

Though she hadn’t missed her father, she had missed this place.

Dunn stood by the door as if looking for an opportunity to flee. His eyes, though, were trained on Elayne, never once looking around to survey the room as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Well?” he asked. “Will ye tell me now?”

Elayne made to sit on the bed but then thought better of it. Dunn was standing, so she stood as well, pacing back and forth in a circle.

“Forgive me,” she said. “I ken this is sudden.”

“Sudden?” Dunn hissed. “It’s nae only sudden! It’s foolish! It’s… it’s so much more dangerous than ye even realize. How could ye hide this from me? How could ye let me think ye’re a maid?”

“I didnae ken what else tae dae!” Elayne said desperately, throwing her hands in the air. She had always known if Dunn knew the truth, he would never agree to her plan. “I couldnae marry Laird McCoy, Dunn. I couldnae. Ye dinnae ken what kind o’ person he is, how cruel, how merciless. The life I would have would be nae life at all.”

“So ye decided tae lie tae me an’ put us both in danger,” said Dunn, shaking his head in disappointment. “Laird McCoy would have me killed fer this. An’ I’m certain yer father would be more than happy tae see me head on a stake. The only thing stoppin’ him now is that he isnae certain if he would win against me braither. That is the only reason I told him who I am, but as a result I have endangered me whole clan!”

“So, what ye said is the truth, then?” asked Elayne. “Ye truly are who ye claim tae be?”

Dunn let out a heavy sigh. “Aye. I’m Dunn Mackintosh, the laird’s braither. But that willnae save either o’ us if yer faither an’ Laird McCoy decide they want to go through with their deal, after all. Our clans… we’re nae enemies, but we’re nae allies, either. An’ yer faither’s war will be causin’ many problems fer our clan. We dinnae want this. An’ I didnae wish fer anyone tae ken me true identity.”

Elayne couldn’t quite grasp the amount of danger in which she had put Dunn, but he seemed to think he was about to be murdered, despite his claim that no one would be foolish enough to harm Laird Mackintosh’s brother. She didn’t know what to think. Had her plan been so terrible, after all? Had she truly put him in so much danger?

“Forgive me.” It was all she could tell him now that she had dragged him into this plan. “I was selfish and now I… I dinnae ken what tae dae tae fix this.”

“There is naething tae be done,” said Dunn with a sigh. “We will continue with the plan an’ hope that we dinnae end up dead by the end o’ it.”

Before Elayne could say anything else, there was a knock on the door and three maids came into the room. They bowed to them, and though they busied themselves with making sure everything in the room was ready for them quietly, Elayne could see the way they looked at Dunn as they moved around the space. Their gazes lingered on him, one of them smiling softly when she caught his gaze.

It was irrational to feel the gnawing jaws of jealousy on her, and yet that was precisely what happened. Elayne frowned and averted her gaze, willing herself to let it go. What good would it do to be jealous over a man she had no real claim on, on top of everything else? It would only complicate things further.

This thing between them was nothing more than a business transaction.

“I will leave ye tae prepare fer dinner, then,” said Dunn as he turned to head to the door. “I suppose we can discuss this further later.”

Elayne didn’t know what else there was to say about all this, but she nodded regardless and watched as Dunn left the room. Then, she was left alone with the maids, in the room she loved so much but where she could now find no comfort. Somewhere in the castle, her father was preparing his next move, and somewhere out there, in the world, Laird McCoy would be planning his. For all she knew, Dunn was right in claiming this was too dangerous, that it could lead to his death, but Elayne couldn’t bear to think about such things.

How could she ever forgive herself if something happened to him because of her, because she had dragged him into her careless plan? Her hands would be stained with his blood forever, the blame falling on her shoulders as much as it would on her father’s and Laird McCoy’s.

The last thing she wanted was to face her father for dinner, but she had no other choice. She didn’t want to appear suspicious in any way or give him a reason to doubt her love for Dunn and her decision to marry him, and so she decided it would be best to clean up and dress, and then join him.

She had a part to play, and she would play it just as well as Dunn.