Chapter 23

Arran stood a head above Felix as they huddled just outside of Niamh's door.

"What happened to her?" Arran hissed.

Felix started quickly describing what transpired. "Well, I asked her to join Lily and meself on a stroll through town. She was feeling better this morning."

"Aye?"

"I stepped into the milliner to pick up me hat, and when I exited, Lily and Niamh were attacked."

"Attacked! By whom?"

"Brigands, Arran. Scoundrels. Criminals."

"Where is Lily?" Arran asked after looking around Felix and not seeing his sister.

"She's fine. She's gone up to her rooms," Felix explained. His face hardened when he met Scarlett's gaze just behind Arran's broad frame.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, her soft voice coating the panic in the air like sweet honey.

I ken she heard it all already, but it might be good to hear it again.

"Yes, everything is sorted, Lady Scarlett," Felix replied curtly.

Arran looked at his friend incredulously. "Come now, Felix. Dinnae take yer anger out on me betrothed."

Felix scoffed. "Betrothed…" he trailed off after meeting Arran's piercing glare.

"Aye," Arran stated. "And ye will be staying for the ceilidh, Shepherd."

"Of course, Arran," Felix relented begrudingly, for the time being.

"Is she in here?" Arran pointed to the door.

"Aye, she's there and resting. She told me she was alright, but it's yer sister."

Arran's shoulders slumped slightly, and he looked over his shoulder at Scarlett's worried face. She looked the same as she did on the first night, when young Buchan was in the surgery and there was all that blood on the table and floor.

"Are ye alright, lass?"

"Aye," she lied, looking up and down the hall.

"Felix, can ye take me betrothed back up to me study?"

"Of course."

Felix stepped away from Niamh's door and motioned for Scarlett to follow him. With a firm nod, she followed him back upstairs.

Arran knocked on the door a few moments later and heard Niamh's voice call him in. Her hands were planted on her hips as he opened the door and walked in. She had undoubtedly heard what he was arguing with Felix about.

"I'm fine, Arran," she said quickly and waved her arm flippantly above her head.

Arran turned his head as he heard the familiar footsteps of Mrs. Cameron ambling just down the hall and the sloshing of water, and the telltale sounds of her army of maids in tow.

"Ye arenae hurt?"

"I'm a bit sore, but I'll live."

He stepped back so that he filled the doorway. "What happened?" he asked loud enough for Mrs. Cameron to stop walking toward them.

"Felix stepped inside the milliner's, and his sister and I stayed out by the pillory. Suddenly, I was hit."

"Ye were hit? By what?"

"The brigands must have hit me head. Lily was hit as well."

"Ye dinnae remember?"

"I do, but it's a blur."

"Do ye remember who it was?"

"It must have been brigands, Arran! Now, let Mrs. Cameron through!" Niamh nearly screamed, and her sudden lack of poise startled him.

He stepped backward and motioned for the housekeeper to enter.

"I'll leave ye to it, Sister. Let me ken if ye need anything," he said quickly and closed her door. Sighing deeply, he leaned his back against the cold hallway stones just outside her room.

Saint Andrew grant her strength. She was mighty angry too. Should I call on the other saints, or can ye relay the message for me?

He groaned loudly and pushed himself off the wall before bounding back up to his study.

Why was she so mad? Was she mad at me? Mad at me for not protecting her?

"Good, ye are still here," he said to Felix as he burst through the door to his study.

"Aye," Felix uttered.

Arran took a moment to take inventory of the room. Felix was standing near the fireplace.

Where is she? I told him to bring her here.

"Where is she?"

"Just there." Felix pointed toward his chair, which was facing the window.

Arran lifted his chin slightly and took note of Scarlett's wild blonde hair sticking just barely over the edge of his chair. He knew that the conversation he was about to have with Felix was going to frustrate her just because it was with Felix and she didn't like him, but it had to happen. She also wouldn't like being left alone in the castle while he left to figure out who attacked his sister.

"Felix, I need ye to come to town with me and some of me men. I have to find these criminals and bring them to justice."

"Of course, I'll come," Felix agreed.

Scarlett scoffed quietly.

Well, she clearly hates him. A Shepherd-Paton alliance is out of the question.

"When do ye want to go?" Felix asked.

Arran paced the study before answering, "We'll go today. Right now. I'll gather the men as we walk through town until we find the criminals who did this to our sisters."

"I dinnae ken that we'll find them—they could be long gone by now, Arran."

"Aye, but we need to try," Arran insisted and then walked over to the desk to address Scarlett.

Their eyes met, giving him pause, which she took advantage of.

"Ye are leaving me here?" she asked quietly, and he watched one of her perfect eyebrows arch indignantly.

"I ken well enough that I told ye I didnae trust ye alone in the castle without me, but ye will have to sort it out, lass. Ye can stay in here until I get back," he offered.

Her eyes flicked to the whiskey.

"It's all yers, lass. What's mine is yers, Scarlett," he said louder for Felix to hear, and he leaned closer to her. "Just stay in here. I will return shortly, dinnae fash yerself."

"If I'm pished by the time ye get back, then ye took too long," she warned and furrowed her brow.

He leaned in further until his face was shielded by the back of the chair and let his lips hover just over her ear as he purred, "If ye are pished when I get back, I cannae guarantee I'll behave in a gentlemanly way, lass."

"Ye promised to keep me safe," she hissed.

"From everyone but me," he whispered, and then planted a kiss on her forehead before leaving the study.

Arran smiled gleefully as he closed the door to his study and heard the sound of clinking glass.

Good, go ahead and try to test me limits.

He led them through the castle and up to Felix's rooms first.

"I'll send Lily to the study to keep her company. Do ye think she will be up for it?"

"Just ask," Arran encouraged, and he realized that Felix actually might feel bad for what happened in the greenhouse. There was also the sense that his friend bore the full weight of responsibility for what happened that morning to their sisters.

Before Felix knocked on his sister's door, Arran reached out a hand and clasped his shoulder. "Wait."

"What?"

"Look, it wasnae yer fault. I appreciate yer guilt, but it's misplaced. These men were brigands. We'll find them, and ye will feel better. This wasnae yer fault, Felix."

"I was responsible for them."

"They're essentially unharmed, they'll be fine."

"They're delicate, Arran!" Felix protested.

Arran slightly tightened his grip on his friend's shoulder. "Aye, but they're strong. They're fighters. Let's nae forget that," he reminded him and then knocked on Lily's door.

"Aye?"

"Lily? It's Arran?—"

"And Felix!"

Lily opened the door. "Aye?"

"How are ye, lass?"

"Well. A bit shaken but well. How's Niamh?"

"She's just fine. Relaxing."

Lily nodded silently.

"Would ye be up for spending time with Scarlett in me study while yer braither and I step out?" Arran asked.

"Sure!" she said cheerfully.

Arran thanked her before they left for town.