Scoundrel’s Vengeance (Highlander's Pact Book 1) by Sky Purington

Author:Sky Purington [Purington, Sky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2020-07-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“Malcolm,” he bit out, but it mattered naught. His brother was already heading outside, clearly determined to explore. Or mayhap, run into Aileen if she found her way free of her da.

“Bloody hell.” He scowled and shook his head. “I brought along the wrong brother.”

“Aye.” She frowned at him. “Because I promise ye, Laird Campbell willnae tolerate Malcolm’s behavior for long. Especially if he does what ye had intended to do in the first place.”

“Aye.” He sighed. “And I told him as much.” He glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. “’Twas more than I expected, ye telling me that. Confiding in me as ye did.”

As it turned out, sleeping with Aileen would not have forced her hand in marriage but seen him hanging by the end of a Campbell rope. So, Fionna sharing such was truly unanticipated. Things would have gone much easier for her had she not, and he’d said as much.

“Mayhap,” she had conceded, claiming she had given it some thought. “Or mayhap not.”

“Aye, but as I reminded ye, such could have put me and my people in peril.” She made a point of looking around as well to ensure ears were not listening. “For if ye and yer men were put to death, ’twould only be a matter of time before yer clan caught wind and wanted retribution.” She shook her head, rueful. “And I dinnae doubt Teagan’s wrath would be considerable if he lost not one but two brothers.”

“And why not tell me sooner?” he asked not for the first time, still hardly believing her honesty.

“Because, as I told ye before,” she replied, “I remained hopeful that something might change yer mind betwixt yer holding and Campbell Castle. That ye might see the error of yer ways.” She pressed her lips together in a grim line. “When ye didnae, I did what I had to for the safety of my brother, clan, and of course, to protect Aileen.”

“Right,” he murmured, taken by the way her thick lashes fluttered a wee bit when she grew upset. “Aileen.”

“Aye, Aileen.” She frowned. “Are ye even listening to me, Keenan?”

In truth, only partly. He was too busy looking at her.

“Aye,” he assured, not nearly as focused on the matter at hand as he should be. “So now ’tis just a matter of wooing Aileen and telling Laird Campbell what he needs to know.”

“When he needs to know it but, aye, that would be my recommendation,” she replied. “Naturally, make sure to pay Aileen her proper due first. Woo her a bit so that her eye turns yer way and not elsewhere when the time comes.”

“Of course,” he said absently, caught by the way firelight ignited the crimson in her hair. “Wooing willnae be a problem.”

“Aye, then.” She nodded and started to walk away, but he put a hand on her arm and stopped her. “Might we take a few minutes to talk?” He knew better than to request such, but he could not seem to help himself. It was one of the few times they had truly been alone beyond his chamber at her holding.

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