Chapter 5
“All right, ye dobber,” Caden said. “Would ye mind tellin’ me what ye were thinkin’? I thought ye’d have more respect for yer friendship with Ava.”
“It’s because of me friendship with Ava that I took Thalia in,” Finlay retorted. “Ye ken I’d never let an innocent lass be forced into a marriage she doesnae want.”
“Aye, I’m aware of that.”
“And I have nay intention of letting Thalia go, if ye’re going to hand her back,” he continued.
Caden frowned. “Ye think I’d just hand Thalia over like that? Ye really think Ava would let me?”
“If Laird MacFinn or Laird MacGibbon comes knockin’ on yer door tomorrow, demandin’ ye give over Thalia, would ye really risk a war just to protect one lass?” Caden hesitated, and Finlay nodded once. “I thought nae.”
“I would do everythin’ I could to protect her,” Caden insisted. “Ye ken that. She’s me sister, too.”
“But daenae ye agree that it makes sense for her to stay here? I can protect her just as well as ye can, maybe better.”
Caden gave his friend a suspicious look. “Why are ye so adamant about this?”
Finlay straightened. “I want to help her. Ye daenae ken what Laird MacGibbon is plannin’ to do to her. I wouldnae wish that fate upon any lass.”
“And is that all? Ye only fear for her fate?” Caden asked.
“Aye. She was also kind to me daughter today, and I wish to repay her for that,” Finlay said, not sure where Caden was going with his line of questioning.
Caden said nothing, but his mouth tightened into a hard line.
“What is it?” Finlay prompted, narrowing his eyes.
“I just wonder whether ye have yer own motives for keepin’ her here with ye.”
“What do ye mean?”
“I mean, it seems like the Highland Wolf is wakin’ again.” Caden smirked.
Finlay frowned. “Ye shouldnae joke about that.”
“Who says I’m jokin’? I’m askin’ out of concern.”
“I’m a laird now,” Finlay pointed out. “And a faither. I cannae entertain such silly encounters as I did in me youth.”
The words sounded hollow to his own ears. It’s not as if his ‘silly encounters’ were really that long ago, even if it had been quite some time since he had had a woman in his bed. He did have needs and desires that he had been neglecting in favor of focusing on more important matters.
He thought back to how Thalia had looked when she arrived earlier that evening.
She had been dirty, covered from head to toe in mud and leaves.
But then she had not looked different from that night two years ago.
Her skirts had been torn, so he could see a bit of her leg as she walked.
He had tried not to notice it. Tried not to think about how he could be the one to tear her skirts the next time—
He caught Caden’s eye, realizing that everything he had been thinking was written plainly all over his face. He cleared his throat, forcing all thoughts of Thalia’s skirts away for the moment.
“I suggest ye be careful,” Caden warned.
“On the contrary, I suggest ye and yer wife be careful,” Finlay shot back, trying to regain control. “Ye’re the ones who stormed into me castle demandin’ I hand over someone I swore to keep safe. If ye’d been anyone else, I would have thrown ye out on the spot.”
“I only meant—”
“I ken what ye meant,” Finlay interrupted. “I willnae tolerate any more disrespect. Even from ye, Braither.”
Caden nodded. “Ye’re right. I apologize for me and me wife’s behavior tonight. Ye ken how she can get.”
“Aye, I do.”
“It’s just that…” Caden hesitated. “I still daenae understand why she chose to come to ye instead of Ava. I ken she was worried about bein’ found, but it’s been years since ye saw each other.”
“Ah, well, that was an accident,” Finlay admitted. “Ye see, she found Daisy, but she didnae ken she was me daughter.”
“The lassie ran again?”
“Aye,” Finlay sighed. “I daenae ken what to do to make her trust me.”
“Ye’re doin’ the best ye can. Ye need to give yerself a bit more grace.”
“But ye and Ava didnae have these problems with Nathan,” he huffed.
“Aye, but Nathan was just a wee lad. Barely more than a bairn. It made some things easier,” Caden explained.
Finlay nodded. “I suppose it makes sense that it would take more than a handful of months to get her to trust someone. I wouldnae trust anyone either if I were her.”
“But ye said she trusted Thalia?” Caden asked thoughtfully.
“Aye,” Finlay replied. “She did.”
Thalia was more than eager to be free from that interrogation.
She was embarrassed and ashamed of her actions.
Ava was right; she should not be hiding away in Finlay’s castle of all places.
She should have just risked capture and gone straight to Ava’s.
Except, if she had done that, she might never have met Daisy.
She walked up the stone steps, clutching her skirts tightly in her hands.
She really was tired, at least that hadn’t been a complete lie, but she couldn’t stand the way everyone was talking around her anymore.
She felt isolated, small, like a child who had gotten into trouble and was waiting for punishment from their parents.
How am I ever going to fix this? Is there even a way to fix it?
She was so lost in her thoughts that she very nearly ran straight into Daisy, who was sitting at the top of the stairs.
She was clean now, too, dressed in a lovely green frock that complemented her eyes.
Her wet hair hung in loose curls, clinging to her face and neck.
She looked up at Thalia with wide eyes, as if she were afraid of getting yelled at.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Daisy. I didnae see ye there,” Thalia said swiftly.
Daisy relaxed a little, scooting to the left to move out of the way. “‘Tis all right,” she whispered.
Thalia hesitated, her weariness fading into concern as she thought back to her conversation with Finlay.
Being locked away in a cabin with only one soul for company would be hard for anyone, but it was definitely not the life for a young girl.
“May I sit with ye for a moment?” she asked.
Daisy looked up again and nodded.
Thalia settled beside her, smoothing her skirts down over her knees.
“‘Tis a nice view, I suppose,” she said, filling the silence. “Ye get a full view of the front door, and if ye lean over just a wee bit, ye can see anyone comin’ down that hallway, too.”
Daisy fiddled with her sleeves. “Ye can also hear conversations in the dining room if ye listen hard enough.”
“Ah, I suppose that’s pretty handy for eavesdroppin’,” Thalia remarked, nudging her gently with one shoulder.
Daisy blushed, giggling at the joke. “Aye, it is.”
“Ye ken, it’d be much easier to listen in if ye joined us at dinner.”
Daisy shook her head furiously. “Nay. I daenae ken if I can.”
“Why nae?”
“Because I have never…”
“Ye have never what, sweetie?”
Daisy flushed further, burying her face in her knees as she murmured, “It’s embarrassing…”
“Ye daenae have to be embarrassed, Daisy,” Thalia said reassuringly. “I willnae judge ye. Ye’ve seen me at me absolute worst today.”
Daisy lifted her head with a small smile. “Ye were pretty gross.”
“Aye, I was.”
“And ye smelled really, really bad.”
“All right, that’s enough,” Thalia warned, but she smiled to let her know she was only joking. “Now, please, will ye tell me why ye daenae want to eat with yer faither?”
“I’ve just… never eaten with anyone other than Rowena,” Daisy admitted. “And nae in such a big room!” She buried her face in her knees again.
Thalia’s heart broke for her. She placed her hand gently on Daisy’s back, rubbing small circles like Ava used to do to her when they were little. Daisy relaxed a bit more with the affection.
“It’s all right to be shy,” Thalia soothed. “It makes sense, what with everythin’ ye’ve been through. But that’s nae an excuse to hide away, or worse, to run away. Especially since yer faither only wants to protect ye.”
Daisy only shrugged in answer, so Thalia tried again.
“I can tell ye’re a very smart girl. And brave. But if ye keep runnin’ away whenever things get hard, ye’ll never be able to solve anything.”
“But ye ran away,” Daisy said, finally lifting her head again.
“Aye, I did,” Thalia agreed. “And ye nay doubt heard how much trouble I’m in now.”
Daisy nodded. “Aye. That woman is very, very cross.”
“That’s me older sister, Ava,” Thalia explained. “To tell ye the truth, I think she was just worried about me. That’s why she’s so cross now.”
Daisy thought about that. “Do most people get mad when they’re actually just worried?”
“Aye. That happens a lot.”
“Are ye goin’ back to her castle tonight?”
“Nay. It’s too late tonight.”
Daisy nodded again, but she still looked bothered by something.
Thalia could see how hard everything must be on her. To be stuck in this large castle without other children, with only an elderly nursemaid and a man she was afraid of… The girl must be so lonely.
“Would ye like to spend some time together tomorrow?” Thalia suggested. “We could take a walk? I havenae been to MacAinsley Castle before, and I’d love it if ye show me around.”
Daisy narrowed her eyes. “Are ye sure ye’ll still be here?”
“Aye. I promise I will. Are there any gardens here?”
She nodded. “Aye.”
“Then, if ye wish, we could take a walk together in the gardens?” Thalia suggested.
“That would be fun,” Daisy admitted. She looked up at Thalia with a face as serious as someone her age. “Do ye really ken about all plants?”
“I daenae ken about all of them, but I do ken most that grow around here,” Thalia replied.
“Maybe ye can teach me about the ones we have in the garden?” Daisy asked.
“Aye. I can do that.” Thalia smiled, and Daisy smiled back.
Someone cleared their throat at the bottom of the stairs, and Thalia turned to see Ava standing there.
“Uh oh.” Thalia looked back at Daisy. “Seems I’m still in trouble.”
Daisy giggled as Thalia stood.
“If ye’ll excuse me, Lady Daisy.” She curtseyed politely, and Daisy nodded her head back.
She took her time walking back down the stairs, if only to delay the inevitable.
“Thalia, I really think that—”
Thalia put a finger to her lips, tilting her head back towards Daisy, who was still sitting at the top of the stairs.
“Let’s go somewhere else. I daenae want to upset her,” she explained, and Ava nodded.
The two stepped outside, and Thalia breathed in the cool air. They stood in companionable silence for a few moments before Ava finally turned towards her.
“I ken ye willnae come back with me tonight, but I do think we should leave first thing in the mornin’,” she started.
“Ava—”
“Nay! I daenae want to argue anymore,” Ava cut her off. “Ye’re bein’ stubborn, and I cannae understand why.”
“I was only goin’ to say that I think ye’re right,” Thalia explained.
Ava sighed. “Ye ken I’d do anythin’ to help ye, right? Let me talk to Uncle, and we can get this whole thing fixed. I willnae let ye marry Laird MacGibbon. I daenae like him one bit.”
“Nay. He is…” Thalia struggled to find the right word. “Frightenin’. I didnae like the way he looked at me.”
“I understand why ye ran away, but I still daenae understand why ye came here.”
Thalia shrugged. “I didnae mean to. I stumbled upon Daisy, and she led me here. Then, Finlay was so kind to offer me a place to stay… I thought it would be best.”
“But if ye stay with Finlay, that’s only going to cause more trouble. Ye ken that, right?”
“Aye, I do.”
“Then it’s settled. We leave in the mornin’.” Thalia grimaced, and Ava sighed. “What now?”
“I already promised Daisy I’d go for a walk with her tomorrow, and I daenae want to break me promise,” Thalia said.
“Very well!” Ava huffed, exasperated. “We will leave tomorrow afternoon, at the very latest! I’m already anxious enough about being away from Nathan and Joanna. I daenae want to be gone for too long.”
“All right, we will go home tomorrow afternoon,” Thalia agreed.
“And everything will be fine.”
“Aye. I hope ye’re right.”