Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
Gavin’s cheek stung from Isla’s slap.
Her words had hurt more, though. They ran in his blood and heart.
Had he been a fool? All this time he’d thought that something special had been shared between them. She had been the only one in Inverdane Hall who had cared about him. A fosterling. A broken lion.
Had he misinterpreted her nature? He was broken and pitiful and he knew he was undeserving of kindness and love, but for a brief moment he thought that he would find happiness with Isla.
Only she had some foolish notion that she could stop her father. Gavin had come to the conclusion a long time ago that the only way to win this game was to refuse to play. Isla was falling into the same trap as Kai, and Gavin had seen how badly Kai had been affected.
She was willing to throw everything away, even get married to another….
As the thought crossed his mind he slammed his hand against the door of the tavern, glowering at anyone who dared meet his gaze. He tossed a few coins on the bar and grunted an order for ale.
“Keep them coming,” he said, then slunk away to a table in the corner where he could be alone with his thoughts, although at least that was his intention. It was not easy to be alone in a village that hummed with excitement.
“I never thought she would be sae beautiful, the Laird hae done well for himself there,” one of the bar patrons commented, speaking about Isla.
“Imagine how fair their bairns will be!”
“Aye, and I like what she said as well. I dinnae want tae gae tae war.”
“If there’s anyone who can stop it, she can, if she’s half as clever as her Da. He came up with the idea of the Pact, ye ken.”
“Oh aye, and those other clans were stupid enough tae break it. I cannae understand why all these people want tae keep fighting. Cannae they all get along? It’s nae hard, is it?”
“Nae, but then again who are we tae decide? As long as all that fighting stays well away from us I’ll be happy.”
Gavin buried his head in his hands and took deep gulps of ale. His hood was still covering his head. He had to be careful. There was no telling where Laird Sinclair had positioned his spies. It had been a risk to get to Isla when he did, but he hadn’t been able to help himself.
What he really wanted was to rail against all these people and tell them that Laird Sinclair was the one responsible for burning the Highlands and that he would lead the Anderson Clan to its doom as well.
He’d suck the life out of it, take what he wanted, and leave the carcass.
He was like a vulture rather than a fox, and it left him feeling sick.
As he brooded, he thought about the Anderson Keep and all the ways in and out. It was not as imposing or forbidding as Inverdane Hall. There would be ways… he just had to find the best one.
As he turned plans and schemes over and over again he noticed someone sliding onto the seat opposite him. They had a long hood as well.
“I dinnae want company. Find another table, or I’ll throw ye across the room,” Gavin growled.
His muscles ached and his chest grew tight. It was an empty threat because he wasn’t willing to bring that much attention to himself. The thought of Laird Sinclair capturing him again, ensnaring him into a trap… it was enough to make his blood run cold.
Maybe Isla was right and he had to learn to be a free man.
His unexpected guest though did not move. Instead they lifted their gaze and he saw the mischievous grin.
“That’s nae way tae talk tae yer sister.”
Fear immediately washed over him. He glanced to either side. One lion was bad enough, but two?
“Kirsty, what are ye daeing here? Where’s yer husband?”
“Kai is at Stormhaven. I came to check on ye. When ye sent a message telling us about the impending marriage, well, I ken ye would nae wait for help.”
“Is more help coming?”
“In time, perhaps. Although at the moment everyone hae their hands full. While a lot of damage was avoided in Stormhaven, I cannae say the same was true for Dunrath Keep and Caerloch Glen. A lot of people died from Sinclair’s fires,” she said, her tone turning grave.
Gavin pressed his lips together before he spoke.
“All the more reason for this charade tae be avoided. How did it come tae this, Kirsty?”
“Because one man wants the Highlands all tae himself, but we are nae gaeing tae let him win.”
“I fear he hae won already. He thinks too many steps ahead. He might even ken that we’re here.”
“He is just a man, Gavin.”
Gavin’s eyes flared. “He’s nae just a man,” he rasped. “He’s a monster.”
Kirsty gnawed her lower lip and changed the subject. “Hae ye seen Isla? How is she?”
“Aye… I managed tae get a few words with her.”
“And?” Kirsty prompted after Gavin fell silent.
Gavin sighed. “She will nae come with me. She believes that she needs tae stay here and fight against Laird Sinclair herself. She wants tae sabotage his plans. But in order tae dae sae she needs tae marry Iain Anderson,” he groused, scratching his neck.
“Is she happy, or is it an act?”
“I suppose Iain is the kind of man a lass would want for a husband. He’s Laird of his clan, handsome, speaks well. His people love him. He’s a good dancer.”
“Aye, and nobody hae ever accused ye of being that,” Kirsty said. Gavin glared at her.
“I’m sorry,” Kirsty corrected quickly. “Look, Isla cannae forget everything ye went through. She’s trying tae fight back, like we all are. All we hae tae dae is remind her that she is nae alone.”
“I dinnae think she will listen. She’s gotten it intae her head that she’s the only one who can stop Laird Sinclair. She told me tae leave. She said she dinnae want anything tae dae with me and that I need tae learn how tae be a free man.”
“Well, she is nae wrong there,” Kirsty said, tilting her head from side to side.
“I owe her everything, Kirsty. She kept me going. She gave me hope when I thought I hae none left. If it was nae for her ye would nae hae found me at all. Ye would hae just found a grave.”
“Dinnae say things like that,” Kirsty whispered. “And maybe she’s saving ye now. Go help Aidan. It’s time ye set foot in Dunrath Keep again. It hae been too long.”
Gavin closed his eyes at the mention of Dunrath Keep.
For a long time he’d tried to hold onto the memory of it, of the towers and the cliffs, of the courtyard and the imposing gates and the huge doors of the Great Hall that were carved in the shape of a lion’s mouth.
Over the years the memories had become elusive and it became impossible to tell what was real and what was a product of his emotion.
“I cannae dae anything without her. I need tae get her back. I made her a promise I intend tae fulfil, whether she likes it or nae.”
Kirsty wore a skeptical look. “Speaking as a lass, we dae tend tae hate it when men think they ken better than us. Especially when we’ve told them what we want. Would it nae be better tae let her make her own decisions? When all this is over ye could speak with her again.”
“She is nae thinking straight. She believes she hae tae sacrifice herself for the Highlands. Her judgment is clouded.”
Kirsty leveled her gaze at him. “Someone could say the same thing about ye.”
“Are ye gaeing tae help me? Because if nae ye can return tae Stormhaven. I can handle this by myself.”
“I dinnae want tae argue with ye, Gavin, and I’m hardly gaeing tae leave ye now.” Kirsty reached across the table and squeezed his arm. “What happens if ye go tae her again? Is she gaeing tae be grateful, or will she be angry with ye?”
“I dinnae ken, but she is in danger being sae close tae her father. She might think he needs her for the alliance, but as soon as she proves herself tae be too much trouble he will end her. None of his children matter tae him. Naething matters except power and he will stop at naething tae bring the Highlands tae heel. We must act now, before it’s too late. ”
“Fine, then let us act,” Kirsty said. Gavin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking himself fortunate that Kirsty was so determined. “What is yer plan?”
“I hae nae thought of the particulars yet, but I intend tae sneak intae the Keep and take her.”
Kirsty stifled a laugh. “Ye really think it’s gaeing tae be as easy as that? Laird Sinclair kens ye’ve survived. I’m sure he expects ye tae turn up sooner or later. Walking intae that Keep… ye might as well walk straight intae his chambers and give yerself up.”
“Dae ye hae a beeter suggestion?”
“Well, I came tae tell ye tae come tae Dunrath Keep and help Aidan root out the spies, but I can see that ye are nae gaeing tae consider that. If ye need tae get Isla then I suppose ye are gaeing tae hae tae walk intae the trap, but dae sae with yer eyes open because ye will be watched, and I’m sure naething here is as it seems.”
“Isla is, and she’s the only thing that matters tae me now,” Gavin said, almost choking on his words.
Kirsty regarded him with a serious look.
“But ye understand ye cannae linger here. The longer ye remain, the more likely it is that ye will be discovered. And we dae need ye, Gavin. If Isla is unwilling tae leave then ye cannae stay here until she changes her mind. It might never happen. Take two days, and if ye still hae nae convinced her then we will leave.”
“I’ll stay for as long as it takes,” Gavin said, baring his teeth.
Kirsty mirrored the expression. She was just as fierce as him, if not fiercer.
“Two days, Gavin, otherwise I’ll be the one forcing ye tae leave. I’m nae gaeing tae let ye get captured by Sinclair again.”
Gavin nodded silently and sipped his ale.
It didn’t matter if Kirsty gave him two days, two hours, or two years. He wasn’t leaving this place without Isla.
There was a time when he’d roared at her to stay away and she’d refused. He intended to do the same now.