Chapter 12 #2
Now there was more emotion in Kirsty’s voice. “And ye think that man should be my brother?”
“Dae ye think it’s beyond the realm of possibility?”
“I think I would nae like tae condemn a man until I am certain of the truth. And given that there was a snake in that room too,” Kirsty said, meaning Laird Sinclair.
“I dinnae believe Gavin killed Iain, and I cannae believe that ye think that either. There is a reason why ye are keeping yer distance from him, and I’m nae here tae ask what it is.
I’m only here tae ask ye tae be honest with him.
Think of what he put himself through for ye.
He was willing tae die tae bring ye here, but what hae ye done? ”
Kirsty’s words were aggressive. She slammed the door behind her, leaving the food.
Isla was in a dark mood, but even she could not pretend that she wasn’t hungry. She devoured the food and thought about what Kirsty had said. It was all so hard, though.
Isla thought she was figuring everything out. She had decided to move on from Gavin and be with Iain, but now that was impossible. It didn’t mean that she could just go back to her feelings for Gavin, either.
So much had happened between them and so many people had suffered. If either of them had left well enough alone, then Iain wouldn’t be dead, and the Highlands could still be saved, and the Anderson Clan would not be exposed to her father’s influence.
The light faded and there was another knock at the door. It was forlorn and heavy. And she knew without a doubt that it was Gavin. She supposed that she had to face him at some point, so it might as well be now.
“Come in,” she said sharply.
Gavin entered and closed the door behind him. He was holding something behind his back. Isla moved towards the window.
“I hope ye like the view,” he said quietly.
“Och aye. I heard how ye hae been telling everyone how well ye ken me. Well, ye dinnae, nae as well as ye think.”
“I brought ye this,” he said.
He came to stand by the window and handed her a wildflower. She took it, pinching the stem between her fingers. For a moment, she was flooded by feelings of nostalgia and warmth, but quickly quelled them.
“If ye think this makes anything better, think again.”
“Isla…”
“Nae. I dinnae want tae hear it. Iain is dead, Gavin. I dinnae ken what he was daeing in the dungeon, but if ye hae just listened tae me, then he would still be alive. I told ye tae leave, but ye came back.”
“Ye ken why I came back,” he said in his dry, dark voice.
As the waves crashed below, she felt the impact in her heart, somehow.
She was aware of his bristling presence, the strength, and power of him that had been so close and elicited such arousal.
He was within touching distance again now, and there was a powerful energy that was pulling her towards him.
She had to use all of her willpower to resist the urge. He was maddening in so many different ways. She stared at his hands. They weren’t stained with blood any longer, but she wasn’t sure that made a difference to her.
“Ye got what ye wanted. I’m away from my father. I’m safe in Stormhaven, and I dae thank ye for bringing me tae mother. But things cannae be the same between us.”
“I ken that. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. Iain was a good man.”
Isla winced and her lower lip trembled. “How can ye say that after what happened?”
Gavin gulped deeply and took a deep breath. “It’s only right that ye should grieve him.”
“I dinnae ken what tae believe, Gavin,” she said. “I stare at ye and there is sae much that hae passed between us, but even though yer hands are clean and ye are wearing different clothes, I cannae look past Iain’s blood.”
Gavin bowed his head. “I came here tae tell ye that if ye want me tae leave Stormhaven, then I will. I will dae anything ye ask.”
Isla turned her head towards him. She was facing the window, he was facing away. His face was cast in shadow. She wore a wry smile and when she spoke her voice was bitter.
“After all that’s happened, finally ye will listen tae me? It’s too late, Gavin. Dae whatever ye want, it dinnae mean anything tae me anymore.”
Gavin left silently.
Isla placed the wildflower on the window sill. All the grim tension wrestled within, making sure that she would not find any rest. Isla pinched the bridge of her nose and waited for the wildflower to float away in the air.
It did not.
The wildflower twisted and rolled as the wind threatened to claim it, but somehow it remained on the sill.
Gavin had felt many things over the years, but this was the first time he felt true, heart-wrenching sorrow.
He wasn’t sure how much of his heart he’d had left until it had been broken. He did what he set out to do, but a heavy price had been paid. He could have told Isla the truth of what happened, but in time, he would only do something to disappoint her or hurt her again.
She needed someone to hate, someone other than her father. Gavin needed to face the truth that he was not the kind of man who ended up with what he wanted.
He would be Isla’s villain because that’s who she needed him to be.
She could mourn Iain Anderson, and perhaps there would still be a path to happiness for her. As for him… he would find the mist and walk into it and when this war was over he would disappear because he didn’t deserve Isla.
He didn’t deserve anything.