Chapter 21
Daphne staggered into her room, her breath catching in her throat. Had all that really happened?
Did we just announce our betrothal to half of the castle?
A small fire had been lit in the grate, which surprised her. Generally, no fires were lit in her room unless she made them herself.
She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, pacing up and down.
I daenae ken what to think. I daenae ken how to feel.
On the one hand, she hadn’t agreed to wed Hunter. There was still his vow, and the fact that he hadn’t yet told her why he made it. On the other hand, there was no point in denying that she felt as if she were on fire around him. Her skin prickled, her spine tightened, and heat coiled in her gut.
Nay, nay, nay! I am thinking with me heart, nae me head. Me head tells me that this is a bad idea.
But how do I get out of it? Do I even have the strength?
A tap on her bedroom door made her flinch.
“Go away,” she called weakly. “I’m… I’m nae in the mood.”
“Ouch!” came a muffled female voice from outside. “Ye stepped on me foot.”
“Then get yer massive flippers out from under me feet,” retorted a much more familiar voice. It was, of course, Ceana.
The second voice growled. “Watch it, lass. Lady McKane or nae, I can still…”
To forestall any potential bloodshed, Daphne hurried over to the door and wrenched it open.
Skye and Ceana stood there, glaring at each other like cats getting ready to fight. They both flinched, spinning around to face her.
“Daphne, pet, are ye all right?” Ceana gasped, shouldering Skye aside and leaping into the room first.
Skye followed, shooting her a glare.
“I heard it all,” she added. “It’s all anyone can talk about—yer betrothal.”
Daphne briefly closed her eyes. When she opened them, Ceana was much closer, looking worried.
“He cannae force ye to wed him,” she said bluntly.
“What are ye accusing me brother of, Lady McKane?” Skye scoffed.
Before Ceana could snap back, Daphne hastily spoke up. “Force me? Nay, nay, it’s nothing like that. It’s just a shock.”
Ceana eyed her uncertainly. “So ye kent?”
“Aye,” Daphne lied.
She wasn’t sure if her sister believed her or not. Anyway, it was something they could discuss later.
The betrothal couldn’t be broken off, not now that it was all over the castle. All over the clan, most likely.
It’s going to happen. I’m going to marry Hunter. I daenae ken how to feel about it. Thrilled, or terrified. Perhaps both.
A hand curled around hers. Ceana’s, of course.
“Daffie?” she whispered gently. “Ye are pale.”
“Here, sit down,” Skye instructed, pulling up a padded chair. “Sit. Come on.”
Daphne hadn’t meant to sit, but she found herself plopping down anyway. Ceana crouched before her, and Skye bent down, placing her hand on her shoulder.
“If ye are having second thoughts…” Skye began.
Daphne shook her head. “It’s complicated.”
Skye and Ceana exchanged confused looks.
“Do ye love me brother?” Skye asked gently.
Daphne closed her eyes. “It’s complicated,” she repeated.
Ceana took her hand. “Daffie, lass, ye can be honest with us. Tell me more about Willow.”
Daphne nodded tightly. “One of the reasons I came here—the main reason, if I’m being honest—is that I wanted Willow to ken her father. And she adores him already. He… He loves her, I can tell. He’s the father I hoped she would have. But things between us are so odd, so… I cannae describe it.”
“Distant?” Ceana suggested.
“Nay, nae distant. As I said, I cannae describe it. I cannae trust him. I want to trust him, I want to so badly, but I just… I cannae.”
“Me brother is good at keeping secrets,” Skye acknowledged. “But never harmful ones. He’s nae a spiteful man.”
“Nay, never that. But without trust, how can we marry? Our match is doomed from the very start. Marrying Hunter isnae an awful idea. It’s just…” Daphne trailed off, biting her lower lip.
Did Skye know about the vow? She must.
I could ask. Would she talk about it here, in front of Ceana? Once Ceana kens about it, she’ll be like a dog with a bone. She just willnae let go.
No, it was better to leave it. She’d find out one way or another. Wouldn’t she?
“Tell us how ye feel, Daphne,” Skye said firmly, kneeling down beside her. “We’ll have some food and drink brought up to ye. But ye must be honest with us, lass. Two days isnae a long time to plan a wedding, is it?”
Daphne let out a shaky breath. “Nay, it’s nay time at all.”
The party had ended a few hours ago, shortly before dawn broke.
Hunter had stayed awake for all of it. A laird was expected to stay awake for his own party, especially now that it had turned into a betrothal celebration.
He stood on top of the keep wall, leaning on the stone parapet, watching the last of the guests leave. As a matter of courtesy, he had offered the lairds and ladies who’d traveled from further away rooms for the night. Some had accepted, some hadn’t. Laird Gordon, for example, hadn’t accepted.
Horses and carriages trotted out through the gate, far beneath him. Some only had a few hours to travel, but most of them had longer journeys ahead. Hopefully, some would be able to sleep in the carriages on the way back.
They would be back in a few days for his wedding.
Me wedding, Hunter thought, shivering. I am getting married.
Would Daphne resent him for announcing it that way? Should he have done things differently?
Too late now.
Nay, I was right, he told himself firmly. This is the way. The only way.
Footsteps sounded on the stone floor behind him.
He sighed. “It’s either Magnus or Skye standing behind me. I’ll take a guess and say Skye.”
“Ye are too clever for yer own bloody good,” his sister huffed.
He glanced over his shoulder, grinning as she approached.
“I thought I’d find ye up here,” she said bluntly. “Up here alone, instead of talking to yer betrothed.”
“I’m nae sure me betrothed would want to talk to me.”
Skye rested her elbows on the parapet and stared out at the forest, swallowing up carriage after carriage.
“She’s shocked,” she revealed. “This isnae a love match.”
“It’s complicated.”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s what she said. I’m quite tired of hearing those words, Brother. Explain to me how it’s complicated.”
“I cannae.”
She shifted, leaning her hip against the stone wall and folding her arms across her chest. “Ye have a child together, so ye must have been attracted to each other at least,” she reasoned. “It was five years ago.”
“Attraction isnae the issue,” he ground out.
“Well, what is? Ceana’s convinced ye arenae in love and that her sister is only doing this for her daughter. But me? I think differently. I want to hear what ye think. And I swear to God, if ye tell me it’s complicated, I’ll push ye over this wall right here and now.”
He sniffed. “I’d like to see ye try.”
Skye didn’t argue the point. She only arched her eyebrows expectantly.
He heaved a sigh. “She kens about the vow. I didnae tell her how it came to be.”
“Daenae ye think ye should?”
He closed his eyes. “I cannae.”
“Hunter…”
“Just… Just give me time. I will tell her one day, but nae… nae yet.”
A brief silence fell between them.
Sighing, Skye glanced at the horizon, as if waiting for the pink-gold dawn to appear.
“She doesnae trust ye,” she said, somewhat tiredly. “She told her sister that the match was doomed.”
“And how did she say it? With relief?”
“Relief? Nay. I thought she was on the brink of tears. Once, she got up and paced up and down the room, and wouldnae look at either of us. Me guess is that a doomed match is the last thing she wants. But a woman like her, who’s lived on her wits for so long, well… trust matters to her.”
“Lived on her wits? She was a rich woman’s companion.”
Skye fixed him with a steely glare. “And ye think that is an easy life, do ye?”
“Nay, of course nae. That’s nae what I meant, Skye. Daenae ye dare take me words out of context.”
“Listen to me, Brother. For a lone woman, the world is a hard place. A Scottish woman in England? Harder still. A woman with a child born out of wedlock? She was one rumor away from being irrevocably ruined. Lady Pilbury protected her, aye, but what about when she is gone? Daphne always kent that her life wouldnae be easy.”
“Well, I hope to change that. I want to help her, Skye. Even if… Even if our marriage isnae what I want.”
Her eyes hardened. “And what do ye want, Brother?”
Hunter shook his head, staring out over the dark forest. “Never mind. I want to sleep, Skye. I have a lot of work ahead of me. We’re going to talk to Willow, and after that…” He let out a long, ragged sigh. “After that, I have a council meeting to attend.”
Skye said nothing.
Hunter turned away, heading back toward the stone steps that led down to the courtyard. He’d nearly reached it when she spoke again.
“Daenae let them steal yer happiness, Hunter,” she said quietly.
He paused, glancing back at her. “I willnae.”
“I mean it.” She held his gaze. “Ye deserve to be loved, Brother. Ye always have.”
He clenched his jaw till his teeth squeaked. Wordlessly, he turned away and started down the stone steps. He doubted he would sleep after what had happened, but he had to try.
“Lady Helena said that we can go to the market again sometime,” Willow said blithely, beaming up first at Daphne and then at Hunter.
Hunter smiled faintly and cast a quick look at Daphne. He’d been terrified that she’d arrive in the library for their planned meeting looking pale and miserable, with a tear-stained face and red-rimmed eyes. Instead, she looked bright and happy, smiling and playing with Willow.
“If Lady Helena says it,” Daphne responded, bending down to touch Willow’s cheek with a smile, “then I’m sure it will happen.”
Willow turned away, already distracted, and leaned over to play with her toys, a small set of carved wooden animals that Hunter had bought her. River seemed equally fascinated with the wooden toys, occasionally reaching out an elegant black-tipped paw to nudge one of them.
Hunter leaned toward Daphne, whispering in her ear, “If ye daenae wish to tell her now, we daenae have to.”
Daphne bit her lip. “Nay, it’s time. I always prided meself on being honest with me daughter. She needs to ken.”
He met her eyes, raising his eyebrows. “Are ye still upset about yesterday?”
“Upset? Nay, that’s nae the word. Shaken, I suppose. Things have happened quickly.”
“I wish I hadnae announced it like that, without yer consent.”
She breathed in, placing her hands on her knees and squeezing. “Ye did what ye had to do. Daenae feel guilty about it. Willow, lass, come over here, aye?”
Willow’s head snapped up, and she scrambled across the rug, sitting cross-legged in front of them. River plopped down beside her, as if he were listening too.
Daphne and Hunter were sharing a settee that was just a little too small for both of them, pressing them together. Every inch of his skin tingled in awareness of her, so close he could touch her.
“Willow, pet, I have something to tell ye,” Daphne began, leaning forward. “It’s very important, so I need ye to listen.”
The little girl’s eyes widened. “Is it a secret?”
“Nae for much longer. First, I must tell ye that I am getting married. Is that nae exciting?”
Willow leaned back, wary. “Married? But ye always said that getting married was a bad idea.”
Hunter threw Daphne a wry smile, noticing how her cheeks had begun to flush. She very bravely ignored his stare.
“Aye, well, I changed me mind. I will be marrying Hunter. What do ye think of that?”
Willow’s face brightened. “I like Laird MacCrimmon!”
“I’m glad. There’s more, though. Do ye remember when ye were a little younger, ye asked me why ye didnae have a papa?”
A nod.
“Do ye remember what I said?”
Willow paused, scrunching up her nose, and shook her head.
“I told ye that ye had a father, remember? I knew that one day ye would meet him. That day is today, pet. Willow, this is yer father.” Daphne turned, placing a hand on Hunter’s shoulder.
Willow glanced between them, and Hunter could almost see the gears turning in her head. Then her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a breath.
“Oh! Ye are me papa?”
“Aye, lassie,” Hunter responded, offering an uncertain smile.
How should he act? He’d never really imagined the moment when Willow learned who he truly was. Twinges of uncertainty tugged at the pit of his stomach.
What if she was disappointed? Disinterested?
Willow leaped to her feet, clapping her hands. “Oh, that’s good! I’m glad!” she squealed. “I’ve always hoped me papa would be like ye!”
“Like me?” Hunter laughed, a pressure growing in his chest. The pressure formed a lump in his throat, large enough to make his eyes sting.
“Aye! Sweet and generous, very good at making toys, and good at hugs.”
“Good at hugs?”
She flung herself into his arms, and he caught her neatly, laughing and lifting her off her feet. River leaped to his feet too, his thick tail swishing, and gave a funny little bark. Not to be left out, he jumped up onto Daphne’s knee and scrambled over, licking Willow’s hair.
Hunter wrapped his arms around his daughter and closed his eyes. “When yer ma and I are married, we’ll be a proper family,” he breathed. “I’ll take care of ye. Both of ye. Fine clothes, good food, and safety. I’ll make ye happy,” he added, meeting Daphne’s gaze over Willow’s head. “I promise.”
Daphne gnawed on the corner of her mouth, her fingers twitching. “If we stay here, that is,” she mumbled.
Willow lifted her head. “Why would we nae stay here?” she queried.
Daphne reddened. “Never mind, pet. I shouldnae have said that.”
Hunter glanced at her again, furrowing his brow. He wanted to tell her not to worry, that he was not going to be unseated anytime soon, but what if he was wrong?
Before he could cobble together the right words to say that to her, a figure appeared in the doorway. The library door was, of course, broken, and they hadn’t gotten round to hanging a new one.
It was Magnus, his face impassive. He glanced at Daphne, stony-faced, and then at Hunter. He didn’t look at Willow at all.
“The council has convened, me Laird,” he said shortly. “They’re waiting for ye in the council chambers.”
Hunter stiffened. Willow must have felt it, because she wiggled back and frowned up at him, confused.
“Are ye going, Pa?” she asked.
It felt so strange, hearing a child call him Pa. His mouth dried, and the ache in his chest grew.
“Aye, I have to go for a little while,” he explained, gently setting her down on her feet and rising. “But I’ll be back soon. And when I get back, we’ll spend a lot of time together, aye? I’ll have time for lots of hugs.”
He glanced over at Daphne and found her watching him with a strange expression on her face.
“I hope it goes well,” she murmured, lowering her eyes.
Aye, so do I.