Page 90 of The Laird's Secret Bairn

Silence.

Eyes dropped to the floor, to tankards, to anywhere but him.

“In that case…” He nodded to the musicians, who scrambled to lift their pipes again, the tune stumbling back to life. He then crossed to Skye, bent close to her ear, and murmured, “I want to see ye when the cèilidh is over.”

“Dougal—”

“After the cèilidh,” he purred, his breath tickling her ear.

She shivered, watching him walk off towards Stephen. She shivered, watching him walk off toward Stephen, who stood waiting near the edge of the hall. Dougal reached him and stopped, leaning in close, his voice too low for her to catch. The two of them were talking to each other, likely about what had happened.

Freya sidled up to her, linking their arms. “Are ye all right?”

Skye nodded, but it was difficult to hide the tremors racking through her. “I didnae ken, Freya. It’s quite a shock.”

“Dougal clearly cares for Lily and ye.”

Her cheeks heated. “Freya?—”

“Oh, daenae try to deny it. It’s obvious from the way ye blush like a maiden.”

“He killed a man tonight,” Skye said in a low voice, though there was no bite in it.

“Aye, to protect ye and the bairn.” Freya’s eyes softened. “There’s a difference between a monster and a man who’ll do monstrous things for the people he loves, Skye. Ye ken that better than most.”

Skye said nothing, but she didn’t argue either, and that, more than anything, seemed to satisfy her sister.

It was not the first time Dougal had killed someone to protect her, and she doubted that it would be the last.

32

“Are ye sure that went exactly as planned?” Stephen asked in a hushed tone.

Dougal bit back a growl. “The bastard wasnae supposed to lay a hand on Skye. I wasnae quick enough.”

“Dougal, he didnae get to her because of ye. Ye prevented anything from happening.”

“The point is, he should never have had the chance,” Dougal ground out. “From the moment his confession left his lips, I should have killed him where he stood. I hesitated.”

Stephen placed a hand on his shoulder, only for Dougal to shrug it off. “Dougal, ye did everything ye could. Ye should be proud. Skye is safe, and the person who hurt Lily will never hurt another. Why are ye acting like this?”

“I am going to ask Skye to leave.”

Stephen went still. “What did ye just say? I hope ye arenae serious.”

Dougal shot him a sour look. “When have I ever said things I daenae mean, Stephen? I meant exactly what I just said. Tonight, I’ll ask Skye to leave. It’s for the best.”

“The best for whom exactly?” Stephen snapped. “And daenae tell me ye are doing this for her best interest, because I ken ye too well, Dougal. Ye are doing this for yer own sake and nothing more.”

“I willnae speak of this any further,” Dougal bit out. “I only told ye because ye are me friend and I expect yer support.”

Stephen laughed, a bitter sound that Dougal wasn’t accustomed to hearing from him. “Ye want me to support something I believe is a mistake? If that is the case, then ye daenae ken me at all.”

“Think what ye want, Stephen. I have made me decision and willnae change me mind.”

"Ye will regret this, Dougal," Stephen warned. "Think on it. No more treasure hunts, no more singing competitions with that daft goat, no more lass teaching Lily selkie stories by the fire. Just ye, brooding in that study, and a wee girl asking every morning when Skye's coming back, until one day she stops asking at all. Perhaps ye willnae regret it today, but I promiseye that ye will regret sending her away when all ye want to do is keep her here."

Dougal turned away, refusing to listen to anything else he had to say. His friend was not wrong, but he had made up his mind.