Page 24 of Highlander’s Unspoken Attraction

Alison’s relief warred with her anger. Not only had Bain been after her, but he’d been doing the very same thing he’d fought Liam over. Why would he be trying to pass off his own flesh and blood as someone else’s? Was all of this just a ruse to get Alison in his bed and on his arm? How had she been so naive to think he was genuine in his intentions?

“Does he know? That you’re carrying his kin?”

Emily nodded again. “Aye. He’s known since the beginning. He’s the only man I’ve lain with.” Her expression crumpled and Emily dropped her face into her hands. The shame of being so naive threatened to undo her.

Alison felt for her even with her anger. She knew the pain of feeling so strongly about someone that you would cling to anything. “Did he tell you he would take care of you if you pretended?”

Emily felt a rising tide inside her chest, and it burst forth with all the force of a rogue wave, until her words were coming out faster than she could handle. “He used me and told me he would let me stay at the castle if we struck a deal that I would use my pregnancy as a way to make you think it was Master Liam’s. I never slept with Master Liam, but some of the others had, so he knew it would be believable.”

A weight on Alison’s heart lifted, but she knew there had to be more. “Does anyone else know of this deal?”

Emily nodded. “His father, Laird Cormac. He agreed.”

“He agreed with what?” Alison asked, though she was already sure she knew the answer. “He agreed that Bain should use your pregnancy to try to break up my marriage with Liam?”

“Aye. He said it would be better if Master Liam left for good. That he wasn’t what the clan needed.”

Clearly there had been far more going on behind the scenes than Alison realized. Had they truly been devious enough to fool everyone, or had she just been too blinded by her own frustrations and pain from her marriage to see what was truly happening right in front of her? Did Liam suspect anything, or was he also in the fog about the risk to the clan?

“Where were you to go after the bairn was born?” Alison asked. “Were you supposed to convince Liam to run away with you?”

Emily frowned. “I dinnae ken, my Lady. I thought I would stay here, in the castle.”

Alison doubted that Bain would have allowed Emily to stay once he got what he needed from her. He was not the charitable type. Alison was sure he would have pushed for Emily to disappear along with Liam to strengthen the rumor and leave Alison vulnerable to his false affections.

“But that isn’t the worst of it, my Lady,” Emily said, drawing her attention. Alison cocked her head, trying to understand what could have been worse.

“What do you mean?”

“Laird Cormac was in on all of this from the start. He planned for all of this after he killed Liam’s parents the night of your marriage to Liam.”

Alison had once fallen face first onto a strip of land. It had knocked the breath from her. Hearing that was a lot like that feeling. She felt as if she couldn’t catch her breath as Emily’s words circled her. “What?”

Emily nodded sharply. “He wanted the lairdship and now he intends to pass it and leadership of the clan to Bain.”

“What?” Alison asked again. She couldn’t help how shrill her voice went at that unexpected information. It seemed almost too fantastical to believe, and that disbelief must have been all over her face because Emily continued. “That… he wouldn’t.” Even as she said the words, Alison wasn’t so sure.

“I know it seems like a tall tale, my Lady, but I heard with my own ears just this afternoon. Laird Cormac intends to have Bain succeed him and lead the clan with you by his side as his Lady.”

“Stop,” Alison commanded firmly. She needed time to think and paced the room. Bain had clearly been making schemes for a long time. After a moment of thought, Alison walked back over to Emily. “You speak of this to no one. I must speak with Liam so we ca⁠—”

“There’s no need for that.” Alison jerked her attention back to the doorway where Bain stood with another man. Bain’s gray eyes were hard like flint as he looked at Emily. “I really wish you hadn’t said all that.”