Page 35 of The Rogue’s Redemption

“That, my little lass,” he said, tucking her head against his chest, “I can do easily enough.”

11

Reid was going to strangle Lady Gillian.

He’d spent the past two days attempting to speak to her, but it seemed his past transgressions would not allow for an opening. If Allie considered herself stubborn, she was entirely compliant compared with her sister.

Gillian simply did not like him.

He knew he’d acted like a bit of an arse when they first met. He’d been annoyed at her now-husband for his lack of action against English raiders. It was de Sowlis land that had been raided, after all, and an innocent woman had lost her life. He would have preferred for Graeme to react more strongly, though he should have expected the clan chief’s tempered response. It was the way the man approached everything.

Reid was brought back to the present—yet another meeting with the Lord Warden and the border chiefs—when a bout of screaming ended with Douglas slamming his fist on the table and the chief of Clan MacDuff threatening to leave before they reached an accord. Someone called for a break, and Reid used it as an opportunity to seek out the lady of Highgate Castle. He found her just outside the kitchen on the path toward the great keep, where the evening meal was already being prepared.

“Lady Gillian, a word?”

When she turned to look at him, her resemblance to Allie caught him off guard. He didn’t always see it, and not just because Gillian had freckles whereas her sister did not. They carried themselves so differently—while Gillian had the carriage of a proper lady, the kind who cared about appearances and would never, ever consider fighting with a longsword, Allie was much freer in her movements. More spirited.

“I’m sorry,” she said, walking past him. “There is much to be done before the—”

“I’ve offended you.”

It was not a question, and they both knew it.

When Gillian stopped and looked at him, as if cataloguing his flaws, he felt less confident that he’d be able to make good on his promise to Allie. This was the first time Gillian had acknowledged him directly since the start of the council, and Reid almost wished she had not done so.

“I apologize for the first evening we met, at The Wild Boar.”

“Apology accepted.” Her tone told him just the opposite. With those few curt words, she turned her back to him and walked away.

He thought about going after her, but decided to wait until the meal.

Someone whistled. “I’ve never seen her quite like this before.”

Aidan. He’d just come from the kitchen and had a fresh-baked loaf in his hands.

“Attempting to make amends with Lady Gillian?” He tore off a hunk of bread, a good-natured smile firmly in place, and handed it to him.

Reid accepted the offering.

They stood there for a moment, eating the bread and watching as servants picked herbs and vegetables and visitors wandered the expansive courtyard. It struck Reid that it had been some time since Brockburg Castle had seen this many guests. Lady Juliette had done much to revive a home that had become little more than a place to eat and train after his father’s death.

“Attempting, though not succeeding,” Reid finally said.

“Why?”

The question startled him.

“I know you, Kerr, and you’re not one for idle conversation. Or for caring much for the opinion of others.”

Reid feigned surprise. “You wound me, de Sowlis.”

The other man would not be so easily deterred. “You did not answer my question.”

Nor would he. Reid had agreed to keep his arrangement with Allie a private matter until her sister could be swayed. Which he absolutely needed to do. Although he’d told Allie her family’s consent did not matter to him, he had since reconsidered. Clan Scott were their allies, and moreover, de Sowlis and his brother agreed with the Kerrs on how best to handle the current border disputes—by removing the new English warden from his position. He didn’t wish to be the one to destroy that.

“It irks me that a woman, any woman, has such a strong reaction to me.” Which was, at least, partially true.

“And Allie?”