Page 79 of The Rogue’s Redemption

Alex looked at Reid as if waiting for him to answer first. When Reid held out his hand, indicating he should talk, his brother did not hesitate.

“We should not. But of course it is not up to me. It did not take long for word to reach Dunmure about these recent events. Nor will it take long for the others to understand that everything has changed.”

“And when Douglas returns?” Reid asked.

He had tried to remain silent, but he simply could not sit here silently while his brother, no longer Toren’s second, expressed his opinion. If that was what it took for the elders to have faith in him . . . maybe he did not want the position. Surely the point of being a second was to help the chief make difficult decisions.

“What are you suggesting?” Edmund asked.

“I am suggesting—” He looked at Toren, who nodded his encouragement. His brother had told him often, as their father had done many, many times before, that support and agreement were not the same thing. “That we go.”

Raised voices erupted all around him.

“If we do not go, it is akin to spitting in the face of all you’ve accomplished these past thirty years. I am not the only one who believes it is important not to allow the Day of Truce to be rendered irrelevant too soon. Which is exactly what will happen if we fail to appear.”

“Do we lay down our necks for them too?” one of the men yelled. “Make it easy for them to chop off our heads.”

“We send someone,” Reid said, “so as not to break the truce. Give Douglas time to speak to the king, to learn of the new information regarding Caxton’s actions. If Clan Kerr stays away, a fight is inevitable.”

Toren frowned. By the look on his face, it appeared he sided with Alex.

“I will go.”

Toren shook his head. “You will not. Anyone who goes will be immediately arrested. And with Caxton as the sitting warden, no amount of support from either side of the border will matter. You will not go.”

Reid looked at Alex then and pointed his chin toward the exit. His brother understood and they excused themselves outside the room.

“I do not agree with you on this,” he said, knowing it would not matter. Their chief had spoken.

“We’ve disagreed many times before.” Alex clasped him on the shoulder. “But you are my brother, and no decision will ever come between us.”

It was precisely what Reid had brought Alex out here to say.

“I love you, and Toren and Catrina, always.” He could not allow for discord between them and needed his brother to understand. By Alex’s smile, Reid knew he did.

After all, it was not his brother’s fault that Reid was just beginning to believe he may actually deserve the position as Toren’s second. And that he’d been proven wrong once again.

26

It was Juliette who helped her find him.

When Reid did not come to dinner and Alex did, Allie knew before being told what had happened. Juliette gave her a significant look, and at the earliest opportunity, she pulled her into the same alcove where she’d brought Allie to warn her about the whispers she’d hear. This time, she relayed the events of that afternoon’s meeting with the elders. It would appear her afternoon had gone much better than Reid’s.

Allie had been on her way back to the keep earlier, intent on changing from her boys’ clothes, when Juliette found her. Her friend had somehow convinced her to demonstrate her ability with the longsword in the yard—in full view of others. Promising no one would taunt her, Juliette had followed her to the yard. Of course, everyone in the vicinity had stopped what they were doing to watch. Though she felt pressured to do well, Allie had reasoned with herself that it was as good a place as any for her to emerge from the shadows. By now, she was confident that her burgeoning skill would not embarrass her completely. In fact, when she took up the sword and showed Juliette some of what she’d learned, she earned applause from the small crowd that had gathered. It had both pleased her and nearly sent her running back to the keep.

She’d been eager to relay the events of the afternoon with him. After all, he was partially responsible for transforming her from a hesitant trainee to a passably good swordswoman.

Only he hadn’t come.

Allie’s stomach turned as she listened to Juliette’s account of the meeting. Though she was still angry with him, she hated the thought of him feeling miserable. Worthless. And she hated most of all the thought of not being with him. Reid made her feel alive like no one in the world ever had. Allie was committed to him. Whether she liked it or not.

“If I take you to him,” Juliette said from behind as they slipped out of the alcove, “you must promise me one thing.”

Allie peered at her new friend, knowing better than to deny that she’d planned to go looking for him.

“Whatever you ask,” she said and meant it.

“You will not do anything foolish.”