“Do ye think she’d want ye to do this? I dinna ken if this is such a good idea as ye think. Ye may want to warn her first.”
“She kens of them,” Ewan shrugged. “She intends to ask her parents aboot them.”
“There is a vast difference between planning to ask and displaying them for all and sundry. I’m telling ye, brother, I dinna think this is wise. I dinna think Allyson will appreciate the surprise.”
“Eoin, we’re leaving in the morn. I’m nae staying a day longer now that I can tell Kenneth we made the betrothal a marriage. I’m getting Ally away from here, even if it means going to court.”
“I canna say this comes too soon, but did ye discuss that with her?”
“Nay. Ye must have seen her come down the tower stairs just after Kenneth, Angus, and Graeme arrived. There wasna time to discuss our departure being tomorrow. But she and I already agreed we’d leave as soon as possible. She kens of Father’s missive, and we’ve discussed changes to the agreement that would make her more comfortable before marrying.”
“And ye agree with them all?”
“Aye. Her concern is the same as mine. She wants to be sure she has a roof over her head that isnae a convent’s if I should die first. She isnae willing to accept the Gordons will welcome her to stay on, so I’m adding a provision for a croft either in our village at Huntley or one on our land. She also wants her father to provide more in the case we have daughters, and I die before they wed. She fears she’d be presuming too much to rely on ye, if ye become laird. She doesnae ever want to feel like a burden again.” Ewan walked to the door and waited for Eoin to open it before they headed to the Great Hall. “If these changes will make her happy and ease her constant worry, then they are a wee act that will make a big difference. I love her, Eoin. I’ll do aught to make her life better than it has been.”
“I ken ye do. How others dinna see it is beyond me. I will stand beside ye in this just as I do everything. But I still think ye should have discussed the paintings with her first. And I wouldnae hold yer breath that Kenneth will agree to the amendments.”
“All will be well, little brother.”
“And pride goeth before the fall, big brother. Dinna assume ye ken it all.”
Their conversation ended when they arrived at the Great Hall. They’d skirted the crowd in the bailey that milled about, welcoming Kenneth and his sons. He’d glimpsed Margaret and her daughters, but Allyson wasn’t present. Ewan and Eoin approached the dais as the servants finished laying the table. Ewan waited for Eoin to pull out the seat Allyson now claimed each evening. Ewan propped the largest image on the chair, then placed a smaller one on his seat and the other on Eoin’s. Voices floated from the entrance as people entered the gathering hall.
They left the dais and waited for the others to arrive. Allyson joined them, wearing her Gordon plaid instead of her Elliot. For the sake of keeping the peace, she’d reverted to wearing her Elliot plaid while her father was gone. Conversations halted when, one after another, people noticed Allyson standing with Ewan’s plaid wrapped around her. She noticed that many people pointed behind her, so she turned to look at the dais. She felt her temper rise as she took in the sight of the three images of her family resting on chairs for all of her clan to stare at. She clenched her jaw as she looked up at Ewan, and she was certain he read her murderous intent. She was livid. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she hissed.
Allyson’s family gathered near the dais, but Alice’s face turned a shade of fuchsia when she saw Allyson in Ewan’s plaid. She pointed an accusatory finger and stepped up to Allyson’s face.
“You slattern,” Alice hissed. “He was supposed to be mine.”
“She may wear his plaid, but that’s only because he has to marry her. She isn’t who he wants,” Mary purred. She smiled coyly as Ewan, and it made his stomach turn.
“I’ve been no one’s but Ally’s. You may continue to throw yourself at me and my brother, but neither of us will accept you,” Ewan glared at Alice.
“Don’t put words in my mouth, brother. I don’t want either of them near me.” Eoin shook his head and threw up his hands. He looked at Kenneth. “I’ll tell you now, Laird Elliot, I won’t marry any of your daughters. I need to know my wife isn’t the type to bed any mon who looks in her direction.”
“Enough!” Kenneth roared. “You will not speak of my daughters in such a degrading manner.”
“We won’t?” Ewan pushed Allyson behind him and took a step forward. His temper was just as heated at Kenneth. “How aboot the way your family speaks aboot Allyson? You didn’t stop Alice from lobbing disparaging names at Allyson. You’d do well to pay more attention to how you run your family and your clan. There’ll be no more whispers about Allyson’s parentage. She’s the only Elliot offspring who looks like both sides of the family. If aught, it’s suspicious that none of the others bare more than a passing resemblance to you and only look like Lady Elliot’s side of the family.”
As one, the laird’s family turned to stare at the paintings Ewan pointed toward.
“How did you get in the attic?” Margaret demanded. She pushed Ewan’s shoulder as though she could make him move aside, so she could reach Allyson. The younger woman refused to hide behind Ewan and stepped forward. But Ewan’s hand flew up to catch Margaret’s wrist as she made to slap Allyson.
“She’s mine now. Touch her, and you will pay.” Ewan’s hushed tones were more menacing than if he’d bellowed like Kenneth had moments ago.
“She’s not yours,” Margaret argued as she tugged her hand free.
“She spent the entire afternoon alone with me in my chamber.” Ewan cocked an eyebrow. “Why don’t you explain your reason for allowing your clan to gossip that Allyson’s a bastard when proof has existed her entire life?”
“Because I didn’t want her,” Margaret blurted. She drew back, surprised by her own vehemence. She cast her glare on her husband, who looked surprised at the admission. “When she came out looking like Kenneth’s mother, I knew she was his.”
“Who else’s child would I have been, Mother?” Allyson’s lower lip trembled.
Margaret didn’t shift her gaze from Kenneth as the dirty family secret spilled forth. “I never wanted to marry your father, but we made do for many years. That was until he discovered I had a lover.”
“My bluidy brother,” Kenneth seethed.
“Your stepbrother,” Margaret corrected. “That any of the first five bear a resemblance to the Elliots is a coincidence. You couldn’t be rid of him, so you kept sending him on one patrol after another. Too many mugs of mead on Hogmanay and too many nights alone, I made the mistake of letting you back into my bed. I’ve been regretting it for two-and-twenty years. The man I love died before she was born, and all I was left with was a brat I didn’t want reminding me of you.”
