“I’m not my father’s son?” Angus pushed forward. “You mean to tell me that not only am I illegitimate and not my father’s true heir, the only one who is his heir is the sister we’ve ostracized her entire life.”
“You were the ones I wanted,” Margaret justified.
“That doesn’t matter, Mother,” Graeme stood next to his brother. “This changes everything.”
“It changes naught.” Margaret refused to accept that the earth-shattering news should alter anything about their lives.
“It does!” Graeme protested. “Allyson is Laird Elliot’s heir, and we are naught but bastards. How could you do this to us, Mother?”
“I didn’t do aught. It’s his fault.” Margaret pointed toward Ewan. “What business did he have in the attic? Only one person could have taken him there. She did this on purpose to tear apart our family.”
“Family, Mother?” Laurel squawked. She stepped toward Margaret, so no one outside their group could hear. She scanned the crowd, but did not see her husband. “What family? If my husband discovers I’m a bastard, he could have our marriage annulled. Then where will I be with three weans and a bairn on the way?”
“None of you are bastards,” Kenneth intervened. “You were all born while I’ve been married to your mother. You are legitimate because of that, even if I didn’t sire you. Angus is still my heir.”
Allyson never suspected her mother would spill such a horrible secret when she and Ewan discovered the paintings. She was angry at Ewan for threatening the secret that she spent time in the attic, but this turn of events shocked her. She’d hoped to be accepted into the family, not destroy it. Her hand fumbled against Ewan’s as she tried to hold his. He entwined their fingers and squeezed her hand. Margaret ignored Laurel, keeping her attention on Allyson and Ewan.
“You still haven’t answered my question. What were you doing in the attic?”
Panic pushed bile up the back of Allyson’s throat as she feared her family would discover her secret hideaway. Ewan refused to speak unless Allyson gave him a cue, so when she remained silent, he did the same. Ewan glanced at Kenneth and witnessed the devastation on his face. The man had known about his wife’s affair all along, but it appeared he had struggled with the secret that five of his six children weren’t actually his. Ewan had watched Kenneth’s expression when they discussed Allyson. The laird appeared completely mystified. A long silence ensued until Allyson turned toward Kenneth.
“Father, you must have known I was yours. I look like your mother, even if I have blond hair from Mother’s family. Why didn’t you ever defend me? Why didn’t you ever set people straight and end the rumors?”
“What rumors, Allyson? You’ve always been my child, just as your brothers and sisters have been.”
“No.” Allyson shook her head. “You’ve claimed them as your own despite not siring them, but the one child you sired, you’ve never defended, never protected.”
“What do you mean never defended, never protected? I bluidy well chased you all the way to England.”
“Once, Laird Elliot. That doesn’t make up for Allyson’s entire life where you’ve turned a blind eye and deaf ear to how the clan’s treated her.” Ewan stated.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Kenneth demanded.
“You’ve never noticed how we treated Allyson?” Angus looked incredulous. “We’ve been under the impression she was your bastard all these years. We pitied Mother, assuming you’d forced her to raise a child you got on some whore.” Angus spun around to glare once more at Margaret. “We followed your lead. We felt sorry for the burden we believed Allyson was to you. You didn’t want her, so none of the rest of us did either. My God, Mother, you tried to break up a betrothal the king decreed because you claimed Allyson didn’t deserve to marry before Mary and Alice, nor did she deserve a noble husband.”
Allyson cowered when Angus stepped before her. Once again, Ewan pushed Allyson behind him. He didn’t carry his sword in the keep, but his hand went to the dirk sheathed at his waist. Angus nodded at Ewan, regret painting a deep frown on his face.
“Allyson, I don’t know what to say. I have been horrible to you your entire life. I’ve spoken ill of you and to you. I doubt you will ever call Redheugh your home once you leave here, but if I become the next laird, you will always be welcome here as my sister, equal to all the rest.” Angus bowed before stepping back. Allyson watched him swallow several times as he looked toward the dais. She noticed he blinked several times as he composed himself.
“Allyson, I followed the lead of others, never considering I should think for myself,” Graeme made to step closer, but a glance at Ewan made him freeze. “It was easier, and it just seemed natural. When Angus is laird, I suppose I shall be his second.” Graeme paused and frowned. “Regardless, you will have the protection I’ve failed to offer you until now. I understand it’s little consolation, but it’s all I can offer.”
Allyson nodded and looked at her father. “I still don’t understand why you never stopped all of this.”
“You’re a lass. I figured you were your Mother’s responsibility. I didn’t want to interfere.”
“Interfere? Bluidy bleeding hell, Father! This entire clan assumes you either raped my mother or fucked a whore!” The color leeched from Allyson’s face, and she turned so ghostly white Ewan feared she’d collapse. He pulled her into his arms, his expression daring anyone to speak against him.
“No one has ever made such an accusation within my hearing. I thought you preferred to be alone and chose to do things on your own. You were always my most independent child. That’s why I agreed when the queen requested you serve her as a lady-in-waiting. I refused her requests for your sisters. I never trusted them as I did you, and the queen understood once you began your service. She realized the error it would have been to send Mary, Laurel, or Alice. Allyson, my neglect wasn’t intentional. Your sisters are close in age, so they always had one another and seemed fine without me being very present. I believed my duty was to raise my sons while your mother raised you lasses.”
“I only believe parts of that, Father. You’ve seen and heard how Mother treats me. You never wondered why? You never considered it over the top? Beyond the pale?”
“Your mother and I haven’t gotten on in years. We agreed long ago not to interfere in each other’s realms. I manage the clan business and warriors, along with training Angus and Graeme. Your mother oversaw all things in the keep, which included the four of you.” Kenneth gestured toward the four young women. “Allyson, I’m sorry I’ve failed you. I care about all my children, but I’ve known all along you were the only one I sired, and yet you are the one I’ve most disappointed and taken for granted.”
Ewan watched the women’s faces as Agnus and Graeme apologized, and Kenneth attempted to rationalize his dereliction. All three of Allyson’s sisters stood around Margaret, not a remorseful face among them. He understood none of the women would ever welcome Allyson. The hatred Margaret held toward Allyson was too embedded in her daughters for them ever to reconsider their beliefs. They were too jealous and covetous to ever forgive what they believed were Allyson’s sins to bear.
“This is quite the spectacle you’ve created, Ewan. Are you proud to have aired our family’s dirty laundry? Got a little more than you bargained for, didn’t you? And you, Allyson, what were you doing rummaging through things that don’t belong to you? If you hadn’t been in the attic, doing God only knows what, you wouldn’t have found those.” Margaret jerked her thumb over her shoulder. A speculative look crossed the older woman’s face. “That’s where you go to hide, isn’t it? That’s where you sneak off to when you wish you were anywhere but here. When we wish you could be anyone but yourself.”
Margaret signaled two maids and whispered to them when they came to stand before her. They hesitated but nodded before turning toward the stairs. They rushed up them, and Allyson pushed away from Ewan when she realized the women headed toward the stairs that led to the attic.
