"Eat," Tòrr said, releasing her hand to reach for the bread. "Ye need strength. And I need tae think."
They ate in silence for a few moments. Finally, she couldn't stand the quiet anymore.
"What are ye thinkin'?"
"Ye told me about yer sister. About the threat she faces. And I gave ye me word I'd help." He reached for her hand again. "I dinnae make promises lightly, lass. When I say I'll bring her here, I mean it."
"How? What's yer plan?"
"I'm still workin' out the details. But there's a council meetin' this afternoon, and I'll bring it up then. See what resources we can dedicate tae the effort." His grip tightened slightly. "And if the Council objects, if they think it's too risky or too expensive... I'll dae it anyway. With or without their approval."
"Ye'd risk so much fer a lass ye've only just met?"
"I feel like I’ve kent ye fer a lifetime. Aye, I'd risk it fer ye." He pulled her forward until she was kneeling between his knees, his hands framing her face. "Yer sister matters tae ye. That makes her matter tae me. It's that simple."
Tears burned her eyes. "Tòrr." His name came out broken, full of emotion she couldn't quite name.
"I ken ye're confused. I ken ye're frightened fer yer sister. But I need ye tae trust me, Liliane. Trust that I'll find a way tae get her here safely. That I'll protect ye both from yer faither's schemes." His forehead dropped to rest against hers. "Can ye dae that? Can ye trust me?"
She thought of the previous night. Of the way he'd put her pleasure before his own. Of how he'd held her after, making her feel safe for the first time in years. Of his sisters' certainty that he'd find a way to help.
"Aye," she whispered. "I trust ye."
"Good." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Then let me handle the Council. Let me make the arrangements. And in the meantime..." He pulled back to look at her. "In the meantime, ye stay safe within these walls. Nay more trips outside without guards. Nay more wanderin' alone. Yer faither's still got men out there, and I willnae risk losin' ye."
"I daesnae feel right tae hide inside."
"Then I'll find ways tae keep ye occupied. The healer could use an assistant. Me sisters could use company. And I..." His lips curved slightly. "I could use more time with me wife. Learnin' what makes her laugh. What makes her happy. What makes her come apart in me arms the way she did last night."
Heat flooded through her at the reminder. "Tòrr."
"What? Too bold?" But his eyes danced with amusement. "I thought we were past pretendin' there wasnae anythin' between us."
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
"Dae ye nae feel pressured?" Liliane asked suddenly, her voice small. "Takin' on me problems along with yer own? Riskin' yer clan fer me family?"
Tòrr looked up from the table, finding her still standing by the window, her arms wrapped around herself. The morning light caught in her hair, turning it gold. The sight of it made something in his chest tighten.
"Pressured?" He stood up and moved toward her. "Nay. This is just another responsibility tae manage."
"Even though she is me sister, nae yers."
"She's family now." He stopped beside her, close enough to feel her warmth.
He was quiet for a moment, staring out the window at the courtyard below where men were already assembling for thesearch parties. When he spoke, his voice was rougher than he'd intended.
"Ye when ken me father died?"
"I ken it was hard fer ye." Her hand found his arm, a gentle touch.
"Aye, but when he died, I had tae go home." He turned to face her, letting her see the old pain in his eyes. "Had tae walk intae this keep and tell me siblings that their faither was dead. That I'd failed tae protect him. That they were orphans and I was all they had left."
"Ye were barely more than a lad yerself."
"I was the eldest. The heir. It was me responsibility tae step up, tae become what they needed." His voice hardened with remembered determination. "So I did. I became laird and took on the weight of the entire clan while still grievin' meself. While tryin' tae hold me siblings taegether through their own grief."
"How did ye manage?"
