“Aye. We should get movin’ if we want to reach the castle by midday.” She turned in his embrace to face him. “Codie will be beside himself by now.”
“He will.” Elijah’s expression softened at the mention of his son. “I promised him I’d bring ye home. He made me swear on me honor.”
“Did he?” The thought made her chest warm. “Poor lad. He must have been so worried.”
“Terrified, more like. Thought everyone was leavin’ him.” Elijah’s jaw tightened. “I never want him to feel that way again.”
“Then we’ll make sure he doesnae.” She pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Now come on. Let’s get dressed and be on our way.”
They rose and dressed quickly, both eager to complete the journey home. Mairie was already waiting with the carriage when they came downstairs, looking well-rested and entirely too knowing.
“Good mornin’, me lady. Me laird.” Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Sleep well?”
“Well enough,” Iris replied, refusing to rise to the bait. “Are ye ready to continue?”
“Been ready for an hour, but I figured ye two needed yer rest.” Mairie’s grin widened. “Or whatever it was ye were doing.”
“Mairie.” Iris’s tone was warning, but she couldn’t quite suppress her smile.
“Just sayin’. Ye both look considerably more... relaxed than yesterday.” Mairie smiled. “I’ll follow behind as usual.”
Elijah helped Iris onto Thunder then swung up behind her, his arms coming around to hold the reins. As they set off, Iris found herself settling back against his chest, enjoying his solid warmth.
They rode in comfortable silence for a while, the landscape gradually becoming more familiar as they drew closer to McMurphy lands. But as the miles passed, a question began nagging at Iris’ mind. Something about the way Elijah had spoken to her parents, the threats he’d made.
“Elijah?” she said finally, breaking the silence.
“Aye?”
“Yesterday, when ye were speakin’ to me parents... ye said ye’d destroy them if they ever spoke against me again.”
His arms tensed slightly around her. “I meant it.”
“I ken ye did. But what exactly did ye mean by destroy?” She turned her head to look at him. “What would ye have done?”
He was quiet for a long moment, his jaw working as if choosing his words carefully. “Do ye really want to ken?”
“I wouldnae be askin’ if I dinnae.”
"All right." He took a breath. "I'm goin' to send word to every Highland laird from here to the Western Isles to inform themthat the Douglas clan is blacklisted—nae trade agreements, nae alliances, nae protection. I'll make it clear that anyone who does business with them risks losin' my favor, and my favor controls half the trade routes in Scotland."
"Ye can do that?"
"I'm nae just any laird, Iris. Clan McMurphy holds alliances with the most powerful families in the Highlands. When I say a clan is blacklisted, they're finished. Within months, yer parents will find themselves isolated—nae one willin' to buy their wool, sell them grain, or offer shelter if raiders come. They'll be ruined completely."
Iris felt her stomach drop. “What? Elijah, that’s too much.”
“Nae more than they deserve,” he interrupted, his voice hard. “They raised their hand to ye, Iris. Yer faither was about to strike ye. That alone warrants severe punishment.”
“But blacklistin’ them? That’ll ruin them completely. They’ll lose everythin’—their trade agreements, their alliances, their income.”
“Good.”
The single word, delivered with such cold certainty, made her twist in the saddle to face him more fully. “Elijah, they’re still me parents.”
“Parents who spent yer entire life makin’ ye feel worthless. Who compared ye to yer sister and found ye wantin’. Who were about to strike ye for darin’ to speak the truth.” His dark eyes were fierce, unyielding. “They deserve far worse than financial ruin, Iris. They deserve to ken what it feels like to lose everythin’.”
“But Lydia is there too.”
