“It’s all right.” Iris’s voice softened. “Just... be honest with them about what ye want. About the convent, about takin’ vows. Daenae let them force ye into anythin’ else.”
“I willnae. I promise.”
Iris turned back to her parents. “As for me marriage, it’s none of yer business. Ye dinnae care what happened to me after I left with me husband, and ye daenae care now. I only came here to bring Lydia home safely, and I’ll be leavin’ this afternoon.”
“Leavin’?” Catherine looked confused.
“Aye. I want to get as far away from both of ye as possible.”
Aye. But what do I do? Where do I go from here?
The questions echoed in her mind, unanswered.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Watch how ye speak to yer maither, girl!”
Edward Douglas’ voice boomed across the courtyard, and Elijah froze mid-step. He’d just ridden through the gates, exhausted and travel-worn from hard riding, following Iris’ trail. The last thing he’d expected was to hear raised voices before he’d even dismounted.
But that was definitely Iris. He’d recognize her voice anywhere, even raised in anger.
He swung off Thunder, moving quickly but quietly toward the source of the commotion.
“I daenae have to watch how I speak to ye,” Iris’ voice rang out, clear and defiant. “Ye daenae deserve me respect. Neither of ye do.”
“How dare ye speak to us that way!” Catherine’s voice joined her husband’s. “After everythin’ we’ve done for ye, after givin’ ye a home.”
“How dare ye,” he heard her father’s voice exclaim.
“I dare because I’m finally seein’ ye for what ye truly are. Terrible parents who destroyed their daughter’s confidence because she wasnae the perfect little doll ye wanted her to be.” Iris’ voice cracked with emotion. “After comparin’ me to Lydia every single day of me life? After makin' me believe I should be grateful for any scrap of affection? Ye, I dare!"
Elijah rounded the corner to see a scene that made his blood run cold. Edward Douglas stood before Iris, his face purple with rage, his hand raised. Catherine hovered nearby, her expression a mixture of shock and fury. And his brave, fierce wife stood her ground, chin lifted defiantly even as her father drew his arm back to strike.
Time seemed to slow.
Every muscle in his body tensed, rage flooding through him so powerfully it nearly blinded him. His vision narrowed to that raised hand, to the threat against his wife, and something primal took over.
Touch her. I dare ye to touch her.
“Ye ungrateful lass!” Edward was shouting. “We gave ye everythin’! And this is how ye repay us? By runnin’ back here and fillin’ yer sister’s head with yer poisonous words?”
“I told Lydia the truth!” Iris’ voice shook but remained strong. “That she deserves better than to marry someone she doesnae want. That she has choices, even if ye tried to make her believe otherwise!”
“Ye’ve always been trouble,” Catherine hissed, stepping closer. “Always too stubborn, too opinionated. We should have been stricter with ye when ye were younger. Should have beaten that defiance out of ye.”
“Aye, maybe ye should have,” Iris shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Then maybe I would have turned into the perfect little puppet ye wanted. But I’m glad ye dinnae because I’d rather be meself than whatever twisted version of a daughter would make ye happy.”
“That’s enough!” Edward’s hand drew back further. “Ye need to be taught a lesson about respect.”
Elijah moved without thinking, his body acting on pure instinct. He covered the distance in three long strides, his hand shooting out to catch Edward’s wrist mid-swing.
“Touch her,” he said, his voice deadly quiet, “and ye’ll lose that hand.”
The sudden appearance of the Laird of Clan McMurphy, travel-stained and radiating barely controlled violence, had an immediate effect. Edward stumbled backward, his face going from purple to gray in an instant.
“Laird McMurphy! I... We dinnae expect ye.” Edward’s voice had lost all its bluster, replaced by barely concealed fear. “When did ye get here?”
“Clearly ye dinnae expect me.” Elijah didn’t release his grip on Edward’s wrist, holding the man’s arm in place like it was made of iron. “Because if ye’d known I was comin’, ye might have thought twice about raisin’ yer hand to me wife.”
