‘Who was that monstrous man who stormed out a few days ago? He looked like the Devil. Was he one of your many enemies?’
‘Why do you ask?’ said Peyton. ‘Do you want him to join the ranks of your many suitors?’
Cecily narrowed her eyes. ‘No, but he is hard to miss, and I was looking out of the window when he was pounding on your door.’
‘Noticed him, did you?’ said Peyton, with a hint of jealousy.
‘He had a nice horse.’
‘He probably stole it. Did he see you?’ he snarled, squeezing her hand tighter.
‘No. I stepped back so that he would not see me. You are hurting me.’
Peyton relaxed his grip. ‘Good, for it is best you heed me and never get acquainted with that bastard, lass.’
Cecily slid her hand from his. ‘So, he is an enemy.’
‘Far worse. He is family. Black Eaden is a very distant cousin I would prefer to forget.
‘Black Eaden. Why such a strange name?’
‘Because his eyes are so deep brown that they are black, like bottomless pits, and his soul dwells in darkness too. He once bit a chunk out of a man’s ear in a fight and swallowed it. He lives mainly in the Highlands, but he has come down with his band of ruffians and thieves to chance his hand at being a laird. Eaden bears loyalty only to coin and sin, and when he is not tupping servant girls and alewives two at a time or brawling and drinking himself into a stupor, he is trying to unseat me as laird.’
‘Oh. And can he?’ she said with a smile.
‘Stay away from Eaden. When our laird died, I took his place, as there was no one else to lead the clan. But there are some who think I am unworthy, a usurper with no proper claim. They would murder me to take my place, especially Eaden. My life has been one long struggle this past year just to hang on. So you see, I can ill afford a charge of murder on your account.’
‘Then why do it?’
‘I cannot stand to see a woman hurt,’ he said.
‘No. I mean, why be laird if you do not have to?’
Peyton rolled his eyes. ‘Because I am tired of fighting over scraps and being led by fools. And you’d better pray Eaden does not succeed in taking my place, for you’ll be getting no protection from him.’
‘I don’t call this protection,’ she said tartly.
Peyton rounded on her. She seemed to have struck a nerve talking of his cousin. ‘Call it what you like, but you will share my chamber tonight and go along with this ruse.’
‘Aye, as if my life depended on it,’ spat Cecily with her last ounce of defiance.
Chapter Eleven
Peyton was rather pleased with his plan for hiding Cecily MacCreadie. Bertha was not.
‘Mistress, is it? What a jest, that is. Did she bat her eyelashes at you for you to come up with that? I’d be careful if I were you, taking that one to bed.’
‘Cecily is as soft as goose down. She’s not likely to slit my throat in my sleep.’
‘No, gouge your heart out, more like. She draws your eye, for she is such a beauty. And you are like any man, pretending to be honourable until you are not. Mark me. You’ll not be content with just looking forever.’
‘Her type is not for the likes of me.’
‘Why not? You are a laird, and she is a laird’s daughter.’
‘And what we have in common ends there.’
‘Does it now? Look, I will go along with this, but it has to be the worst plan I have ever heard, and it will not end well if you keep following your manhood around instead of your wits, Peyton Strachan.’
