“But the councilmen daenae believe it now,” Skye said miserably. “They think Da lied to them. They’re angry and distrustful, and it’s all because of what I said.”
Leona glanced up at Murdock, who stood a few feet away, his jaw tight. Their eyes met, and she saw the same helpless frustration she felt reflected in his gaze.
How did you explain to a child that the world wasn’t fair, that sometimes good intentions led to terrible consequences?
“The councilmen are just worried about keepin' people safe,” Leona said carefully. “They have to make hard decisions. It’s nay one’s fault, truly. These things… they’re complicated.”
“It’s because ye daenae look like ye’re really betrothed!” Skye said suddenly, her eyes brightening with the revelation. “That’s why they daenae believe it. That’s why the bad man thinks he can take ye back.”
Leona blinked, thrown by the sudden shift. “What do ye mean?”
“Ye and Da,” Skye explained, as if it were obvious. “Ye daenae act like Aunt Ailis and Uncle Killian. When they’re together, everyone kens they’re in love. Nay one would dare try to take the aunts away because the uncles would…” She paused, searching for words. “Would do something bad to them.”
Despite everything, despite the weight in her chest and the fear coiling in her stomach, Leona felt a laugh bubble up. It came out half-sob, half-genuine amusement. “Is that so?”
“Aye!” Skye nodded enthusiastically. “We must convince them. When the councilmen and the bad man see that it’s real, they willnae do somethin' bad, right? They’ll ken ye belong to Da and Da belongs to ye, and then everyone will leave ye alone.”
“I assume nae,” Leona said slowly, not wanting to crush the child’s hope. “But Skye, it’s nae that simple.”
“I ken what ye must do!” Skye clapped her hands together, practically bouncing with excitement.
“And what is that?” Murdock’s voice cut through the moment, drawing their attention.
He’d moved closer, now standing just behind his daughter, one hand resting on her shoulder. His expression was still unreadable, but something flickered in his eyes. Curiosity, perhaps. Or wariness.
Skye turned to him, her face alight with childish certainty. “Ye must do what the aunts and uncles do together! So everyone kens ye’re really in love, and nay one would dare touch Leona.”
“And what exactly do the aunts and uncles do?” Murdock asked.
Leona thought she detected a hint of amusement beneath his careful tone.
“Well,” Skye said thoughtfully, “they hold hands. And stand close together. And Uncle Killian sometimes puts his arm around Aunt Ailis’s waist, like this—” She demonstrated with exaggerated gestures. “And Uncle Killian always touches Aunt Ailis’s hair when he thinks nay one’s watchin'. And they smile at each other. Nae normal smiles, but special ones. The kind that make their eyes all soft and warm.”
Leona felt heat rise in her cheeks. The girl’s observations were surprisingly astute for someone so young. She’d clearly been paying attention to the adults around her, cataloging the small intimacies that marked genuine affection.
“And ye think if we do these things, the council will believe we’re truly betrothed?” Murdock asked.
“Aye!” Skye nodded vigorously. “Because it’ll look real. It’ll feel real. And then the bad man will see ye’re protected, Leona. That ye have someone who’ll fight for ye. Someone who’d do somethin'verybad if anyone tried to take ye away.”
The innocent way she said “somethin' very bad” made Leona’s lips twitch despite herself.
Skye clearly didn’t fully understand the violence she was implying, but she grasped the essential truth that perceived protection, visible commitment, could be a deterrent.
“Skye,” Murdock said gently, “these are grown-up matters. Complicated things that?—”
“I’m nae a bairn, Da,” Skye interrupted, her small chin lifting with determination. “I ken what’s happenin'. The councilmen think ye lied. The bad man wants to take Leona back.” She turned back to Leona, her dark eyes piercing.
“I daenae want ye to go,” she continued, her voice trembling slightly. “Ye’re kind. Ye tell good stories. Ye daenae treat me like I’m too young to understand things. And ye make Da smile.”
“Skye…” Murdock started, but his daughter wasn’t finished.
“So ye should do what I said. Act like ye’rereallyin love. Show everyone it’s real. Then maybe they’ll let ye stay. Maybe the bad man will go away and leave ye alone.” She grabbed Leona’s hand and Murdock’s hand, trying to put them together. “Please? Just try?”
Leona looked down at the small girl between them, at the hope shining in her young face. Then she looked up at Murdock, meeting his eyes across the space that separated them.
The dawn had fully broken now, golden light spilling across the loch and painting everything in shades of amber and rose. It touched Murdock’s face, highlighting the sharp angle of his cheekbones, the strength in his jaw, the weariness in his eyes.
He looked just like how she felt: exhausted, uncertain, caught between duty and desire.
