He had to tell Blaine the truth and hope he would understand.
“I am here because Laird Macgillivray is plannin’ a war,” he said calmly, moving his hand away from the hilt of the knife he carried around his waist. “It’s all right here, in these papers. I’m nae tryin’ tae hurt the clan, Blaine, I promise ye. I’m only tryin’ tae prevent the war.”
Blaine closed the door slowly behind him and stepped farther into the room, his gaze never leaving Dunn. In the dark, he looked like a predator, ready to attack.
“An’ why should I believe ye?” he asked. “It’s all been a lie, has it nae? All o’ this… ye used Elayne tae get tae the laird.”
Dunn couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped him. “Actually, it was Elayne who used me first.”
Blaine frowned, uncomprehending. “What dae ye mean? How did she use ye?”
“She didnae wish tae marry Laird McCoy,” Dunn said. “An’ so she proposed I pretend tae be married tae her and offered me access tae her faither’s plans an’ the castle.”
Those eyes hardened as Blaine watched Dunn, but his voice was level, quiet when he spoke. “Elayne would never betray her faither like that. She would never betray the clan.”
“Is it truly a betrayal tae prevent a war?” Dunn asked. “She is clever. She understands a war would destroy the clan. Yer nae ready fer it an’ if ye support it, then ye’re a fool.”
Blaine fell silent. Dunn must have struck a chord, he thought, and suddenly he realized that perhaps there was a way out that didn’t involve death. Surely, Blaine knew the state of the clan better than Dunn or Elayne, and if the mention of war made him pause, then perhaps he didn’t agree with it, either.
“I kent there was somethin’ strange about all this the moment I saw ye,” said Blaine, changing the subject with little subtlety. “Elayne would have never wedded a man without her father’s consent. Even after everythin’ he’s done tae her, she is still obedient tae him. Bringin’ ye here, what was she thinkin’?”
“She was thinkin’ that she doesnae want her people tae die. And she doesn’t want to be married to a cruel man that she hates,” said Dunn.
He couldn’t understand why Elayne still obeyed her father, why she did as she was told. On the one hand, she probably did not have much choice, but on the other, it led her to a life of pain and regret, and Dunn couldn’t bear to think of all the grief she would have to endure if she ended up marrying Laird McCoy.
Why daes she nae fight it?
In a way, she had, he supposed. She had brought him there, involving him in a clever plan. Perhaps it was time to forgive her for lying about the exact circumstances after all.
For a few moments, the two of them simply stared at each other in silence. Dunn’s hand began to drift towards his blade again, but Blaine was making no move to attack.
“So, there will be a war, ye say?” Blaine asked eventually, breaking the silence.
“The Captain doesnae ken about the war?” Dunn asked, frowning in confusion. “Surely, the laird must have told ye o’ his plans. Ye will need tae prepare the troops.”
“He kent I would disagree,” Blaine said. “I suppose he was waitin’ tae tell me at the last minute, but o’ course, there were rumors.”
“Rumors that have reached farther than ye may think,” said Dunn.
There was hope now. If Blaine disagreed with the laird’s plans, if he didn’t want this war, then perhaps there was a way to sway him, to keep him quiet about this meeting.
“How far?”
“Far enough.”
Blaine cursed under his breath, the sound barely reaching Dunn’s ears. Dunn observed him carefully in the half-light: the tight set of his shoulders, the way he seemed at war with himself. This was his chance, he thought. It was risky, but it had to be done.
“I need copies of these papers,” Dunn said.
His words instantly caught Blaine’s attention. The man barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Ye expect me tae provide them?”
“I expect ye tae allow me.”
Blaine didn’t speak. At first, Dunn thought he had made a mistake, believing that he could get Blaine on his side, but then the man nodded slowly, as if he was trying to convince himself this was the right course of action.
“Ye’re a fool,” Blaine said. “An’ so is Elayne. This carries too much risk.”
“I dinnae fear risk,” Dunn said. “An’ it seems that Elayne doesnae either, nae matter what ye may think o’ her.”
