“Do ye think ye might be able to eat with me in the dining room today?” Thalia asked.
Daisy flushed. “Well…”
Whatever she had been about to say was abruptly cut off as they turned the corner.
Thalia had her attention on Daisy, who now looked utterly frightened as she dropped her hand and ran back to hide behind Rowena’s skirts.
“Ah, there ye are.”
Thalia froze, the familiar deep voice sending a shudder down her spine. She looked up to find her uncle and Laird MacGibbon standing in the entrance of MacAinsley Castle.
“Did ye really think we wouldnae find ye, Thalia?” her uncle asked.
CHAPTER 7
Finlay sat in his study,glancing over his papers without reading any of them. He had hardly slept all night, the previous day’s events keeping his mind active and awake. And between the stress and the worry, his thoughts were plagued with images of Thalia.
He shook his head in an effort to clear it, just as a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” he called, and was surprised when Ava entered.
“Is now a good time?” she asked.
“Aye.”
He stood as she stepped further into the room. She wrung her hands, looking everywhere but at him.
“All right, out with it,” he said, knowing enough about his friend to know when she was having trouble speaking.
She sighed. “I just wanted to apologize to ye. For losing me temper last night. I was goin’ to apologize to Thalia, too, but she ran off with yer daughter before I had the chance.”
“Thalia’s with Daisy?” Finlay asked, standing straighter.
“Aye. The two of them went off to the gardens, I believe.”
He sank into his chair.
One day. It had only taken one day for Thalia to gain Daisy’s trust. A wave of irritation swept through him. He was jealous, and he was in awe of her. Was there anything that she couldn’t do?
“I see,” he muttered.
Ava continued, “I ken ye were just tryin’ to help, and I ken ye feel protective over her, since she’s me younger sister. It was wrong of me to accuse ye of having ulterior motives. So, I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” Finlay grunted. He would not dare to admit to her how hard he was tryingnotto have ulterior motives. “Are ye still plannin’ on takin’ her back with ye today?”
“Aye. And I daenae want to hear any more about how ye think it’s a bad idea.”
“‘Tis a bad idea.”
Ava glared at him. “Yers isnae much better, and ye ken it.”
Finlay didn’t argue against that. “I just daenae want her to end up like…”
He couldn’t finish the thought. It still hurt every time he thought about his sister. Out of all of his regrets in his life, she was his greatest. He’d rather die than see another woman go through that.
Ava nodded. “I ken. I daenae want that either. Ye remember what I went through in me own marriage. I’d hoped that Thalia would have the freedom I didnae get to have. But now…” Her voice cracked, and she wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just daenae ken why me uncle is doin’ this now.”
Finlay shook his head. “There is nay need to apologize. I ken ye’ll protect her, and I’ll help in any way I can.”
