“Laird MacAinsley!” a voice called out from behind them.
Finlay turned, seeing a messenger coming up the dirt path. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Daisy, walking towards the messenger to meet him halfway.
“Forgive the intrusion, me Laird. It’s just I was told to give ye this message directly,” the messenger said. He was a young man, barely old enough for war.
“Who is it from?” Finlay asked. He took the note cautiously, steeling himself for bad news.
“It’s from MacFinn Castle,” the messenger explained. “That’s all I ken.”
“Thank ye,” Finlay said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
The wax seal bore the MacFinn crest, and his traitorous heart leapt in his chest as he wondered if it was from Thalia.
He pushed the thought aside, doubting that she would reach out to him so soon after their less-than-favorable parting, and unfolded the note.
He read it, but his mind refused to process the words. He stopped, tried again, and found the words had not changed, yet he still refused to believe it.
It was a wedding invitation, inviting him to the handfasting ceremony of Thalia Dougal and Harrison MacKay, the Laird of Clan MacGibbon.
“She’s marryin’ that bastard?” he hissed, unable to keep his anger from bubbling over.
“Who is?”
Finlay turned his glare on Daisy before he could stop himself. She winced at the expression, but she wasn’t as scared as she used to be. He growled, crumpling the note and throwing it to the ground.
“Is everythin’ all right?” she asked.
“Aye!” Finlay barked, much louder than necessary.
“Then why do ye look like ye want to murder somebody?”
Finlay ran his hands over his face, trying to soften his expression enough to turn back to the girl.
“Everythin’ is fine,” he said, a little softer this time. It took all of his control not to growl again.
Daisy frowned, clearly not believing him. She reached out her hand, her small fingers barely able to wrap around three of his, but the gesture was appreciated all the same.
“Daisy, why daenae ye show me yer favorite flowers?” he asked, hoping it would distract her from asking too many questions.
It worked. Her face lit up, and she led him over to another bush. She talked animatedly with her hands, yet his focus was not on her. His mind was on Thalia, and the knowledge that in just a few days, she would be married to a tyrant. A man she had fought so hard to run away from.
Why the change? Had her uncle still forced her to marry him? Had he not believed her when she told him of the attempted kidnapping?
His instincts screamed at him to do something. He wanted to tear across the Highlands, hunt her and her uncle down, and demand why this was happening.
That was, however, very much impossible.
Daisy was still talking, and something behind him seemed to catch her eye. She paused, then her smile widened as she waved excitedly.
“Uncle Caden!” she cried.
That broke Finlay out of his thoughts, and he saw his brother jogging over towards them.
“I was told I would find ye two out here,” Caden said as he drew closer.
Daisy launched herself at him, her arms winding around his legs. “Did ye bring Aunt Ava with ye?” she squealed.
“Nay, she’s nae at MacCabe Castle right now. She’s actually…” he trailed off, glancing up at Finlay. “Away.”
