Blast her father for putting her in this position! Duty and loyalty to her husband warred with that to her brother. She wanted to tell Eoin about Duncan, but she didn’t want to put her brother at risk.
Could she trust Eoin to do nothing with the information that Duncan was in the area?
She knew the answer. If she told Eoin he would be in the same position as her: caught between divided loyalties. If he used the knowledge he would betray her, but if he didn’t, and Duncan did something against Bruce, he would feel as if he’d let down the king.
Margaret wouldn’t put him in that position of having to choose between two loyalties. She would tell him, but only once Duncan had gone.
“Nothing else?”
Whether it was his persistence or his tone, she didn’t know, but every instinct flared. Still, she didn’t heed the warning and shook her head.
His eyes never left her face. “We were set upon by Lorn’s men last night.”
“Oh, Eoin!” She moved to her knees, wanting to throw her arms around him in relief that he’d not been injured or worse, but he pulled back stiffly.
“I think they were warned.”
Her eyes widened. “But how? I thought you said no one knew your plans.”
“No one did.”
It was then that she understood his cold greeting. She pulled back, looking at him in horror. “You don’t think I said something?” But it was clear that was exactly what he thought. A wave of hurt crashed down on her, threatening to drag her under, but she forced herself to stay calm. “It wasn’t me, Eoin. I know the danger—I would never betray your confidence.”
His eyes scanned hers. “I want to believe that.”
She lifted her chin. “Then do. It’s the truth.”
“And what about your brother’s visit yesterday? The visit you failed to mention. What’s the truth about that, Margaret?”
The blood slid from her face. Hehadknown. Oh God, she should have told him. He must be thinking the worst. How could she make him understand? “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position.”
He made a sharp sound. “You must be jesting. You can’t seriously claim to have lied to me for ‘my own good’?”
Margaret bristled at his tone. “I didn’t lie to you. I was going to tell you when my brother left the area. But he’s mybrother, Eoin. I don’t want to see him hurt any more than I do you. I did what I thought best under the circumstances. What would you have done had I told you? Would you have betrayed my confidence and gone after him or would you have ignored your duty to Bruce and let him go?”
His mouth fell in a flat line—clearly he didn’t like her question or being put on the spot. “It isn’t that simple. Nor is this about what I’ve done.” Taking her by the elbow, he drew her off the bed to stand before him. “What did you tell Duncan, Margaret?”
“Nothing.” She met his gaze square on. “I told him nothing.” Her eyes beseeched him to believe her, but his expression was set like stone and just as impenetrable.
“So it’s just a coincidence that your brother shows up here one day and that very night the MacDougalls not only avoid the trap we have for them, but turn it against us? A trap, I might add, that no one knew about but you.”
She lifted her chin. “Someone else must have known about it, because I didn’t tell him. My brother’s purpose here was not to spy on you or gather information. He was here to offer Eachann and me a way to leave. He was under the impression we were not here of our own volition and might be in need of rescue.”
His eyes sharpened to hard blue points. “And what did you tell him?”
“I didn’t have a chance to tell him anything. We barely exchanged two words. But I would have told him that we were quite happy here and in no need of rescue.” Now she wasn’t so sure. “I certainly didn’t share anything about where you were going or what you were planning. Why would I do that? It doesn’t make sense.”
“I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me? I’ve been trying to figure it out myself. Did you let it slip out accidentally? Did he threaten you or Eachann?”
“I told you that I didn’t say anything. Is that so hard to believe?”
He didn’t respond, but just stared at her coldly—harshly.
Margaret felt her own temper spike. She thought they’d gotten past this. But maybe they would never be able to get past it. The newfound trust she’d been so excited by had crumbled at the first test. “So is this how it’s to be then? Am I to be the first one suspected whenever anything goes wrong no matter what I say? What about all those things you told me, Eoin—do they mean nothing? I thought you trusted me.”
“I did—or I never would have told you my plans.”
“And now?”
