Ailean didn’t share their fascination. This was the last place he wanted to be right now.
And despite the tension in the hall, he found his mind wandering to the day before in Fiona’s sun-drenched workroom. He shouldn’t have touched her so foolhardily, even if she’d been the one to instigate things this time. The tower house had been largely empty, but it had been a risk all the same. It could so easily have turned against them.
Even so, till his dying day, he’d never forget the encounter. Nor the easy familiarity that had settled between them beforehand. He’d felt at peace sitting there, drinking ale and chatting to her as she worked at her loom. It was as if they’d been doing so for years. As if all was right in the world and always would be.
That was why he’d suggested helping her, although it had been another excuse to get close. He felt as if, whenever theirpaths crossed, he barely scratched the surface of this fascinating woman—and he was hungry to learn more.
“Just two days ago, I came back early to find this” —Lennon’s voice tore him from his reverie— “this bastard swiving Innes on our kitchen table. Both naked. Shameless … and she squealing like a stuck pig.”
The woman’s face flushed crimson at this, and Rae cleared his throat. “Let’s keep things civil, Lennon. I’ll not suffer ye insulting yer wife like that.”
Lennon’s lean face twisted. “She deserves it. Thewhore.”
Meanwhile, the cooper appeared amused by the unfolding scene.
And despite that, initially, Ailean couldn’t have cared less if the three of them had gone and thrown themselves in the sea, he felt anger stir. The man had wreaked mayhem, and he seemed to be taking pleasure in it.
Guilt pricked at him then. He wasn’t tumbling another man’s wife, but hewasbreaking the rules with Fiona, and if their secret trysts were discovered, the consequences would be far direr for her than for him.
Aye, it was an unfair world—something that the trapper’s wife, who was now weeping, had just discovered. Her husband had turned on her, and her lover was amused by the whole thing.
“So, is this true, Keith?” Rae turned his attention to the accused. “Ye’ve been swiving Lennon’s wife while he’s been out setting and clearing traps?”
A pregnant silence followed, and it was clear from the look on Keith’s face that he was debating whether to deny the whole thing or admit his guilt. Eventually, he shrugged, deciding on the latter. “Aye, we had some sport, Innes and me,” he replied lazily. “The lass was lonely, ye see. Her man leaves her alone too long. And she had an itch she needed scratched.” He flashed thetrapper a leer. “And by all accounts, ye have a limp slug in yer braies.”
A roar of rage splintered the air as Lennon flew at him.
He was lean and fast, and his fist met the cooper’s nose with a sickening crunch. The bigger man reeled back, blood gushing from his nostrils. “Ye’ll pay for that, ye shite-eater!”
Lennon rushed at him again, but this time, Keith was ready for him. Fists swung once more—the slap and crunch of knuckles hitting flesh—
“Enough!” Rae shouted.
He gestured to the guards flanking the hall, and the men moved forward, yanking the two former friends apart.
“I’ve heard enough,” the laird said, the disgust clear in his voice. His gaze fastened upon Keith, who struggled between two burly guards, blood still trickling from his nose, his dark gaze murderous. “A man who’d cuckold a friend and then sneer about it has no place at Dounarwyse. Return to yer bothy. Pack what ye can. I want ye gone by dusk.”
The cooper’s face went slack. He gaped at the chieftain as if he couldn’t understand him.
“I’ll not repeat myself,” Rae said, dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
They started to tow Keith toward the doors. He struggled, cursed, then pleaded—but Rae wasn’t listening. And not for the first time, Ailean was in awe of his father. He had ruled Dounarwyse justly for decades. He was loved by his people—but he was not a man to cross.
When the heavy oaken door shut behind Keith, Rae turned his focus to the trapper.
Lennon’s left eye was starting to swell. Keith had landed a good punch there. Nonetheless, the man held himself straight and proud, vindicated.
Next to him, his wife still wept, one hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. The anguish in her eyes cut Ailean deeply. He didn’t like to see lasses cry—never had.
“Lennon,” Rae said heavily, “I’m tempted to send ye away too … after that scene … but to do so would leave Innes without a roof over her head.”
The trapper’s jaw flexed.
“The matter is dealt with,” he went on. “Keith won’t be causing trouble any longer. But ye are not to take yer anger out on yer wife. If I hear ye’ve beaten her or treated her cruelly, I’ll haul ye in here and deal with ye myself.”
A little of the victory drained from Lennon’s face. “But she—”
“It’s up to ye whether ye forgive Innes,” Rae said. “Whether ye even wish to remain wed to her. But ye will not lift a hand to her. Is that clear?” Steel rang in his voice.
