"Brodie, I swear to God, if ye don't tell me where she is right now, I'm going to end ye, got it? I know ways to keep it bloodless."
Paisley pulled a face. "I... I should probably go down."
"I hadn't realized how close ye two were. For Brodie's sake, aye, ye should hurry." he agreed, suppressing a smile.
Paisley hesitated, one hand on the doorknob. Then she darted over to him, stood up on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek.
"I'll see you tonight." she murmured, then she was gone, door swinging open behind her.
Dominic followed her to the doorway and leaned against the frame, listening. Downstairs, it sounded like Ava had turned her anger onto Paisley instead.
"Where have yebeen, lass? Ye didn't come home last night! I was worried sick! I went through the forest, expecting at every moment to find ye dead in the bushes!"
"Well, I'm not dead, I'm perfectly well." Came Paisley's cool, measured response.
Ava was having none of it.
"Oh, aye, I can see that. Ye areglowing, lassie. I'm expecting details when I get home."
"Ava!"
"What? Come on, ye can tell me."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. Now, let's go home and have some breakfast, shall we?"
The door opened and closed again, shutting out Ava and Paisley's conversation. Dominic shook his head, suppressing a smile.
Ava would guess at once, of course. However, she would likely assume that Paisley's clandestine meeting had taken place withBrodie. After all, why would Ava think that he, Laird MacLennan, would be sleeping in a pub when he had an entire Keep at his disposal?
It is silly,Dominic thought, stepping back into his room and closing the door.Why am I sleeping here when I could just go home?
The answer came immediately.
Because it doesn't feel like home.
He groaned, filling his washbasin with cold water from the jug. In winter, the water froze over, meaning that he had to break the thin layer of ice on top before he could wash.
The Keep was more comfortable, for sure. It was also less private. His mother was there, with her well-meaning nosiness inescapable. Dominic had left the Keep because he needed to escape, he needed to be free, needed to be himself.
Perhaps he and Paisley had that in common. A desire for freedom, to choose one's own fate.
The difference was that the thing Paisley had fled from didn't affect hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent men and women. She wasn't a clan laird with weighty responsibilities, and people who relied on her for food, shelter, and safety.
Dominic shook his head, not wanting to think about this right now. He splashed cold water over his face hoping to wash away the thoughts, too.
It didn't work, of course.
15
At least this will take my mind off the fact that Papa has found me, and the earl might be here soon too,Paisley thought, eyeing her reflection.
At the time, bringing her favorite gown seemed ridiculous, pointless, and plain foolish. Now, she couldn't help but feel a little smug. The gown hadn't taken upthatmuch space in her bags, and she did, after all, look very nice in it.
"It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen." Ava said approvingly. "Give me a twirl, lassie."
Paisley obeyed, spinning around so that her beaded skirts swung out around her.
The gown in question was her coming-out dress, commissioned especially for her very first ball, her coming-out ball, hosted at their home. It was made out of lengths of white silk, decoratedwith pearls and beads climbing up from the hem towards the waistline, like ivy climbing a wall, and delicate patterns of lace across the bodice.
