Ewan downed the goblet of ale, poured more, then turned and glared at Braden before he downed the second cup. “I don’t want to hear it from a man who tricked his daughter and forced her to run to me. If Alexander was so worried for her welfare, he should have kept her home where she belonged.”
“What are you saying?” Lochlan asked.
He gestured angrily with his goblet toward the door. “It’s true. You can ask the gypsy lass, Catarina yourself. Canmore wanted to align his family to ours and sought to trick her and me.”
Ewan laughed bitterly at that. “But the trick it seems is on him since he promised her to Ryan who won’t release her from the betrothal. So you see, it was all a buggering waste of time.”
“Ewan!” his mother snapped. “You watch your mouth.”
He clenched his teeth and bit back the nasty retort he longed to utter. Angry though he was, he wouldn’t hurt his mother by his nastiness.
Ewan started to pour more ale, but Lochlan stopped him by covering the goblet with his hand.
Lochlan gave a hard stare at Sin, Braden, and their mother. “Could you leave us alone?”
They withdrew reluctantly.
Lochlan took the goblet from him.
Ewan growled, but as usual his brother ignored him and pushed his hand away when he sought to reclaim the goblet.
“I need you sober a bit longer to explain this to me. Her father is outside ready to tear this clan apart and to bring the kings of both Scotland and England down on our heads unless you do right by his daughter. Now tell me why it is she has been traveling alone with you.”
Ewan glared at his older brother. He didn’t need this lecture and he hated being toyed with. Alexander’s plan had been ill laid and now all he wanted was time alone to forget his part in the whole debacle. “I told you everything.”
“You’ve told me nothing.”
“Ewan?”
Ewan closed his eyes and clenched his teeth at the sound of his name on Nora’s lips. It tore through him.
He couldn’t face her now. Not here in this hall where he had once fought Kieran over possession of Isobail.
He picked up the pitcher of ale and headed toward the stairs. “I want to be alone.”
He had barely taken a step before Nora rushed forward and planted herself firmly in his path.
He felt his jaw tic at her actions. “Move, Nora.”
She stood there unflinching, with her hands on her hips. “Or what?”
“I’ll move you out of my way.”
She lifted her chin defiantly as she obviously braced herself to face him. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Tired, angry, heartbroken and filled with physical and mental agony, he was in no mood for her challenges.
Setting the ale aside, he faced her. He knew his mother, brothers and her parents were watching them, but he was past the point of caring.
Damn all of them.
And damn anyone who got between him and those stairs...
Nora gasped as Ewan actually tossed her over his shoulder and headed away from the stairs.
“What are you doing?” her father demanded.
“I’m removing the obstacle from my path.” Ewan sat her down in Lochlan’s padded chair by the hearth.
