Page 50 of Highlander’s Dangerous Gambler

Beside him, Brodie intercepted sneakily. "Ach, Scott, noo, let me see...which one o' the knaves is he?" Oddly, a twisted smirk wrapped itself around his face. Momentarily, he froze, thinking. "Och, the one wi' the sister who's a wee strumpet, got herself into trouble an' had a bairn oot' o' wedlock. Aye, I ken him."

Brodie's eyes wandered around the room, glinting mischievously. For a moment, they connected with his father's, glistening in the dim lighting. Aileen saw the look between them and wondered what it meant. She urgently wished to know more, but it was hard to ask.

Tapping the plate with a fork, Aileen's mind ran with questions.

"Aye, we only keep him on for pity, truth be told," said Brodie, this time louder. "Still, I am glad he could help ye. That is really braw to ken."

He refilled his glass again, this time knocking the carafe over, spilling red wine all over the tablecloth and down onto the floor.

As all the servants rushed around, scooping up the spilled wine and trying to fend off crimson armageddon on the table linen, Aileen's brow furrowed seriously.

"Lass or laddie?" she asked suddenly. In all the melee, she thought Brodie would not hear her. But he did.

Uncertainly, he stared at her. "What?" he asked, a little confused.

"The bairn. Was it a lad or a girl?"

Her face was simple and inquiring. Perhaps flustered by the question, Brodie answered it falteringly.

"A...lad...I believe. Why?"

Aileen sighed, then smiled. Immediately, she thought of Fergal, or Marcas, Grace's bairn. Then she tried to picture Scott as an uncle. What sort of uncle would he be?

"No reason," said Aileen, changing her expression. She cooled a little, then smiled. Fixing Brodie with her most polished grin, she continued. "Noo why dinnae ye tell us a wee bit more about yersel', Brodie. I hardly ken a thing, an' surely I cannae wed a man whom I ken nothing of!"

For a moment, there was silence, followed by loud peals of laughter. Brodie's braying laugh reverberated around the castle walls like a stuck pig.

"Och, darling, what do ye want to ken? Let me tell ye everything!"