Page 62 of His Secret Highland Bride

Determination.

He shook his head. He could not do this. He would not do this.

He loved Lindsay, and he needed her. There had to be another way to keep his marriage without putting his clan at risk. As he knelt there in the darkness, an idea formed. It would not be an easy thing. But weren’t the best things in life worth the sacrifice?

He had a duty to his clan, but he had a duty to Lindsay as well. He’d protect her at all costs, like he should have protected Maria. With a new purpose, he stood and headed back to the castle to present the Wallace laird with another option.

In the bailey, Shane ran into Fitz, who was covering as war chief with Alec away.

“Are ye heading back to the celebration?” he asked.

Shane paused and shook his head. He wished Alec was there—not only because he was worried for his brother but because Shane’s decision impacted Alec. He had a right to know what Shane planned.

“I’ve decided what I shall do about the situation.”

Fitz’s thick brows came down in a heavy crease. “I thought it had already been decided before ye left.”

“I can’t leave Lindsay ruined.”

“Then we go to war with the Wallaces. It would’ve been better to do so before we invited them behind our walls into the keep.”

“Nay. I don’t wish to put my men and clan at risk because I’m unable to do my duty. I will abdicate my title to Alec, and I will offer to return to Riccarton to work off my debt to the Wallaces with Lindsay by my side.”

Shane watched as Fitz winced and rubbed his chin. “I don’t think Alec is going to like this plan. Besides, being laird is your birthright. You are the laird, not a servant.”

“I am a husband.”

“You would choose a woman over your clan? Ye are more like your father than I realized.”

Shane let out a breath and shook his head. “It’s not like that. I chose my men and duty over my wife once before, and it ended in bloodshed, guilt, and pain. I’ll not do it again. I must choose Lindsay. Don’t you see? This is nothing like what my father did. You would have me ruin the woman I married to offer my protection by casting her aside for an alliance I had no part in? Is that what the MacPherson name means to you? Have we no honor at all?”

Fitz huffed out a breath and walked in a small circle before coming back to stand before him.

“You know I’ll always stand by you, even if your plan is daft and will lead to catastrophe.”

Shane patted the man and turned toward the door to the hall, where Tory was hurrying out.

“There you are. You must come inside at once. Ye are not going to believe what has happened.”

Rather than tell him, she simply spun and went back inside, leaving Shane and Fitz to follow after her.

The previous air of celebration had been replaced with anger and accusation. The Wallace laird was blustering to the room at large, and his men had taken on their laird’s unrest. A few of them shoved into the MacPherson guard.

Upon entering, they caught the attention of Donald Wallace, who called out his name.

“What has happened?” Shane whispered to his sister. Shane had hoped the man would be in his earlier good mood to hear Shane’s proposal.

It was the last chance he had to save his marriage to Lindsay. He’d offer to work off the debt himself as a servant at Riccarton. He didn’t think Lindsay would mind, having thought him a poor soldier all along anyway. She’d asked to leave the MacPherson lands, and he’d now honor her earlier request.

After he told her the truth of who he was.

“After you left, the Wallace laird asked for his daughter to be brought to him.”

Shane blinked in confusion. “I thought he was bringing his daughter with him.”

Tory shook her head. “He says she arrived months ago to help a sick family member and remained at Cluny. He accused you of having her locked in the dungeon until she suddenly arrived. And you’re not going to believe—”

She was interrupted from further explanation as the man came closer.