Page 35 of Wicked Kilted Highlander

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

The flickering light of the hearth cast shadows on the stone walls, as Lara decided to take a bath and then get something to eat. As steam rose from the wooden tub filled with warm water, she sank into it, sighing at the comfort that the hot liquid provided.

She allowed herself a moment of respite before her thoughts turned back to Darragh. She knew she had to help him, but first she had to wait for everyone to go to bed. After drying off and dressing in her simple nightgown, Lara stole down to the kitchen, where she gathered some bread, cheese, and dried meat, wrapping them securely in a cloth.

With everyone in the castle retired for the night, Lara seized the opportunity to make her way to the dungeon. Her heart raced as she tiptoed through the dark corridors, her bare feet cold against the damp stone floor. The smell of the dungeon—a mixture of dampness, mold, and despair—filled her nostrils as she approached. Her resolve was strengthened by the thought of Darragh suffering alone, forcing her to steel herself and continue forward.

As she slipped past the dozing guard, Lara felt both relief and anxiety. The weight of the food in the cloth bundle seemed to grow heavier in her hands, a concrete reminder of the risk she was taking. She knew that if she were caught, her family would be furious with her, but she couldn't bear the thought of Darragh going hungry and being alone, not knowing his destiny.

"Dear Lord," Lara whispered a prayer under her breath, "please let me reach him safely."

Her heart thundered in her ears as she made her way through the dimly lit dungeon, her eyes drawn to the flickering torchlight that illuminated the occupied cell.

The scent of damp stone surrounded Lara as she approached it, her heart pounded wildly.

"Psst, Darragh," Lara whispered, catching his attention with a furtive glance. She slipped the cloth bundle through the bars of the cell, letting it drop onto the cold floor with a soft thud. "I brought ye some food." She spoke in a whisper, and he followed suit.

"What are ye doing here?" he asked, his black eyes flickering towards the shadowy hallway beyond her. "Ye need tae leave before someone catches ye."

"Please, just eat," Lara urged, ignoring his attempts to silence her. She glanced around nervously, acutely aware of the danger they faced if discovered. "I didnae want ye tae go hungry, and I have tae tell ye somethin'."

"What could be so important that ye'd risk yer safety like this?" Darragh demanded, his voice a barely audible growl.

Lara hesitated, her eyes darting between the food at his feet and his tense, guarded expression. "I lied tae me faither," she confessed, her voice quivering with emotion. "I told him I’m—" She paused, swallowing hard before continuing. "—I told him I’m with child."

"Ye what?" Darragh stared at her in disbelief, his hands clenching into fists around the bars. "Why would ye dae such a thing?"

"Because," Lara's voice wavered, but she held his gaze, determined to make him understand, "because I thought it would save ye. I thought if he believed ye were the faither, he'd spare yer life."

"And what will happen when he finds out ye lied?" Darragh's voice was harsh and unforgiving, a stark contrast to the tenderness of before. "What will happen tae ye then, Lara? How can I live and ken I’m the reason fer ye sufferin’?"

"I dinnae ken what’ll happen," she admitted, trying to grab hold of his hands. "But I’ll face whatever comes, so long as it means keeping ye safe."

"Ye shouldnae have done it," Darragh said quietly, his expression softening slightly. "But thank ye, Lara. We’ll find a solution."

"Aye, we will," she whispered, anxious to reassure him and realizing just how much he meant to her. Was this what Darragh had told her about a day ago that now seemed an eternity away. Was what she was feeling for him… love?

Before she could voice another word, the darkness stirred, revealing the familiar figures of her older brothers, Gil and Quinn.

"Och, so ye've finally decided tae show yerselves," Darragh spat bitterly, his shackles clanking against the cold stone wall as he shifted.

Lara felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment, realizing she had been completely unaware of their presence. "How long have ye been here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Long enough tae ken ye've been lying tae our faither," Gil replied, his tone stern yet not unkind. He studied Lara, concern etching lines across his face. "We've been speaking with Darragh, trying tae understand what happened."

"And dae ye believe him?" Lara ventured, desperate to know where her brothers stood on the matter.

"What matters most right now is finding a way tae fix this mess," Quinn interjected gruffly, his arms crossed over his broad chest. "Yer lie bought us some time, but it'll nae hold up forever."

"I ken," Lara admitted, wringing her hands together. "But I didnae ken what else tae say. I couldnae let him die."

"And ye shouldnae have lied either," Gil chided. "But we are where we are, and we need tae work together tae sort things out."

"Ye mean ye're willing' tae help?" Lara looked at her brothers, hope flickering in her heart.

"Aye," Quinn grumbled, his eyes darting to Darragh. "But dinnae take that as a sign that we're completely convinced of his innocence."

"Thank ye," Lara breathed out in relief, her heart swelling with gratitude for her brothers' support.