Page 45 of The Highlander’s Kilted Affair

“I didnae think ye would be awake yet,” Evelyn replied sheepishly.

“Well, I am. And now, ye may come over here and tell me everything.” Yvaine grinned.

Evelyn moved across the room and slid under the covers of her bed. She had managed to get a little bit of sleep, but nowhere near enough. However, as tired as she was, she was still excited, and pulling the covers up over her body, she gazed over at her sister.

“When did ye ken?” she asked.

“Och, I’ve had me suspicions for a while.” Yvaine shrugged. “I just didnae realize it was as serious as it obviously is.”

“I’m sorry I’ve been keeping secrets from ye, Yvaine.”

Yvaine smiled excitedly. “Well, now I’ve discovered yer love affair, I want tae ken everything,” she gushed. “I assume yer were nae just sleeping in Benedict’s bed.”

Evelyn felt her cheeks bloom with heat, and pressing her hands against the soft skin of her face, she giggled and shook her head.

“Was it the first time?” Yvaine pressed.

Evelyn looked embarrassed and shook her head again.

“Really?” Yvaine gasped excitedly with a huge grin.

“Well. It was the first time in that way, ye ken…” She trailed off, for the awkwardness would not let her continue. “But we had been together in other ways ‘afore last night.”

“And? What was it like?”

Evelyn dreamily recalled her feelings, the pain, but then the delirious delight.

“He kens exactly how tae please me,” she said wistfully. “I never want it tae end.”

Those words changed her soft smile to a thoughtful frown, for her future was now so uncertain. She had never been overly enamored with having to marry a stranger in the first place, but given the circumstances, she had accepted it for the good of the clan.

Now, her heart had been captured by a wonderful, strong, and handsome man. A man who was not her betrothed. She wanted to be with him more than anything in the world. But it was complicated.

“I’m sorry I havenae told ye the truth, Yvaine. I have hated keeping things from ye. We’ve always told each other everything.”

“I understand,” Yvaine said kindly.

“Dae ye?”

“I think so.” Her sister nodded. “I think a part o’ ye has kept it from me because if ye said it out loud, it would all be too real.”

Evelyn was surprised at her sister’s insight. In fact, she had said nearly the same words to Benedict the night she told him that she knew who he was. Yes, speaking it out loud would make it all too real, but it was more than that.

“It’s nae just that it will be too real. I think me main reason fer keeping it such a secret is because it’s been so wrong. Guilt has led me tae keep secrets. What we’ve been doing is so bad that, as much as my heart sings when I am with him, I cannae truly be happy.”

“I dinnae see it like that, Evelyn,” Yvaine replied, surprising her sister. “Yer heart chooses who it desires, and there’s naething ye can dae tae stop it. If ye hadnae have been forced tae marry Laird Gunn, then what ye and Benedict feel fer each other would be completely normal, wouldnae it?”

“That’s nae the point,” Evelyn countered.

“O’ course, it is. Dae ye really think Audor wants his braither tae be miserable fer the rest o’ his life? Dae ye think he would want Benedict tae have tae live in this castle, having tae see ye every day, knowing ye’re another man’s wife? His braither’s, on top of it?”

She didn’t really know the answer to those questions. She wanted to believe that Audor would want his brother to be happy, but not at the expense of betrayal. “I dinnae think it’s that simple, Yvaine. We’re being disloyal tae Audor.”

Yvaine sighed. “I dinnae ken the laird all that well, but from what I have seen o’ him, I dinnae think that’s true. In fact, I think ye and Benedict should speak tae Audor when he returns. Perhaps he will understand.”

“Ye sound just like Benedict. He said exactly the same this morning. He said he was going to speak tae Audor about us. But I’m nae so sure.” Evelyn shook her head worriedly. “What if us being together ruins the lives o’ everyone else around us? What about the alliance? What about Faither?”

Yvaine jumped off her bed and came to sit beside Evelyn on hers. Taking her sisters hand in her own, Yvaine looked at her intently and said, “I think it’s time ye were a little bit selfish, sister. Ye’ve always put everyone ‘afore yersel’. Now, ye need tae think o’ yer own happiness.”