Page 39 of Secrets of a Kilted Seduction

“I just said so, did I nae?” she answered.

“It could be dangerous,” he warned her.

“It could be dangerous if I stay here without ye,” she pointed out. “When shall we go?”

“Early tomorrow, before there’s too many people about.”

“All right.” She nodded. “Mayhap we will find me faither. That would be somethin’, eh?”

“Aye, that would be somethin’ indeed,” he agreed, happy that she trusted him to take care of her.

Not long after they had finished their discussion and had just agreed to go for a walk together in the garden to bolster the illusion they were happily married, Angus the steward knocked on their door. Tadhg opened it, but Angus barely acknowledged him before peering around him and addressing Alana directly.

He bowed before saying, “I beg yer pardon fer the interruption, Lady Alana, but Blaine is requestin’ yer presence at an emergency council meetin’.”

“Now?” she asked.

“Aye, now, he says,” the steward replied.

“Ach, very well. We’ll be down in a minute or two.”

Angus eyed Tadhg doubtfully. “I dinnae think yer husband’s presence is required.” he said.

To Tadhg’s satisfaction, Alana rounded on the servant. “I require his presence,” she told him in no uncertain terms.

Angus frowned, but he nodded. “Very well, me lady. I’ll tell Blaine ye’re on yer way.” He bowed again before rushing off down the hallway.

“Thanks fer stickin’ up fer me. I appreciate it,” Tadhg told her, secretly thrilled at her insistence that he accompany her. That, plus the fact she wanted to go with him on the scouting trip, made him feel like he was slowly winning back her trust. It was what he craved, apart from her love, of course.

“I’m nae goin’ tae one of these bloody meetins without ye,” she said, taking up her shawl and putting it around her shoulders. “I wonder why ’tis an emergency meetin’. D’ye think there could be news about me faither?” she asked as they headed down the hallway towards the staircase.

“Maybe,” Tadhg said, hiding his skepticism for fear of upsetting her. “But I wouldnae get yer hopes up.”

It turned out the council meeting was already underway when they arrived, and a spirited discussion was in progress as they entered the room.

“Quiet, gentlemen, Lady Alana is here,” Blaine said in commanding tones from his seat at the head of the table—the seat belonging to the abducted laird, Tadhg noted as he pulled out a seat for Alana near him and then sat down next to her. Once they were seated, Blaine signaled for the discussion to continue.

“We still havenae settled the matter of what will happen tae the clan if the laird daesnae return,” said one of the councilors.

“He’s been gone a week, Robert, ye cannae give up on him after so short a time,” Roger Huston pointed out. “We need proof if he’s been killed.”

“Well, ’tis obvious that if he is dead, Lady Alana is the next in line.”

“Aye, she’s his blood!” another man exclaimed.

“But she’s illegitimate,” another argued. He looked apologetically at Alana.

“Nae offence, me lady.” Tadhg was pleased to see she ignored the comment.

“That daesnae matter. Blood prevails,” Huston insisted.

“But the Laird raised Blaine here as his heir,” the other councilman countered,

waving in Blaine’s direction. “Lady Alana is his daughter, aye, but she’s a stranger tae the clan.”

“It disnae matter how many times we keep goin’ over it,” chimed in a man with thinning red hair, “the obvious answer is fer Lady Alana and Blaine tae marry.”

“Aye, we all ken that, Raymond, but she’s already married… tae him!” he pointed at Tadhg with an expression of disgust.