Page 48 of Seduction in a Kilt

“I mean that maybe it wasnae a raid by an enemy clan at all. Maybe it was somethin’ else entirely. Part of a larger plan, somethin’ much closer tae home.”

“Tell me now!” Ivy demanded, every nerve in her body telling her to flee. But her desperate need to know if he was telling the truth, and if so, what about exactly, kept her pinned to the spot.

“I cannae talk here,” the man said just a couple came out running and laughing. “Ye must meet me in secrecy if ye wantae ken more.”

Ivy felt she had no choice but to meet him. “All right. Where and when?”

“There’s an abandoned chapel in the woods,” he said and gave her directions of how to get there. “Meet me there at dusk, three nights from now. I must go.”

Ivy shivered as she watched the stranger turn and hurry away, soon disappearing into the darkness of the gardens. The sound of boots on gravel behind her made her turn. She clenched her fists to see Liam walking towards the keep.

“Who was that ye were talkin’ tae?” he asked, appearing at her side and easily keeping pace with her.

“’Tis none of yer business.”

“Of course, ‘tis me business. I’m supposed tae keep ye safe.”

“Well, why d’ye nae keep me safe from ye and bugger off?”

“What were ye talkin’ about tae that stranger in the cloak?”

“I told ye, mind yer business.”

“Ivy, I demand that ye tell me! Ye could be in danger!”

“The only danger I’m in is from ye.”

“I dinnae like it.”

“Oh, dear me, what a shame.”

“Ye shouldnae just go around talkin’ tae strangers willingly.”

“Ye cannae tell me who tae speak tae, Liam,” she replied angrily.

“I bloody well can, and I will!”

“Ach, watch yeresl’, or ye might make another of yer big mistakes,” she riposted cuttingly. Losing patience with his highhanded attitude and still deeply hurt by his behavior over the kiss, she snapped, “Ye can go now. I’m goin’ back tae the chamber. I’m tired.”

“I’ll walk ye back.”

“There’s nay need,” she replied, juts wanting him to leave her alone. “Ye’ve said all ye need tae say.”

Nevertheless, though she refused to say another word to him, he escorted her all the way back to the chamber and bade her to lock the door until he returned.

“And dinnae open it fer anyone else,” he instructed her. She huffed and went inside.

Liam waited in the hall until he heard the key turn in the lock of Ivy’s chamber door. Then he walked away down the hall, intending to go back to the cèilidh, as he had promised Knox he would.

Back in the gardens, after Ivy had left him, he had felt terrible about the way he had treated her. After a few minutes, he had gone after her, wanting a chance to explain himself better and perhaps even apologize. That had been all that was on his mind when he caught sight of her talking to someone.

The matter of what had happened in the gardens between them minutes before was instantly superseded by suspicion and the fear that she could be in danger. He had hurried towards them, but somehow, the hooded man had disappeared before had he got there. He had secretly breathed a sigh of relief that Ivy was safe, even if she hated him at that moment.

As he strode towards the hall, he recalled watching the cloaked figure flee into the shadows as soon as he caught sight of him approaching. Why was he sneaking around in the darkness? Why did he run off so suddenly? Did he have something to hide?

Something about the stranger gnawed at him—a feeling that the man must have had some ulterior motive for engaging in such a secretive way with Ivy. With the way things stood between Knox and McAlister and his crony Hamilton, he could not help but wonder if the stranger could possibly be someone with ties to both sides of the conflict, someone with ties to MacAlister. The thought was deeply alarming. He did not know what he would do now if any harm came to Ivy, even more so, now that the kiss had complicated their relationship.

The cèilidh was still in full swing when he went back into the hall. He was warmly welcomed back by Knox and his other new friends. In an effort to rid himself of his troubling thoughts, he began drinking to match them and ended the evening quite intoxicated, engaging in wrestling matches with first Knox and then Magnus before the night was over.