Page 29 of The Laird’s Sinful Secret

“It would prevent war.” His voice hardened. “Between our clans. Hundreds could die⁠—”

“I am not responsible fer men going tae war,” she said her voice shaking with anger. “They would have gone tae war regardless of what I did. Me faither’s ambitions, yer clan’s lands—none of that has anything tae dae with me. I’m just the excuse ye’re all using.”

Euan’s hands shot out, catching her shoulders before she could storm past him. His grip was careful but unyielding, and when he spoke, his voice carried that absolute authority she’d heard him use with his men.

“Think about this, lass. Truly think. What future dae ye have now? Yer faither’s cast ye off. Nay other clan will want tae deal with this problem, risking his anger. But as me wife⁠—”

“I’d rather die alone than marry ye.” She jerked free of his hold, putting the desk between them. “Find another way tae solve yer political problems. I’m nae interested.”

“Moyra—”

“Is that all, me laird?” The formal address tasted like ashes. “Or dae ye have more ways tae demonstrate how I’m naething but a piece on yer chess board?”

Something flickered in his eyes—hurt, maybe, or regret. But his voice remained steady. “I’m asking ye tae consider it. That’s all. Just think about how this could help both our clans return tae normalcy. How it could prevent bloodshed. How it could protect ye and give ye a future and status.”

“There’s naething tae think about.” She moved to the door, needing to escape before the tears burning behind her eyes could fall. “The answer is nay. “

“Moyra, wait⁠—”

But she was already through the door, fleeing down the corridor with her father’s betrayal and Euan’s proposal chasing her like demons.

Behind her, she heard his voice one more time, rough and impossibly sad:

“I’m sorry, lass. Fer all of it.”

But sorry changed nothing.

Sorry didn’t unwrite her father’s letter or undo Euan’s cold calculation.

Sorry was just another word for trapped.