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Kirstine frowned, evidently agreeing. “It just seems wrong for a woman as beautiful as you . . .”

If she were beautiful, then Kirstine was positively ravishing. But it did not matter what either of them looked like. If anything, beauty was a curse in this world, one dominated by power and strength. It hardly mattered that she was the daughter of an earl. She and Kirstine were similar in more ways than they were not. And like the maid, Clarissa would do what she must to survive.

* * *

“Aidan, are you listening?”

In truth, he was not. Something about another attack, further west.

“I heard some. What were you saying?”

Graeme crossed his arms and waited. He supposed his brother wished for him to explain what distracted him, though he’d likely not care for the answer.

Telling his brother I was thinking of the very lady who has the ability to unravel all of our plans; in fact, I was considering going to Sutworth Manor, just to ensure she is well would not do. Nay, he would keep those thoughts to himself.

“Douglas is becoming impatient. He sent word this morning that unless Theffield capitulates soon, he’ll not be able to persuade the clans to our cause,” Graeme repeated.

Aidan stood. The midday meal had ended, and he no longer wished to sit still.

Clarissa had been at Sutworth Manor for a full day now. How had the priest reacted to her plan? Would he help her? Or betray her to her father?

“Aidan!”

His reverie was broken by his sister-in-law’s shriek from the hall entrance. Allie, with her husband. The streaks of dark blond in Allie’s brown hair were not unlike the streak of wildness she possessed, the most noticeable difference between her and Gillian, who was currently resting in her bedchamber. The visit was unexpected, but no less welcome. He quite missed Allie, and the longsword lessons he’d given her while she lived at Highgate End.

Both he and Graeme left the trestle table to greet them, Aidan’s hand falling to the dirk that never left his side. Given to him by Allie’s husband, Reid, the youngest of the four Kerr brothers, it reminded him of the role he’d played in bringing the couple together. A role he was quite proud of, but one which had nearly cost him Gillian’s loyalty.

She’d not cared for Reid. Hated him, in fact. But luckily, those sentiments were firmly in the past. As they reached the newcomers, Aidan shook Reid’s hand. Or attempted to at least. Allie threw her arms around him, nearly stumbling in her eagerness, as everyone around them laughed.

“’Tis been too long,” she said, letting go.

Her smile was as radiant as ever, the happiness she enjoyed with her new husband evident. “Not so long, sister.”

Then his eye caught Reid’s, and he knew this was no simple familial visit. They came bearing news, and the way things were going lately, the tidings would not be welcome.

“She insisted on accompanying me.”

Allie shrugged. “He insisted on making it difficult.”

Aidan listened to their banter with pride, happy to have been right about them from the start. They were good for each other. They were happy together. Would he and Clarissa have ever achieved this easiness with each other?

And then Allie leveled a look of her own at him.

Uh-oh.

He knew that look. She’d noticed his expression.

“Will you walk with me?” she asked.

As if he had a choice. She would not be waylaid, and if her expression were any indication, this would not be an entirely comfortable discussion.

“I will share Reid’s news but have some of my own,” Allie added.

“Of course,” he said, following her from the hall into the courtyard. Ignoring the activity around them, the squeals of young children running past and the distant sounds of the armory, Aidan and Allie walked up a stone stairwell that led to an eastern-facing wall-walk. It was only when they arrived at the top, as he laid a hand on the stone in front of them and looked up at the cloudless sky, that Allie began her assault.

“Tell me,” she said simply.

He pretended to misunderstand.