A Forbidden Night with a Scot (Sins in a Kilt #1)

Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

W hen Alicia entered the drawing room the following morning, she was surprised to see not only Katherine there, but also Emmeline, along with their father, Samuel, and Nerian. Alicia came to a halt just by the entrance, her excitement at seeing Emmeline after so long dampened by the strangeness of the sight.

Why is she here? Did somethin’ happen?

It wasn’t often that Emmeline left her home in Colonsay, since she despised the long travel by boat, the sea making her fall ill every single time. For her to have made the journey, it could only mean that something was truly wrong and her presence was required.

“Alicia,” Emmeline said, standing and walking over to her to pull her into an embrace. Alicia took a deep breath, her own arms wrapping tightly around her sister, and it was then that her longing for her won over everything else for a moment, even over her fear. It had been so long—too long. And yet, it felt as though they had only just seen each other, as though nothing had changed. Emmeline herself had hardly changed at all, her bright green eyes still as intelligent and perceptive as always, her long hair the same soft brown they shared. The only difference was that she looked a little sharper, a little more angular, more like a woman. The baby fat had melted from her cheeks, and now she resembled their mother more than ever before.

“Emmeline… when did ye arrive?” Alicia asked as she pulled back just enough to look at her, still holding onto her arms. “Is everythin’ alright? Why are ye here? How was the travel? Are ye feelin’ ill?”

She couldn’t help the torrent of questions. So concerned was she for Emmeline that her mind was already racing ahead of her, coming up with all sorts of terrible scenarios to justify her sister’s presence.

“When I heard about yer betrothal, I wished tae come immediately,” Emmeline said. “I went home first but I was told ye were all here, so I came tae find ye immediately.”

Though Emmeline said nothing more on the matter of Alicia’s betrothal, her bitter tone was enough for her to know the reason she had come all the way to Castle MacLachlan was because she, too, was plagued by worry. No one knew better than her what it was like to be wedded to a man one didn’t love, to be nothing but a pawn in the political games of the clans and the king. Emmeline weathered the trip and the hardships that came with it just so she could be there for Alicia, and Alicia’s chest swelled with all the love and gratitude she held for her sister.

It was good to have her there, her presence like a soothing balm to her soul and her mind. Emmeline would know what to do, Alicia thought. She could advise her better than anyone else.

But her relief was short-lived, ruptured the moment she saw Emmeline exchange a glance with their father. It was a weighted look, one that Alicia knew held a secret.

“What is it?” she asked. “Tell me.”

“I brought a letter with me, from home,” Emmeline said, and Alicia knew she didn’t mean Colonsay, but rather Castle MacCallum. “It came fer faither after ye had already left.”

A letter… it must be from the King.

Alicia looked at her father, then at Samuel and Nerian, who were all avoiding her gaze as though the guilt of their inaction was too much to bear. A part of her wished she could grab Samuel, shake him, try to talk some sense into him. Couldn’t he see that the longer he waited, the worse it would be? If he was truly serious about speaking to her father and the king, then he needed to do it soon, before the king and Laird MacTavish lost all patience and demanded a wedding.

“What does the letter say?” Alicia asked, trying to keep her voice calm and level.

It was Nerian who spoke when no one else would tell her. “The king emphasizes the importance o’ a marriage between ye an’ Laird MacTavish. It is naething new. We already kent he wishes this.”

“But there must be somethin’ more this time,” Alicia said. “Otherwise, why would he send another letter?”

There was another short stretch of silence before Nerian spoke again. “It is an effort tae pressure yer faither,” he said. “He speaks o’ the unrest between the clans an’ the attack on Samuel’s lands. There have also been attacks on neighbourin’ clans, an’ the king is concerned about the lack o’ stronger alliances. With the MacCallum an’ MacTavish Clans united, he believes few, if any, will attempt an attack either clan or their allies, including us.”

It was true, Alicia thought. Clan MacLachlan was a close ally through Samuel’s friendship with her father, and if there was ever an attack on Samuel’s clan, her father would jump to his defense, sending his troops to fight alongside Samuel’s men. As one of the most powerful and wealthiest clans, Clan MacTavish would only make this alliance stronger.

Alicia stood frozen in her spot, swaying just a little on her feet from the news. Emmeline’s strong hands were holding her, steadying her, before she guided her to one of the plush couches and sat her down gingerly, taking the seat next to her.

“The feuds, they are out o’ control,” said Nerian, and Alicia thought it was some sort of attempt to console her, to give her a concrete reason why she was being forced into this unwanted marriage, but nothing he could say would fill the pit that had opened up in her stomach, despair clawing at her lungs with every breath she drew. “The king believes a union between Clan MacCallum and Clan MacTavish will put an end tae such foolishness.”

“The king believes the union will save his hide,” said Samuel bitterly—the very first words he had spoken since Alicia had stepped foot into the room. “Instead o’ dealin’ with it himself, he is forcin’ us tae deal with it. He doesnae wish tae spare the men or the diplomacy. He only wishes tae wash his hands o’ any responsibility.”

Alicia had never heard Samuel speak so openly about the king, criticizing him without any regard to what was proper, and she was shocked to hear those words from his mouth. He looked truly angry, his face twisted with rage, his lips pursed into a thin line as though he was trying to stop himself from saying anything more.

Silence stretched over the room, none of them knowing what to say. It wasn’t until her father stood that everyone jumped into action, all of them making their way towards him even as he waved them away.

“I can walk on me own,” he said, stubborn as always. “But forgive me, I wish tae rest fer a while afore lunch. Samuel, Nerian, come… accompany me.”

As the three men left the room, Samuel glancing at Alicia over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner, Alicia knew the real reason for their departure was not that her father wanted to rest, but rather that he wanted to speak to the two men about the letter away from his three daughters, especially from Alicia. He didn’t want her to hear what he had to say, and Alicia didn’t know what to make of it.

Her father had always been protective of them all, even more so now that this new order had come through. Whatever he wished to discuss, he wanted to keep it a secret from them for now, as though that could protect them in the long term.

Now that the three of them were alone, though, Alicia had the chance to tell Emmeline everything that had happened between her and Samuel. Katherine already knew it all, as Alicia couldn’t go a day without confiding in her, but Emmeline knew none of it yet.

If she was going to give her the advice she needed, then Alicia had to tell her everything.

“Now that we are alone,” Alicia said, turning around to face her sisters as they sat back down, “there is somethin’ I must tell ye, Emmeline.”

Samuel walked by Gavin’s side, keeping an eye on him, followed closely by Nerian. He seemed to be doing much better, though he still needed plenty of rest to heal properly, and so Samuel gestured wildly behind his back with his hand, hoping Nerian would take the hint and leave the two of them alone.

The letter Emmeline had brought with her had only served to create a sense of urgency within him, reminding him that time was finite. He couldn’t wait to tell Gavin the truth forever, not when the King and Laird MacTavish were practically hovering above their heads, pressuring them into an agreement.

Quickening his pace, Nerian caught up with Samuel, looking at him with a confused frown but mercifully saying nothing in front of Gavin. Samuel could only roll his eyes and then—as discreetly as possible—continue to gesture at Nerian until he finally understood what he wanted him to do.

“I, ach… I only just remembered there is somethin’ I must dae,” said Nerian vaguely, giving them an awkward chuckle. He was anything but subtle, Samuel thought, but thankfully Gavin didn’t seem to notice anything, too absorbed in his thoughts to pay Nerian any mind. “Forgive me. I’ll find ye later.”

With that, he was gone, turning around to head in the opposite direction from them. Samuel waited until Nerian’s footsteps stopped echoing down the hall and then drew a deep breath, steeling himself. Before he could speak, though, Gavin came to a halt, cursing.

“They think they can force me tae dae as they please!” he said, his face quickly flooding with red as the blood rushed to his head. “Dae they take me fer a fool? But why would they nae? I have already sacrificed one daughter. Why would they think I wouldnae sacrifice another?”

Samuel hadn’t been expecting the outburst. He, too, was furious with all this, especially with the frequency with which the letters arrived, as though the king thought the matter would be resolved if he simply demanded enough times. He, too, found it difficult to keep himself under control and was close to his breaking point. But he had never heard Gavin so incensed before, save for the time he was forced to wed Emmeline to her husband.

That time, he had given in. Would he do the same now, Samuel wondered?

Gavin drew a sharp, shaky breath as he tried to calm himself and leaned against the nearest wall, rubbing a hand wearily over his face. When his gaze found Samuel’s, the sorrow in his eyes was palpable.

“What will I dae, Samuel?” he asked. “How will I go against the king? All this time, I’ve been tryin’ tae find a solution tae this an’ I have found naething. Naething at all. I wish there was somethin’ I could dae but the more I think about it, the more I realise there is naething tae be done.”

Gavin cycled through rage, despair, and acceptance within mere moments, before finally sagging against the wall, looking like a broken man. Though Samuel had been preparing himself for a confrontation, he couldn’t bring himself to confess the truth to Gavin now. He couldn’t look him in the eye and tell him something that could destroy him even further.

Besides, Gavin looked rather unwell when the redness in his face subsided, giving way to a sickly paleness. Even as he was propped against the wall, he was swaying as though he could hardly keep himself upright and Samuel reached for him, steadying him with his hands on his shoulders.

What could he tell him? How could he promise him they would find a way out of this when the only way he could think of was marrying Alicia himself?

As much as he knew he had to have this conversation, and soon, he simply didn’t think this was the right time. Gavin was already upset by the letter and needed to rest before his health deteriorated, and so Samuel only pulled him along, guiding him to his chambers.

“We will find a way,” he promised him, guilt gnawing at him at the mere thought of what that way would be. “Ye must rest now. Ye cannae help Alicia if ye’re nae well.”

“How dae ye expect me tae rest?” Gavin asked, but he didn’t try to argue any further as Samuel dragged him to his rooms, which was a testament to how much pain he must have been feeling. Under any other circumstances, Samuel was certain Gavin would have tried to fight not only him, but everyone else who stood in his way.

He was not the same man as the one who gave Emmeline’s hand to Burchard Macfie. That man had been younger, meeker, more cautious. Losing Emmeline had changed him in a way nothing else could, and now Samuel feared that for all he seemed to be treading lightly when it came to Laird MacTavish and the king, he was on the verge of marching over to them both and declaring a war.

“Try, at least,” said Samuel, urging him into his chambers. “Ye will feel better once ye have rested an’ then we can speak.”

An’ I can tell ye the truth, even if I dinnae wish tae hurt ye.

Sighing as he nodded, Gavin shuffled into the room and Samuel closed the door, letting him have some peace before he revealed the truth to him. For a moment, he stood by the door, breathing deeply as he tried to compose himself; to keep the panic at bay.

Time was running out for him and Alicia. Samuel knew precisely what it was he had to do, but so far, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to do it. The more he postponed it, though, the more likely it was that she would be sent off to marry Laird MacTavish, and then Samuel would regret his reluctance to act for the rest of his days.