Page 58 of At the Highlander's Mercy
And, after he exchanged some messages with Gavin MacKenzie, Rob felt certain that the man had played no part in this other than to have treated a young woman kindly. Tyra’s twisted mind had ascribed all kinds of things to that kindness, even forging letters that turned Gavin into her co-conspirator, in her mind.
* * *
Two months after Lilidh left him, his life was back to what it had been before Symon brought her here and the clan was safe. Things had never looked more promising for the Clan Matheson. Or so empty for its laird.
Rob was standing on the battlements in front of the ruined tower when Dougal brought him the letter.
Jocelyn MacLerie had written him once more.
* * *
‘I am just tired, Mother,’ Lilidh explained. ‘I’m afraid I walked too much yesterday and my leg is suffering for it.’
Her mother grew suspicious, she knew, but Lilidh just could not speak to her about her condition yet. After she missed her courses once, she waited for their return. Now, she’d missed twice and, along with other signs and symptoms, she knew there was no mistake—she was pregnant.
And though she’d not confided in Ciara, she knew her cousin had guessed the truth, as well.
‘We will have visitors coming in a few days, Lilidh,’ her mother said. ‘The Murrays from Perth,’
she explained. James Murray’s wife, Elizabeth, was aMacLerie and had grown up as friends with Ciara and Lilidh. After their shocking elopement at the time of Ciara and Tavis’s marriage, Elizabeth and James visited several times a year.
‘It will be good to see Elizabeth,’ Lilidh admitted. ‘I was not here for her last visit.’
Her marriage to Iain had just taken place and she’d left for his lands before the Murrays arrived. Elizabeth could not travel sooner and missed her wedding because of the impending birth of their first child.
Jocelyn emptied the solar with a simple nod of her head and Lilidh found herself dreading the coming minutes. There was no way to avoid it, and, if she was being honest with herself, Lilidh would have admitted she needed her mother’s counsel.
‘So, do you plan to tell Rob you carry his child or not?’ her mother asked.
‘Do I?’
‘Well, the lovely green shade of your skin in the morning nearly matches your eyes and you have been seeking your rest every day after the noon meal.’ Her mother’s eyes narrowed then and Lilidh prepared for the worst. ‘And your monthly courses have gone missing since your return here. Since you mentioned in your letter that you carried no heir for Iain, that means...’ Her mother didn’t finish the rest—there was no need.
‘No, I do not,’ she finally said in reply to the first question.
‘It is his child, Lilidh. He should know.’ Her mother came over to her and knelt down before her. ‘What will you do?’
‘I do not know,’ she whispered. ‘Father will be furious.’ Her biggest fear.
‘You could go to stay with Elizabeth until the bairn is born.’ Lilidh met her mother’s eyes.And return after the birth...alonewas the unspoken part.
‘One choice, yes,’ she said.
‘We could arrange a marriage,’ her mother offered another. ‘Many families clamour to align themselves with the MacLeries.’
And would not look too closely at her condition coming to the marriage, also unspoken.
‘Another choice.’
‘If you are certain there is nothing between you and Rob?’ Her mother was relentless when she wanted to know something.
Lilidh pushed out of her chair and walked to the window that overlooked the yard. Watching those who lived in Lairig Dubh go about their day, she shrugged, finally letting the anger she’d felt escape.
‘Why would I want him, Mother?’ She clenched her hands into fists as it spilled out. ‘He humiliated me, not once, but twice, before my family and his. I know he did not plan my kidnapping and he made no promises about a life together, but he did not hesitate to accept my—’
‘Love?’ her mother offered.
‘Favours. Advice. Help,’ she finished instead. ‘He swore that he’d been young and stupid the first time. He said it was not about my...scars. And then he did it again.’ The tears overflowed her eyes and trickled down her face. She brushed them away before looking at her mother. ‘He did it again.’
