Page 82 of Laird of Wrath

Had she been a fool to follow him there? Should she have been more careful, telling him that they could only speak if other people were present?

It hadn’t crossed her mind, the possibility that Reggie could hurt her. He didn’t seem like the kind of man who could hurt anyone, not even a fly, and the thought had never occurred to her when he had insisted they talk alone. But here, in the quiet and the dark, who could hear her if she asked for help?

She tried to maintain her composure, drawing in a steadying breath. “So, here we are,” she began, swallowing past a dry throat. “What is it that ye wanted to tell me?”

Reggie approached her, and she instinctively took a step back. But before she could get too far, he raised his hands, as if to show that he meant her no harm.

She didn’t quite trust him. Or rather, she wouldn’t have, had it not been for the frightened, miserable look in his eyes.

“Forgive me, me Lady,” he said, keeping his hands up. “I didnae mean to frighten ye. What I have to say to ye… it is I who should be afraid.”

Rhea frowned in confusion. This time, she was the one to approach him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. “What does that mean? What have ye done, Reggie?”

Reggie swallowed loudly, his throat bobbing. The guilty look on his face sent her heart beating like a drum in her chest. Fear gripped her.

Reggie had indeed done something, and whatever it was, it was clearly bad enough for him to fear for his safety. He had come to her first. He had come to her instead of Callum, and that could only mean that he dreaded what Callum would do to him if he found out.

“Tell me,” Rhea demanded, taking another step forward, only for him to cower, retreating toward the curtain walls. “Tell me, Reggie, or I swear…”

She didn’t know what to say after that. The truth was, she didn’t know what Reggie had done. It could be anything, from something harmless and small to treasonous. From the moment she had first met him, she had learned that he treated every disaster with utter panic.

“It was me!” he shrieked. “It was me, me Lady. I’m so sorry. I… I didnae ken what to do! I swear it! I was so frightened. I was so… I didnae ken what he’d do to me. Ye must understand. Ye must believe me. I didnae ken?—”

“Reggie!” Rhea’s voice was sharp and loud, ringing in the air.

Reggie was quick to shush her, giving her an imploring look as he did so. “Daenae speak so loudly, please!” he hissed. “No one else can ken!”

“I daenae understand what it is ye’re sayin’!” Rhea huffed, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Slow down. Tell me again, from the start.”

Reggie made a sound that seemed suspiciously like a whimper. She watched him carefully as he struggled with himself, huffing in and out as if he was trying to force the words out of his mouth.

“When Laird Barclay came here, he tasked me with… with ensurin’ that he would get what he wanted,” he began. “I’m sure ye ken that he doesnae care about Lady Sienna. All he cares about is the lairdship.”

That was certainly not news to Rhea. Anyone who knew Laird Barclay knew that all he wanted was to take over Clan McMahon and that Sienna was only a means to an end.

“Of course,” Rhea said. “I’m nae a fool.”

“Certainly nae, me Lady.” Reggie nodded jerkily. “Well, he was prepared to do anythin’ it took to get the lairdship, includin’ threatenin’ me.”

“Threatenin’ ye?”

“Aye. He said he would kill me and me family if I… if I didnae do as he asked.”

“And ye believed him?”

“Of course I believed him!” Reggie hissed, waving his hands wildly before his face. “Would ye nae?”

“Ye could have told Callum,” Rhea pointed out. “Ye could have asked him for help.”

Leaning closer, Reggie seemed to gather all the composure he had left, his eyes flashing with a fire she had never seen in him before.

“I am bein’ followed,” he murmured. “I’ve only managed to slip away from me shadow now, during the festivities. If I spoke one word, Laird Barclay would have kent, and trust me, me Lady, he would have made sure I suffered. Ye may nae care about me and me family, but I do. I care about them, and I care about me life.”

“I never said I daenae care,” Rhea said, offended by the accusation. “I would have helped ye, Reggie. We would all have helped ye.”

“Ye’re nae listenin’ to me!” Reggie snapped. “Even now, I’m runnin’ the risk of bein’ discovered. Do ye nae see? If he finds out I’m here, talkin’ to ye, he will have us both killed!”

“Listen to me,” Rhea said, her eyes narrowing on him. “We have a duty to this clan. Ye and I—all of us. We have a duty, and we’re nae going to abandon it.”