Page 98 of Desire of a Highlander

His words stuck in her mind. Our fighters. Our people. Ronan had always described the inhabitants of the Steading that way. Not my men. Not my soldiers.

Our people.

Ronan had never spoken about the Steading or his ancestral lands as though they belonged to him. He’d always spoken about responsibility. About people, not property or power.

Her thoughts drifted back over their many conversations. He hadn’t wanted to train his people to fight because he refused to create an army. He’d built the Steading because people needed somewhere safe. He’d given away an inheritance because he couldn’t bear more bloodshed. Everything he did was about protecting people.

I thought if I gave Bryce what he wanted, he would grant us passage.

Ronan had assumed that Bryce wanted his life, wanted to take revenge for Ronan’s attack on him all those years ago. But what if that wasn’t what Bryce wanted at all? And if it wasn’t, could they give him what he did want?

An idea began to form. She glanced across the river at Bryce’s banners then turned abruptly, looking for Faye. She spotted the healer over by the wagons, checking on David and some of her other patients. She walked over.

“Can I ask you something?”

The older woman straightened, stretching out her back. “Aye.”

“When a nobleman inherits from their parents what actually happens?”

Faye gave her a puzzled frown as though wondering why she was asking these questions, but she answered anyway. “The eldest inherits the title.”

“Right. And the younger siblings?”

Faye shrugged. “That depends on the will left by their father. Sometimes everything will go to the eldest. Sometimes it will be split and lands will be settled on all of them.”

Elodie nodded slowly. “And in Ronan’s case? His father left a will?”

“He did. Split the Campbell lands equally between the five brothers. But Bryce contested it, tried to take the lot. Why do ye think there was such strife between them?”

“And Ronan gave his portion up? Just let Bryce have them?”

“Aye.”

“But...” Elodie frowned. “Was there paperwork?”

Faye blinked. “Paperwork?”

“A deed. A charter. Witnesses. Anything official that would have ceded Ronan’s lands to Bryce?”

Faye gave a puzzled shake of her head. “I doubt it. As far as I know, after that fight with Bryce, he walked away.”

Elodie’s pulse quickened. “So he never formally surrendered anything?”

“Not so far as I know.”

“So legally...” Elodie’s eyes narrowed as she felt the final pieces slide into place.

Bryce wasn’t driven by hatred of his brother. He was driven by uncertainty. To his eyes, Ronan had returned to claim lands that legally he still had every right to. Bryce had to know that if Ronan pushed his claim in a court of law, he would win. No matter what Ronan told him, Bryce wouldn’t believe he’d come for any other reason. How could he when things had been left so bitter between them?

She tried to put herself in Bryce’s shoes. He must be terrified that the strife within the Campbell clan would reignite all over again. He must be terrified that his world was about to be thrown into upheaval with the return of the brother that hated him enough to stab him.

What must that be like for him, she wondered? He didn’t know Ronan like she did. All he saw was the brother who’d almost killed him turning up on his doorstep, laying claim to his lands. No wonder he’d refused them entry. No wonder he was wary. He had no idea what Ronan’s intentions were. He had no idea of the man Ronan really was.

But she did. She knew Ronan better than anyone. She knew him, deep in his soul. She knew that he wasn’t interested in Bryce’s position, his wealth, his power. But how could she make Bryce himself see that?

She looked back towards the bridge and Faye watched her carefully. “What are ye thinking?”

“I’m thinking,” Elodie said slowly, “that Bryce needs convincing Ronan isn’t the man he thinks he is. He needs convincing Ronan isn’t trying to take anything from him.”