Brodie nodded. “And we must not forget the father of the twins. He must be in league with the others.”
Ailis listened intently, her eyes aflame with determination. The truth lay hidden behind noble facades. They must discover what the plot and plans were because they seemed to center around the McAfees.
“Then we stand united,” Fiona declared, standing resolute. “We’ve been invited to stay longer, and as much as none of us want to, this is the perfect opportunity to discover what is truly happening around us.”
“We must have watchful eyes and guarded hearts,” Ailis stated, her stare cutting through the shadows. She knew the powerful lairds held secrets that could disrupt their clans’ fragile peace. Precision was vital.
Recognizing Moira’s mischievous glance, Ailis smirked. “Did ye see Lucas’s face when ye disarmed him?”
Moira chuckled, “Aye, I fear I’ve wounded his pride more than if I’d drawn blood.” Her grin shone like a beacon in the darkness. She shook her head. “We told them I would best them, but they were incapable of believing such a thing. Now they have no choice.”
Fiona laughed as well. “It is always fun to see how men react when they see our skills for the first time. Especially the men who are certain they could never lose… especially to a lass.”
“The son of our host, bested by a lass,” Ailis scoffed, shaking her head. “I almost feel sorry for him, but… I’ve listened to him brag about his prowess with a sword since the day we arrived. It was good to see him defeated.”
As their laughter mingled with the night, Ailis repeated the men’s words—how their combat skills would supposedly repel love. Her fellow warriors, all too familiar with such dismissive remarks, smiled knowingly.
Alisdair shook his head, laughing again. “Little do they ken. When a woman is particularly good at something, her confidence is attractive. I would not wish Fiona to be less skilled with a bow and arrow. I enjoy watching her, and it gives me someone to compete with.”
They grew serious and dispersed for their individual tasks. Fiona reminded them to be vigilant as she scanned the darkness. Ailis and Moira sought to uncover the truth about loyalties from Bearnard, Lucas, and Horas—a delicate dance of questioning. But they were determined to find the whole truth and not be victims in their plot any longer.
Alisdair promised to discuss the Sinclairs’ predicament with the lairds, gauging reactions for clues. Lachlan and Brodie agreed to travel deeper into the shadows in search of lurking conspiracies. They even seemed to be excited to do it. Ailis knew it was an important matter, but the men seemed to like the mystery of it all.
As Ailis and Moira returned to their bedchamber, they giggled again about the way the lairds’ sons had treated them, knowing they would be less confident going forward. Confidence was attractive, but too much confidence was the opposite. And those three men truly had too much confidence.
