Page 95 of The Laird's Secret Bairn

It was the last thing he had wanted to say, but it was the only thing he could say.

“Dougal Grant, ye have gone mad.”

He watched his mother pace in front of his desk. He had called her to his study to inform her that Skye was leaving tomorrow. She hadn’t believed him at first, until she remembered that he wouldn’t joke about something like this.

“Is that a question or a statement, Maither?”

“Both.”

Dougal sighed. “Then let me answer yer question. Nay, I havenae gone mad. I’ve made the best decision for everyone.”

“The best decision for everyone, or the best decision forye?”

“Maither, I understand this might be hard to take, but?—”

“Nay, Dougal. I cannae believe ye are willing to do such a thing when ye clearly?—”

“Maither, I called ye in here so I could do ye the courtesy of telling ye before Skye leaves tomorrow. It isnae up for discussion.”

“A courtesy? Ye have the gall to call this a courtesy?” Kenna scoffed, her mouth pressing into a thin line.

“Aye, better ye hear it from me than the servants, and I figured ye would want a chance to say goodbye.”

She clenched her fists. “Ye’re a fool, Dougal. A fool who’s about to let the best thing that’s happened to this family in seven years walk out the door.”

“Maither,” he warned.

“Nay, I’ll say me piece.”

“I daenae want to hear it, Maither. Prepare yerself because Skye is leaving tomorrow. Be up bright and early so ye can say goodbye.”

“And Lily?”

“I was hoping ye would get her up as well,” he admitted. “She willnae forgive me for this, but I daenae ken if I’ll ever be able to make it up to her if she doesnae at least get to say goodbye.”

“Ye’d have the poor child wake up to say farewell to the woman she has grown so close to, and ye willnae even tell me why!”

Dougal’s jaw tensed. “I have me reasons.”

“And ye willnae share yer reasons with me?”

“Some things are private, Maither,” Dougal stated, his voice flat. “I’m sure there are things ye havenae told me. Respect me enough to let the matter rest.”

Kenna did not say another word. She turned and left, shutting the door behind her.

Dougal did not attempt to go after her. There was no point when she was so angry with him. She would eventually come to accept that this was how it had to be, and so would Lily. They would forgive him in time, and if they didn’t, then there was nothing he could do about it.

The person he was worried about hurting the most was Lily. She wasn’t going to forgive him, at least not right away. She adored Skye, which had not been part of the plan.

She wasn’t supposed to bond with Skye. She wasn’t supposed to grow to love the woman he had invited into his home for only a month. Skye’s stay here always had an expiration date. It was never supposed to become permanent, even if a part of him wanted her to remain here as his betrothed.

Footsteps approached his door. He paused, half expecting Stephen or his mother to barge in and try to talk some sense into him. He did not want to hear any more of it. The two had tried to change his mind and had failed. They were allowed their attempts, but he wasn’t going to stand for it anymore.

But the footsteps skittered off. Probably a servant.

Then he thought about Skye and what would happen if she walked in. He would send her away as well.

The footsteps faded down the corridor until silence settled back over the room. Dougal exhaled, releasing the tension he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He rubbed a hand over his face, weary in a way sleep wouldn’t fix.