Page 100 of Hold Fast

“I was! I was on my way there when Ewan intercepted me and begged me to come save his brother’s life.”

Blair nodded. “And then you stayed? Married?” He waved a hand at her midsection.

“Actually, another handfast.”

Blair looked confused.

“To Laird MacDonald himself.”

“Fucking hell,” Blair muttered.

Una had always had the impression that Blair spoke just above a whisper because if he were to speak any louder, it would sound as if he were shouting on a battlefield. It was so low that sometimes it was hard to understand him if there were too many other sounds—his voice just became a rumble in the background. He was angry. He looked as if hewantedto shout.

But he’d been a good friend to her and she’d made a promise that she hadn’t kept.

“I was going to send for you. But Ewan has been so fraught lately and there was never the right time and—”

Blair held up a hand and shook his head. “It probably wouldnae have worked anyway. It would have ended with me face down in the leaves with an arrow in my back.”

Tears sprung to her eyes at that image. “If I get out, if I can…” What could she say? Because what were the odds? Not good. Not good at all, short of a miracle.

“Aye. If you get out,” he said quietly. “Again.”

Una nodded, and her voice cracked when she said, “’Tis good to see you again, Blair. You look well.”

He held her gaze. “I wish youdidnaelook so well, Una. For your sake. I wish… well, it doesnae matter what I wish.” He coughed into his hand. “I am to bring you to his solar. He was going to send Giffard to fetch you, but I told him that it was beneath his captain to run errands.”

It’s beneath the laird’s brother, too,Una thought. But it didn’t matter.

“I didnae want you alone with him. But I must deliver you now.”

Una drew herself up to her full height, pulling her shoulders back and lifting her chin. “Well, no sense in delaying now, is there?” she said, sounding far braver than she felt.

But, perhaps,feelingbrave was not so different than actuallybeingbrave. Blair followed her through the dim corridors. Just before they reached the door, Una stopped and looked back at him. She had no idea what awaited her on the other side. Blair’s face looked pained as he stood in the dim hallway, his hands limp at his sides, as if he didn’t know what to do with them.

“Una,” he whispered, “I wish—”

“Me as well,” she said, patting his shoulder. “You always were kind to me, and I dinnae think I ever thanked you properly. So…. thank you, Blair. You’re a good man.”

It felt so final. Like a goodbye. He nodded tightly, and she turned to the door. Blair reached out and grabbed her bicep, for the time it took to blink before dropping his hand.

“Una,” he said, his voice almost inaudible. “Dinnae let him see you quake.”

Una nodded and strode into Cameron’s solar without knocking. Standing just inside the doorway, she leveled her eyes at the all-too-familiar person sitting at the table in the middle of the room. Malcolm Cameron looked the same as he had the day she’d left. Tall and sinewy, with dark, close-cut hair threaded through with gray. He had piercing blue eyes and thin lips that disappeared into the whiskers of a two- or three-week beard. Malcolm’s leine was open across his pale chest. He stood as she entered, a cold smile spreading wide across his face.

“I didnae dare believe it when they told me. Una. My, my, my. You are quite a sight for sore eyes.” He approached her and kissed her cheek.

“Why am I here, Malcolm?” she said, keeping her voice level, though the fear made it difficult.

Malcolm lifted an eyebrow and looked down at her, “Careful, lass. As I recall, you dinnae have leave to call me by my name.”

“Verra well,m’laird,” she said with a sneer. “Why am I here?”

He chuckled. “You’ve changed quite a bit since I’ve seen you last, Una. I hope that the MacDonalds have treated you well and taken good care of both you and my heir.”

“Your heir?” Una spat, losing her composure, her mouth falling open. “I dinnae carry your heir!”

Malcolm tsked and went to the table, covered with documents. Una gasped as Giffard stepped from the shadows behind the door she’d just entered.