Page 250 of The Defiant Curse

The air was cool around them, and it felt…wet.

That’s when they heard it.

Crying.

Everyone stopped.

Except Elizabeth. She was using that as her gauge to see if she had nailed this.

“I’m betting Duncan told her to leave when he was coming back, but not because he hated her. I’m going to say that he wanted to keep Callum, knowing he wouldn’t have an offspring. He was a gay man, and…”

She got it.

And listened.

So far, it all fit, if they stopped believing the letters, and instead, listened to investigator logic.

“So, he set her free, or he just saw no purpose to her. Maybe Ceit ran her mouth, and too many people knew how their marriage was a sham. We know Oison knew, because that letter to Ceit could be real.”

Again, it all fit.

“So, she is told she can’t keep her child, and she’s sent back, or she was gladly willing to go. Not all mothers want to be mothers,” she stated.

That was true.

“Only, Oison didn’t like the idea that his daughter was coming back, and the shame it would bring. So, he heads there, kills her, and takes the ONE thing she loves.”

She listened.

“That necklace from Cathal. That was all she had left of the man she loved. Now, maybe I’m being a hopeless romantic, but it fits. Oison shows up, and he hurts her, then shoves her out the window. That took care of the problem. Ceit was gone. He wouldn’t dare touch the child. If Duncan was going to keep Callum as his offspring, he would have rained down Hell on the man for touching his ‘son’.”

There was crying all around them.

“Uh, can we not piss off the ghosts?” Michael asked. “They get spicy, and that felt heavy.”

Oh, she knew why.

Only, she was just trying to find the truth so Ceit could chill out and get some peace.

Everyone deserved that in life—the woman included.

“Just breaking it down. I can’t help if it’s not what everyone thought. I suggest buckling up and holding on.”

Oh, they would.

Because she wasn’t sure they’d heard it all, once more, she reiterated what she just said, and something around them gave the same exact response to it.

“It might be,” Ethan said. “Then, Catherine steps in because she’s trying to escape her father, and his domineering ways. I know I’d rather go live with a complete stranger than stay with someone like Oison. If she also knew he was gay, she might feel safe. That was a win-win back then for women. She wouldn’t have to go be with someone her daddy picked.”

Elizabeth reminded them.

“Or she was jealous, and someone told Oison the truth that Ceit wasn’t carrying Duncan’s child. That might have made him freak out, thinking Duncan would be pissed, when he was more than happy to have an heir. Granted, Duncan would recall fucking a woman or not—so he would already know. I’m going to say that everyone in this was opportunistic and needed to cover their asses regarding something.”

And that was the truth.

“Duncan needed to protect Ciarán, and Ceit needed to protect Cathal’s child, because she would also know it wasn’t Duncans if they never had sex. Then, add in Oison, who wanted money, and Catherine who wanted out. They were all playing a game of survival.”

Gabby gasped.