Page 52 of The Highland Heir

“You know it was wrong. ’Tis why you can’tlook at me.”

Kieran didn’t think it had been wrong.Knowing that he and Ella both felt it was right gave Kieran thecourage to stare the man down.

“I’ll say I surely didn’t think of you at allat the time, Teague, and while I’m not sure how to deal with you, Iwill never say it was wrong.”

“You are to marry another.”

“I know. We both knew.”

“And if there is a child?”

“I took precautions.” Precautions that veryman had taught him when he’d come of age to show interest in thelasses.

“You played her a whore.”

Kieran had drawn his dirk withoutthought.

“I showed her respect for a future I couldn’tbe a part of. And I’ll not let you speak that way of it. It was notlike that. It wasn’t lust. It was . . .”

“It was what? Love?” Teague pushed asif not noticing the dirk in Kieran’s hand. He probably knew wellenough Kieran would never draw the man’s blood. Kieran couldn’t besure if the same could be said for his own at Teague’s hand.

He was like a father to Kieran, but he wasn’tKieran’s father. He was Ella’s, and Kieran had wronged her.

“She has been my friend for as long as Iremember. She is part of my very soul. Ye can’t say there is not abond between us.” Kieran squeezed the fist not holding the dagger.The scar on his palm felt hot.

“Do you plan to keep her as a leman afteryou’re wed?”

“I’ll not even answer such a question. Youmay not be pleased with what we did, but you know me, Teague. Youknow I would never disgrace Ella or my wife in such a way.”

“I should go to your father and demand hemake you marry my daughter for what you’ve done.”

“And if I thought the laird would agree, I’dbeg you to do just that. But we both know what lies down that path.Everyone would know, and while it was the two of us that made thedecision together, it would be Ella alone that is judged for it. Soinstead, I will beg you to keep this secret, to spare her theburden she shouldn’t have to bear.”

Teague looked miserable, and Kieran wished hecould say the right thing to free them both from this turmoil.

He slipped his dirk into the sheath at hiship and held his arms out wide.

“If it would make you feel better to take aswipe at me, I—”

He didn’t even get the offer out before theman swung his large fist right into Kieran’s stomach, stealing hisbreath. The second strike landed on Kieran’s jaw. He swayed for amoment before dropping to the ground.

*

Ella was leaving the kitchens when shespotted her father and Kieran leaving the stables that eveningafter returning from their travels to the border.

Even in the dim light, she could see Kieran’sjaw was black and blue and he was holding his side, but the menwere laughing, as they were accustomed to doing.

She would never understand how men so easilygot over a brawl.

When Kieran saw her, he stopped and his lipspulled up in a smile. Her father, however, must have noticed hisreaction, for he reached out and cuffed Kieran good in the back ofthe head.

“Oof. That’s the last time I let you hit mewithout retaliation. The next time, I’ll lay ye flat, old man,”Kieran said with little heat.

Her father let out a huff and walked awayfrom them.

“You could have warned me you told him,”Kieran complained with an easy smile as he rubbed his jaw.

“It was you who gave us away, so you deservedwhatever you got.”