Page 71 of Tempting the Highland Captive

Liam turned to face him, his face contorted by anger and confusion. “It cannae be true!” A tear slid down his cheek as he sank to the ground at the base of the wall. “My faither always told me that I looked like my maither. He said that my black hair and green eyes came from her. I ne’er thought tae challenge him. I would ne’er have believed him capable o’ such a lie. My maither’s memory was sacred tae us both. Now, I am supposed tae believe that my parents lied tae me all o’ this time. I am just supposed tae accept that I have nae family and am a bastard born orphan.”

Ron walked over and sat down beside his friend. He wished that he had grabbed a bottle of brandy or whisky before finding Liam. They could have both used a swig of something to steady themselves. “Ye have family. Ye are my brother. Ye have always been my brother in spirit, but ye are also my brother by law. Ye have a sister, who given a chance tae ken who ye are will love ye with a love that nae man deserves but that we all want and need. Ye are nae alone in this. She is hurting as well.”

Liam shook his head. “’Tis nae the same.”

“Aye, it is nae the same. Yer life is nae in danger because o’ this. Amelia’s is.”

Liam’s head snapped up in surprise. “Why would her life be in danger?”

“My wife and I are the legal heirs tae the lairdship, but there are many among the elders who would prefer a male heir o’ the blood. All it would take is just one o’ them kenning the truth and deciding tae act upon it. Yer birth maither already tried tae murder my wife in our bed while we were sleeping tae that end.” At this point, Ron took out his knife and handed it to Liam. “I am the one who killed yer birth maither. I did nae ken it was her when I did so as it was to save my wife’s life, but if ye feel that ye must avenge her, I offer ye up my life here and now in recompense.”

Liam sat staring at Ron in shock. “I would ne’er…” he began unable to finish. He threw the knife on the ground and stood back up to pace some more. Eventually he stopped and looked at Ron. “I dinnae wish tae be laird o’ anything. I dinnae wish tae be the son o’ this laird or any other.” He stood for a moment in silence. “What was my maither like?”

“Her name was Ysenda,” Amelia’s voice floated across the garden from the entrance gate. “She was a servant tae the laird and lady o’ the castle. On the day I was born, our faither raped her. She became with child and her family disowned her for it. All who kenned the secret believed that ye died in the birthing and were buried in the forest. That is all that I ken as I have just learned the truth o’ the matter myself.” As she spoke, she had crossed the garden to stand in front of Liam. She looked up into his face and Ron could already see the love that she had let into her heart shining through her eyes. “Neither o’ us wished for this and I will understand if ye want nothing tae do with me or our family history, but I want ye tae ken how sorry I am for yer maither’s death, our faither’s cruelty, and most of all for the shattering o’ the beautiful life that ye had before.”

“It is nae yer fault.” Liam shook his head in refusal of her apology. “I cannae imagine people wishing ye dead simply because ye were born a lass. It is I who am sorry for the attempt on yer life.”

“I doubt that it will be the last, but I am willing tae risk it for family.” Amelia stepped forward and took Liam’s hands in hers. “It is a marvel tae me that one moment I can believe ye tae be a Rossell spy and the next moment my heart can be so filled with love for ye that I would die for ye,” she shrugged her shoulders, as a tear slid down her cheek, “but that is the truth. In all o’ the lies that we have both been told o’er the years, this is one truth that ye can depend upon. Ye are my brother and I love ye. Ye will always have a place with me here for as long as I hold breath.”

Ron’s eyes filled with tears as he watched his wife and his friend come to terms with one another. Liam’s own eyes were brimming over. “Ye were right about yer wife, my brother,” he murmured softly to Ron.

Ron smiled. “Aye, I ken it well. She loves like nae other, e’en when it is nae deserved.”

Liam, emotions of every sort still warring in his eyes, could not resist the love he saw shining back at him and pulled Amelia into his arms. He held her close for a moment, then knelt on the ground at her feet. “From this day forth until my dying breath, I swear tae protect ye from all harm.” He stood once more, and they embraced. “My sister,” he murmured into her hair.

“For better or for worse, we are family,” she replied, laying a hand on his cheek. “Always.”

“Always,” Ron echoed as he stepped forward, wrapping them both in the protective circle of his arms. “We will find a way through this together.”