Page 67 of Seduction in a Kilt

“At any rate, I’ll look at it again tomorrow and change the dressin’ fer ye,” after she had bandaged it up again.

“Thank ye, Effie.”

Once that was out of the way, Effie surprised her by suddenly looking contrite and saying, “I owe ye an apology as well, Ivy.”

“Oh? Whatever fer?” Ivy asked, puzzled.

“Fer interferin’ by tellin’ Liam ye were goin’ tae the meetin’ last night. I’m really sorry, Ivy, I wouldnae usually break a confidence like that, but I was just so frightened fer ye⁠—”

Ivy cut her off with a smile and a pat on the hand. “Effie, there’s naethin’ tae apologize fer. Liam was determined tae follow me anyway, thank God, and I ken ye were only tryin’ tae protect me as well. If ye hadnae ratted on me, I would have either been Gael’s prisoner by now or dead. I’m grateful tae ye, nae angry with ye.”

Effie’s face lit up. “Och, that’s such a relief! I felt so guilty. I worried that ye might hate me fer it.”

“I could never hate ye. But the next time I tell ye a secret, keep it tae yersel’,” Ivy told her with a laugh.

“Aye, I promise I’ll try!” Effie replied, joining in with Ivy’s laughter.

They talked some more, and Ivy filled Effie in on the details of what had happened during the fight at the chapel.

“So, what d’ye make of the Evander feller. Magnus daesnae trust him,” Effie said.

“Neither does Liam, and I can understand why they’re so suspicious of everyone. I mean, they thought I was a spy fer me braither. But Evander has done naethin’ yet tae hurt anyone. He actually fought with us last night. Would he dae that if he meany any harm?”

“I suppose that remains tae be seen,” Effie replied circumspectly. “Since he’s gonnae be stayin’ here fer a while, we’ll get tae find out what sort of man he really is. It was shockin’ tae learn what he had tae say about yer braither bein’ responsible fer yer parents’ murders. D’ye believe it?”

“Aye, it was very shockin’, but if ye’d met Carson, ye’d believe it easily. If ’tis true, then it actually explains a lot of things from me past and why Carson has treated me so badly,” Ivy said, not wishing to dwell on the subject. Instead, she asked Effie something she had wanted to know for some time. And after the passionate evening she had just spent with Liam, she was even more curious.