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“Naught is amiss,” Avelina said, but realized she may have spoken too soon.

Her brother appeared at the entrance of the hall just then.

And he was not pleased.

Not pleased at all.

Chapter Twenty-Four

“You are making a spectacle of yourself,” Avelina whispered. She and Ewan stood in the corridor, since her brother had refused to enter the hall and had gestured for her to come to him.

Convincing Niall not to accompany her but, instead, to allow her to speak to Ewan alone, had not been easy. But she’d accomplished it and hoped her brother might be reasonable. By his expression, though, that did not seem to be the case.

“I am leaving.”

That was not at all what she’d expected.

“Leaving? I do not understand.”

They stood to the side of the entrance of the hall, their host and Avelina’s husband both watching them.

“I spoke with Tannochbrae just before the feast began. He knows already.”

“Leaving. Going home?” she asked, knowing the answer but still not understanding the reasoning for his abrupt departure.

“Aye. There is no reason for me to stay.”

“But the cottager? We’ve still not received word. If he saw something, perhaps—”

“He did not.”

Avelina cocked her head to the side. “Oh, did we learn something more? I was not aware—”

“We will learn nothing from him. I’m sure of it.”

This was not like her brother at all. He seemed terse, angry almost. Surely this was about the wedding and not the cattle.

“I do wish you’d have attended,” she said quietly, changing topics.

Ewan did not flinch. “I would not condone your marriage to a Duncraig.”

“Even if I willed it? You are my only close family, Ewan. We’ve no parents to speak of, no other siblings.”

“Because of the man you married,” he said, unflinching.

“He. Was. Not. There.”

“Regardless.” Her brother said no more.

“Why do you leave now? Before nightfall?”

Avelina could not shake the sense something was amiss about his hasty departure.

“I’ve no wish to remain, to watch you sit beside that man. . .”

“Ewan.” She reached for his hand and was surprised her brother let her take it. “You disagree with my decision, as is your right. But please, do not allow this to come between us.”

He squeezed her hand as he may have done when they were children.