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“Was she comfortable?” Meredith chimed in. “Do ye ken if she’s eaten breakfast yet? I could have Mrs. MacDonald send somethin’ that Edwina likes, if she doesnae care for the food.”
Anger simmered beneath Felix’s calm exterior, unable to ignore the thrum of excitement that ricocheted between his sisters. This was what they had wanted, after all. It might not have beenhowthey had thought it would happen, but their plan had worked. Throwing that Masquerade Ballhadgained their brother the prospect of a wife.
“I saw her walkin’ in the gardens earlier,” Melissa confirmed. “She seemed in reasonable spirits, though she was accompanied by that vile man that looks like a bird, so I imagine that rather dulled her mood. What was his name again?”
Meredith pulled a face. “Kenney Young.”
“I’m surprised he can even stumble, considerin’ the amount he drank last night.” Angus shook his head in disapproval. “Ye’d think he was the one who’d found a wife. Och, he made a sure fool of himself, but he doesnae seem like the sort of man who cares.”
Ryder snorted. “Kenney Young doesnae need any excuse to indulge in too much wine and ale. I ken ye shouldnae speak ill of those ye barely ken, but I cannae abide that man.” He glanced at Meredith. “Why did ye invite him?”
“It seemed rude if we dinnae, as we were invitin’ all of the nearest Lairds,” Meredith replied quietly, with the faintest hint of guilt in her voice. “Have ye spoken with Edwina this mornin’? Ye might be able to rescue her from her cousin if ye venture to the gardens now.”
Felix continued to seethe, wishing they would all follow his lead and be quiet for a moment.
Melissa frowned. “Ye’re goin’ to have to say somethin’ at some point, Felix. I ken this isnae what ye wanted, but ye should see it as a—”
Felix shot up from his chair and slammed his hands down on the table, sending a shudder through the aged wood. “See it as a what—an opportunity, a fortunate thing, a gift, a blessing? Which empty placation would ye prefer me to bow my head and accept?” he snapped. “Ye ought to be ashamed of yerselves instead of grinnin’ and chucklin’ at yer success. If ye hadnae tricked me into bein’ part of yer stupid scheme, this would never have happened! And nay, I daenae see it as a fortunate thing. I see it as two perfectly good lives ruined!”
For a few seconds, Felix got what he wanted—absolute silence. Shock registered upon the faces of his sisters, while a quiet disapproval deepened the frowns upon Angus and Ryder’s brows. They were likely conflicted, not wanting Felix to speak to their wives like that, while knowing that he was entirely within his rights to be furious. As for John, he was the only one among them that appeared remorseful, yet he was the only one who had not done anything to cause this.
“Och, daenae be so stubborn and childish!” Melissa exploded in defense of herself and her sister. “Ye’re a Laird, Felix, and ye must start behavin’ like one. Aye, ye’ve done grand things for yer clan, but ye have to secure their future. Ye cannae be alone all the time. I’m sorry if ye daenae like it, Brother, but that means marriage. We’ve done ye a great favor, even if ye cannae see it yet.”
Meredith cringed. “I think what she’s tryin’ to say is, we did this for ye, with the best of intentions. Ye’ve been so lonely, Felix, and we dinnae want ye to be lo—”
“I was never lonely,” Felix declared, in a cold, eerily calm voice that cut through the noise as powerfully as a shout. “That’s what none of ye could ever understand. I have never been lonely. Ilikeme own company, Ilikethe quiet, Ilikethings as they are, but ye think that ye ken best! Ye’ve always been a meddlesome pair, stickin’ yer nose into me business, but this is beyond yer usual interferin’. Now, ye’ve truly ruined my life. Edwina’s too, I should imagine.”
Ryder stood and put up his hands. “There’s nay need to speak to the lasses like that, Felix,” he said firmly. “Aye, they arranged a ball, but that’sallthey did—they dinnae force ye to go out into the dark with a lass, nor did they put that lass’ ankle in yer hands durin’ that ball. If ye want to blame someone for yer predicament, ye should look in a mirror.”
“She was hurt!” Felix barked, too furious to maintain his calm tone. “Ye saw it with yer own eyes, and ye heard the healer confirm it, yet ye dinnae speak up when Kenney started howlin’ about dishonor and indiscretion!”
Angus jumped up, too, evidently feeling like he should defend his wife. “Aye, but that doesnae explain why ye were out there with Lady Edwina in the first place. That alone is cause for a scandal.”
“Ye’d have to ask her!” Felix replied, forcing his voice back into a quieter sort of anger. “I daenae ken why she was out there. Lord have mercy, I wish she hadnae been! I wish I hadnae gone to her when she fell, either. That was my fault, but daenae try to put the rest of the responsibility upon me! This is entirely yer doin’, Sisters, and the worst part is, ye’re nae even sorry. Ye’re pleased as can be that this happened!”
Meredith bowed her head. “It’s nae that we’re pleased about it, Felix, but we do think it will be good for ye.”
“Nae everyone gets a happy endin’, Meredith. The pair of ye are the exception, nae the rule. Ye cannae justhopefor the best.” Felix exhaled a fiery breath. “Ye have nay notion of what this will do to me. Ye’ve come in and done as ye pleased because ye wanted to, just as ye burst into this Castle whenever ye like, thinkin’ I willnae mind.”
Melissa folded her arms across her chest. “We do that to give ye company, Felix, because ye’re our brother. Nay matter what ye say, we daenae believe ye—nay one enjoys bein’ alone that much. It’s nae good for ye.”
“I want ye gone,” Felix hissed. “All of ye. While I can, I would cherish the time I have left to enjoy my peace of mind.”
Melissa huffed out a breath. “Daenae be like that, Felix.”
“Please leave,” he replied, gathering himself. “Ye’ve got bairns and homes and castles of yer own, and they need ye a lot more than I do. Return to them, now.”
Meredith rose to her feet. “We’ll go, Brother.” She glanced at him, her eyes shining with confusion. “I’m sorry we’ve upset ye.”
Taking her sister’s lead, Melissa also got up, but she offered no inkling of an apology. Always the stubborn one, Felix knew he would be waiting a long time for her to ever admit that she had done something wrong.
As Felix fell back into a seething silence, his sisters departed the tower room with their husbands in tow. Angus and Ryder cast a glance back at Felix that seemed to say, “Aye, we’re sorry too.” Felix still did not know why they had not supported him the previous night, once they realized nothing untoward had occurred. Perhaps, they thought the same as their wives, that marriage might do him good.
Felix drew in slow breaths, relaxing as the population of the tower went down to two. John had not spoken yet, nor would he until Felix was ready to talk. That was precisely why John was a trusted friend and reliable Man-at-Arms—heunderstood his Laird, and everything his Laird feared.
“I cannae undo it, can I?” Felix said, after several minutes.
John smiled sadly. “Nay, M’Laird, I daenae think ye can.”
