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“Blast,” she muttered.
“Good thing I brought lots of bandages,” Braden said.
Eden sat back down. “This might take a while, so you might as well have a seat, old girl.”
“I have no intention of spending any more time in this dreadful place,” Donella said. “Does either of you have a pistol?”
Braden’s brows shot up. “I don’t think—”
Eden reached inside her cloak and extracted a small pistol. “Maybe you can get one of them in the backside.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
Donella marched into the middle of the hall. Then she cocked the pistol, pointed it at the ceiling, and fired.
The boom reverberated through the hall, freezing everyone. The flock of pigeons roosting in the timbers instantly took flight, performing the natural function that one might expect from startled birds.
Bird droppings splattered down onto most of the combatants. Mungo and Alasdair took precise hits to the tops of their heads, while Logan—who’d been wrestling with two of Mungo’s men—got a generous splattering on his shoulder and the back of his coat.
“What the hell?” Alasdair yelped.
“You will cease acting like Scottish nincompoops,” Donella shouted. “I have hadenough. My head hurts, I’m tired, and I want to go home. So you will all stop fighting right now.”
“All right, lass,” Logan said, trying not to laugh. “Dinna fash yerself.”
“I’ll fash you,” she threatened.
“God, I’m covered in the stuff,” Alasdair said as he tried to wipe his head with his sleeve.
Eden marched up to him. “Leave Roddy alone and go clean up. Braden has some cloths you can use.”
Lord Arnprior, who had managed to escape the avian deluge, flashed Donella a grin. “Well done, lass. And welcome to the family. You’ll fit right in.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Logan came over and tried to wrap his arms around her.
Donella pushed him away. “You are covered with pigeon dung. I have no intention of hugging you.”
“Och, getting hit with bird dung is a sign of good luck, ye ken,” he teased. “Besides, your cloak is smelling none too fresh, love.”
“I know. I’ve been wearing it all night.”
Logan shrugged out of his coat while glancing at his brother. “You’ll manage the rest?”
Arnprior nodded. “You and Braden get Donella home. We’ll join you shortly.”
Logan took Donella’s arm and started to lead her out.
“Good-bye, Miss Donella,” Roddy called forlornly. “I wish ye well.”
“Can you wait one moment?” she asked Logan.
She hurried back to Roddy, who was looking rather worse for wear. She went up on her tiptoes and gave him a gingerly hug.
“Thank you for trying to help me, Roddy. I just know you’re going to find a nice girl someday who will love you.”
He sighed. “Not as nice as ye, Miss Donella.”
