“You don’t want to give it some thought?” he asked.
While she missed everyone and her life at Everagis, and it still continued to prove a challenge in adjusting to life at Caithness, lately she had come to the realization that she would find it impossible to live without Lachlan. She loved him more than she thought possible and she looked forward to raising their child, and hopefully more together.
“You’re thinking about it,” Septimus said.
She shook her head and smiled. “No, I’m thinking about why I would never leave him.”
“Tell me, so that I can return with your words and let your friends, who worry about you, know you are happy.”
She thought of what to share with him and the others, but how did she put into words what she truly felt when she was still realizing it herself? Of course, she could say that she loved him, but the women knew she did. Whatever could she say that would convince them and perhaps even make her fully accept why she truly chose to remain with Lachlan?
“I will tell you before you return home,” she said.
“I return now if you are certain about your decision.”
“You cannot leave yet,” she said, grabbing hold of his arm. “You must stay for a few days at least and meet my new family.”
“That’s not a good idea,” he said.
“You must,” she urged. “Cavan, the laird of the clan Sinclare, must know that you did not come here to attack his home.”
“I do not care what the laird of the clan Sinclare thinks.”
“There will be no bloodshed,” she ordered sternly.
“You should be laird. You give orders easily enough.”
“Then obey them and meet with Cavan and his brothers.”
Septimus stood and held his hand out to help her up. Once she was on her feet he said, “We will camp here. If the Sinclare men wish to meet with me and see that I am no threat to them then let them come here to my camp tonight.”
“To expect the laird of the clan Sinclare to come to you would be considered an insult and reason for battle. I will not be part of such nonsense.”
“No faith in your new family?” Septimus asked.
“Respect for my new family,” she confirmed with a quick nod. “You either do what is right or suffer the consequences.”
“You threaten me?”
“I am truthful with you and I expect the same in return,” she said. “You either present yourself at the Sinclare keep tonight or tuck tail and run.”
“Now that’s a challenge that could have serious repercussions.”
“No,” she snapped, “it is the right thing to do and if you can’t see that then turn around and go home without a word from me.”
“Not much of a bargain.”
“Who said anything of this being a bargain?” she gloated. “You do as I say or go home.”
“If you were a man—”
Alyce took a challenging step toward him, “You’d what?”
“My leader was right,” he admitted. “You are a woman to respect, but not one to underestimate.”
“Wise observation,” she said. “I’ll expect you at the keep at sunset.”
“I don’t seem to have a choice.”
“I gave you one,” she insisted. “Go home or come to the keep.”
“The keep it is,” he said reluctantly.
Alyce bid him farewell until later, and while Hagen and Dale followed her back to where they had met her, she couldn’t help but fret. It wasn’t over the meeting tonight, though she knew it would probably prove difficult. It was something Septimus had said.
Tell me so that I can return with your words and let your friends, who worry about you, know that you are happy.
He didn’t say your friends who sent me.
Who then had sent him?
Chapter 32
Lachlan sat alone at the table in the great hall. Cavan had the children moved to a safer section of the keep and so the hall was empty, not a person or a sound stirring but him. After Cavan had received word that Alyce had been met and safely escorted to the mercenary camp, and with plans for a surprise attack completed, only to be used if necessary, there was nothing left to do but to wait.
Normally, his patience could handle most any wait, but this wait was proving much more difficult. He understood that Cavan would have never allowed Alyce to ride off without being protected. Lachlan knew his brother would have their best scouts following her, but with Alyce having learned from Piper, Lachlan worried that Alyce could easily outwit them.
However, he trusted his wife’s word. Her only intentions were to go and speak with Septimus and once done, she would return. She wanted no bloodshed and neither did Cavan, so this particular matter could be resolved easily enough, or so he hoped. He still felt an itch to punch this Septimus, though knew it would serve no purpose other than to make him feel better.