Ronan sat speechless, feeling as if his heart had been torn out of his chest.
“Rissa learned that day never to let her father see that she cared for anyone or thing. She pretended to steel her heart to keep others she cared for from suffering, but somehow she still managed to hold on to hope.” Dykar pointed at him. “And you arrived beaten, bruised, and bloodied, and you reached out to her and called her Hope, and she lost her heart to you.”
Dykar pointed his finger at Ronan. “Don’t break it. Her heart has been damaged enough. She does what she does to protect people, not to hurt them.”
Ronan was stunned. He almost wished Mordrac was still alive so that he could kill him all over again. But then Carissa had experienced enough hatred; what she truly needed now was to be loved.
“I’m glad we got to talk,” Ronan said.
“So am I,” Dykar agreed. “And just remember that whatever Rissa does, she does out of love.”
“Thank you so much,” Honora said, pulling apart the apple buns for her sons to share. “That’s all they have asked for since they woke this morning.”
“I’m glad they like them,” Carissa said, wanting to return to the cottage, worried that Ronan and Dykar might not get along.
Tavish screamed when Lachlan stole a piece of the bun from his plate.
Honora sent him a scathing look.
Lachlan licked his fingers after finishing the piece. “They’re too tasty to ignore.”
“I’ll bake more,” Carissa said, pleased that everyone enjoyed them.
“Lots,” Lachlan said.
“Carissa!”
She jumped at the unexpected shout of her name, though turned calmly to glare at Cavan.
“I wish to speak with you,” he said.
It was a command, not a request, and she nodded.
“Can’t this wait?” Honora asked her husband. “She has yet to eat, and neither have you.”
Cavan glared a moment at his wife, then turned and walked away.
Carissa knew it was a silent command for her to follow, and so she did, with a quick smile to Honora for her concern.
She entered Cavan’s solar, he closing the door behind her. And without waiting to be invited to sit, she took a seat in one of the chairs before the hearth. He joined her, and she could see that he was none too pleased with her actions, or perhaps he was unhappy with his confrontation with Ronan. Either way, he was annoyed.
“My brother believes you a good, kind woman,” he said.
“And you don’t?”
“According to Ronan, my opinion of you is misconstrued and, therefore, I would not be able to judge you fairly. He feels that you should be given time to prove how kind and generous you are before I pass any judgment on you.”
She was ever so pleased that Ronan had defended her. “And how do you feel about that?”
“I feel I should judge you and end this farce since it’s obvious my brother has no intention of obeying me,” he said angrily.
“Would you obey such an order?”
“He is not my laird.”
“No, he’s your brother,” she reminded. “And the both of you have suffered enough because of my family.”
“I agree,” he said bluntly.
“Then judge,” she said, her shoulders back and her chin high.
“Here and now?”
“I’m ready,” she said.
He shook his head. “You are entitled to be heard by all before I pass judgment.”
“I waive that right. Judge me as you will, you have the right.”
He shook his head. “You are a bold one.”
“If it is bold to speak the truth, then I am guilty of being bold,” she said. “So say what you will, and I will do the same.”
“Fair enough,” he agreed.
“Tell me what I am accused of so that I may challenge the accusation.”
“You and Ronan are of the same mind,” he said. “He reminded me that you have committed no crime. You may be guilty of being cruel while we were prisoners of your father, but your only crime is being Mordrac’s daughter. He also pointed out that we haven’t always been kind to prisoners ourselves and have never been punished for it.”
“But you still seek revenge against me,” she said. “I can see it in your eyes.”
He leaned toward her. “Give me a reason not to. For my brother’s sake, give me a reason.”
Carissa hesitated. Did she take the chance and trust this man? Could he truly want to help his brother, or did he somehow wish to trap her? In the time she had spent with Ronan and in the short time she had been here, she had learned one thing. The Sinclares truly loved each other, and if she believed that, then she had to believe that Cavan loved his brother and wanted to see him happy.