Page 89 of Kilted Hate

Domhnall nodded. “O’ course, I dae. I should never have sent ye away. I should never have allowed me anger tae rage against ye.”

“You had every right to be angry,” she countered. “After what I did, I deserved nothing less.”

“That isnae true, Katherine. I should have listened tae ye, and given ye a chance tae speak. Had I done that, ye wouldnae have had tae suffer what happened tae ye.”

Her eyebrows now danced on her forehead. “You suffered far more than I.”

“Physically, aye. Every other way, probably nae.”

She dropped her gaze then, clearly thinking on his words.

“I murdered a man,” she whispered, her eyes welling with tears once more.

“Hey,” Domhnall said, hooking his finger beneath her chin so she would look at him. “What ye did saved me life. Ye have tae remember that. It was us or them, Katherine.”

“Maybe so,” she sniffed, “but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”

“Nay. And it willnae fer a while. But if it wasnae fer ye, we’d both be dead, and yer braither would have got his wish. He wasnae a good man, Katherine. He used ye tae get tae me. He lied, manipulated, and tricked ye. And all tae cover his own evil.”

For a long moment, she remained silent, and then she said, “I still can’t believe he killed my father. Or, at least, had him killed.”

“It’s the same thing,” Domhnall qualified. “Murder is murder, and yer braither was willing tae be rid o’ anyone in his way. Including ye.”

It was hard for Domhnall to believe himself, so he couldn’t begin to imagine how Katherine must be feeling. The very idea of murdering one’s own brother or sister was completely foreign to him, and there were no circumstances under which he would ever do it. He’d die first.

“What happens now?” Katherine asked. “What happens to me?”

Domhnall looked down at her tenderly. “I still love ye, Katherine. And, if it is yer desire, I would like ye tae stay. Even if it isnae yer desire, ye need some time tae heal.”

“But, I wasn’t injured.”

He looked at her knowingly, and dropping her eyes and nodding, she said, “Right.”

He didn’t need to explain himself. She knew exactly what he was getting at. There would be a time when they could speak about what happened, airing their experience with a view to some healing, but not today. Today, he would just hold her, comfort her, and love her.

What she decided to do after that, would be up to her. There had been enough people trying to control her, manipulate her, and steer the direction of her life. Now, Katherine needed to take the reins. She had desired freedom for so long, and thus, Domhnall would give it to her. Whatever decision she came to, even if it pained him greatly, he would honor.

EPILOGUE

Aweek later…

“Go on, Katherine,” Thora yelled, jumping up and down in excitement.

Katherine grinned, and wielding her short sword, she lifted her arms above her head and launched toward Magnus, forcing him back.

“Are ye nae supposed tae be on me side?” Magnus panted, lifting his sword to defend her blow.

“Och, nay,” Enya laughed. “Us lasses need tae stick together.”

“I agree,” Ava added.

“Aye,” Kai said, standing beside his sisters and his closest friend, “but seeing Katherine sparring, I think I’ve decided that I’m going tae change sides.”

While Katherine continued to concentrate on her skills, she heard Domhnall’s booming laughter behind her, and couldn’t help but laugh herself.

A week had passed since they had returned from the dreadful experience with her brother, and anyone looking on might imagine that nothing terrible had happened to them at all. But then, she was certain all the siblings had colluded and come up with a plan to help her try and recover, for not once between then and now, had she spent one single day alone.

The day after everything had happened, Domhnall had not left her side, and every day after that, either one or all of them had involved her in some activity or another. There was the great hall to decorate, pine branches to collect, and sweets to be baked for the Yuletide and the upcoming marriage. She knew they were trying to keep her mind occupied, but sooner or later, she would have to face the events of the previous weeks. Clearly, however, the MacLeod family had decided that the time was not yet right.

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