Page 3 of Promises to Keep

“Aye, I would wager she wants Lady Mairead’s son. She would like tae see Lady Mairead suffer by doin’ something tae me.”

“I do not like the sound of that.”

“Nor I, but since we ken about it afore it happens, we will outsmart her. She has a logic, we just need tae understand it, and outwit her.”

“...a logic, yeah...” I circled my finger’s path around his chest. “Unless there is no logic, unless she’s just fury-revenging.”

“Now see, but that is the easiest of the enemies, if fury-revenging, she will make a mistake. It will be easy tae defeat her.”

“What if she’s not logical or furious, what if she’s just chaotic?”

He raised his head to look down on me. “What dost ye mean, she is not tryin’ tae win, she is just behavin’ unreasonably?”

“Yes, maybe we have no way to know what she’ll do.”

Magnus put his head back down. “Aye, she is a woman.”

I batted his shoulder. “Plenty of men cause chaos with fury-revenge.”

“I meant I daena understand how tae think like a woman fury-revenging. I daena ken what she will do—”

“Lady Mairead would know, fury-revenge is kinda her thing.”

“If she is still alive. If not…”

I said, “I’m very glad you have a plan.”

He chuckled, his chest vibrating against my ear. “I daena hae a plan, I only hae a mission, we hae tae deal with Agnie MacLeod.”

“What do we know about her?”

“Next tae naething, m’mother keeps many closely guarded secrets. I imagine though that Agnie is verra dangerous as she has lost most everything.”

“How will Fraoch deal with this? He’s her son.”

“He daena ken her. Blood is important, but I truly believe the best family is built by alliances, and any laird will tell ye, an allegiance can be more enduring.”

I looked at him. “How does that work?”

“For instance, a prince canna trust a brother if he aspires tae the crown, someone who is an advisor and friend would be more trustworthy. Same holds true for the sons of kings.”

My eyes went wide. “You might not be able to trust Archie?”

“Och nae, I canna imagine it, he is a wee boy. He inna conspirin’ against me.”

“Thank god, that is freaky to think—”

“Eh, but tis difficult sometimes between sons and fathers, I hae tae be a realist. He will be a man someday. Blood ties are complicated.”

“You’ve met him as an adult though, and he liked you.”

“True, he admired me and we were friendly, that bodes well for our relationship. But it daena change the point: blood ties are complicated and sometimes allegiances are far stronger and allies more trustworthy. For instance, I might hae tae keep m’eye upon Lochinvar, but I will never worry about Quentin. Quentin and I are aligned, we hae the same goals, and we would die tae protect each other. We hae fought alongside each other many a time and I trust him implicitly.”

“What about Fraoch?”

“Fraoch is further complicated — we hae our blood ties, he is a brother and a son of Donnan, but we also hae a long history. I know I should have reservations, but I ken Fraoch is loyal, he has fought for me, he would die for me, and I trust him completely. Many people from the outside would warn me tae be wary. I would be more wary if he and Hayley were havin’ bairns.”

“And James?”

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