Page 67 of The Laird's Dangerous Prize
The hidden corridor beyond was cramped, forcing Ciaran to duck his head beneath low-hanging beams. Aileen's candle cast grotesque shadows ahead of them, the flame guttering in strange drafts that whispered through unseen cracks in the ancient masonry.
"Isolde said ye saved her life," Aileen said suddenly, her voice barely audible. "She said ye fought Wallace's men fer her, though ye didnae ken who she was."
"Aye," Ciaran confirmed, watching the young woman's profile in the flickering light.
She stopped abruptly, turning to face him with an expression far older than her sixteen years. "Me sister is strong, but she carries too much on her shoulders. Our maither's death, Faither's decline, the clan's troubles... she takes it all as her burden."
"I've seen her strength," he agreed quietly.
"Good." Aileen's eyes narrowed slightly. "Because if ye hurt her, I may be young, but I ken seventeen ways tae poison a man without leaving evidence."
Despite the gravity of her expression, Ciaran found himself hiding a smile. "I believe ye," he said solemnly. "Yer loyalty daes ye credit."
"'Tis nae loyalty. 'Tis love." She turned away, continuing down the passage. "There's a difference."
They navigated several more turns before Aileen stopped again, this time before a narrow wooden door reinforced with iron bands. "She's waiting," she said, pressing a small iron key into his palm. "I'll return fer ye before dawn. Any later and the servants will be about."
Ciaran's fingers closed around the key. "Thank you, Lady Aileen."
The girl's severe expression softened slightly. "She deserves happiness, Laird MacCraith. Even in times like these."
Without another word, she slipped away, her candle's glow diminishing until darkness swallowed her completely.
Isolde paced the length of her chamber, her heart thundering against her ribs as she awaited Aileen's return with Ciaran. The single candle cast long shadows across the room, making the familiar space seem strange and expectant. She had changed three times, finally settling on a simple nightdress covered by her mother's blue silk robe—the finest thing she still owned.
When the lock finally turned, she froze, suddenly uncertain. The door swung open to reveal Ciaran framed in the narrow passage, his tall figure ducking beneath the low lintel. For a moment, neither spoke, the air between them charged with everything that had happened since that fateful night at Castle Murray.
"Ye came," she whispered, her voice catching on the words.
"Did ye doubt I would?" He closed the door quietly behind him, his eyes never leaving her face.
She moved toward him, drawn by some invisible force, only to stop as his next words hit her like a blow.
"I must return tae MacCraith lands on the morrow."
Isolde felt the blood drain from her face. "So soon? Rhona's missing. She rode off tae find me and hasn't returned."
"I'll have me best trackers search fer her," he assured her, reaching for her hands. "But I must return tae MacCraith tae be as effective as I need tae this season. I must face me council before we can move forward. There are political realities we cannae ignore."
She pulled away, hurt flaring bright in her chest. "Always duty first, is it not, Laird MacCraith?"
"Isolde—"
"I should have kenned better," she continued, turning from him to hide the tears threatening to fall. "Was I merely a diversion on yer journey? Something tae pass the time before returning tae yer important duties?"
"That's unfair, and ye ken it." His voice hardened. "Everything I've done since finding ye has put me position at risk."
"Then why come here at all?" She whirled to face him. "Why seek me out if ye mean tae leave again so quickly?"
"Because I must find a way tae make this work!" The controlled facade slipped, revealing his own frustration. "Me council will never approve an alliance with the MacAlpins in yer clan's current state. I need time tae convince them, tae build support fer what I intend."
"And what exactly dae ye intend, Ciaran?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What am I tae ye?"
The silence between them stretched taut, filled with unspoken words and fears. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough with emotion.
"Everything," he said simply. "Ye're everything I never knew I wanted until I found ye."
"Then why leave?"
