Page 40 of Love with a Scottish Outlaw
“Go on,” she said coolly.
Releasing a sigh, he told her about finding Catriona and recognizing her as the daughter of the Earl of Aberfoyle.
Muriel threw her arms wide. “But ye did not feel it right to tell her—or anyone else?”
“At first I thought she was lying about the memory loss, that if returned to her father, she might reveal our location.”
“But when ye knew she’d truly lost her memory . . .”
“Now her father is discovering what it’s like to be missing a daughter, just as the poor parents of Clan Carlyle have had to do because of that man’s evil and greed.”
He knew his voice had grown cold, because his sister looked away from him and hugged herself.
“Och, Duncan, what have ye done.” She bowed her head.
“What had to be done. I saved her life. She doesn’t know anything about being a Duff. When I think her father has suffered enough, I’ll return her.”
“I think ye’re making a mistake that will haunt ye.”
“It won’t be the first. But ye must swear to tell no one. I should not have told ye, nor made ye bear the burden of silence, but I couldn’t lie, not to you.”
“But ye’ve lied to everyone else who believes in ye.”
“They’d understand,” he said stubbornly. “Now ye know why I have to refuse your offer of housing the lass. She feels safe with us, and I need to keep an eye on her.”
“Duncan Carlyle, when she regains her memory and kens what ye’ve done . . .”
“I’ll deal with it when it happens—if it happens.”
Muriel stretched out her legs and leaned back on the bench. Her eyes closed a bit, but she never lost sight of Robby, who was now moving on his knees through the grass, following the progress of his worm.
“Is the poor lass not afraid with all of ye?” she said quietly.
“She was uncertain and afraid at first. But she’s settled in well.”
Muriel rolled her eyes. “What is she doing all day?”
“Working with the women.”
She shot upright with a gasp. “Ye’re treating her like a servant?”
“Aye,” he said with sarcasm, “’twas my exact thought when I found her bleeding in the rain—look, another serving woman to help the cause.”
She folded her arms across her chest and grumbled, “Well, how am I to know. ’Tis your first kidnapping, after all.”
He grimaced. “She insisted upon helping, claimed that she owed us for taking her in. I told her she’s a guest, gave her the only bedchamber—”
“Your bedchamber?”
He deliberately kept his gaze on the sleeping bairn, so Muriel couldn’t uncannily read his mind about the night’s excursion into that chamber and what had happened. “Aye, ’tis not as if I don’t sleep beside my men when we’re on the road.”
“Hmm.”
Alice began to fret, and with a cooing sound, Muriel picked her up and put the babe on her shoulder. She looked at Duncan over the little bonneted head. “I understand that ye’ve taken responsibility for her. But what happens if her memory never returns? Are ye going to return her so that all believe her reputation destroyed? Ye’d have to marry her then.”
Duncan stiffened. Much as he desired Catriona, nothing beyond unrequited lust was ever going to happen. “Nay, I will not. There are over two dozen people with us at all times, proof that she’s been safe.” Now he really was lying to his sister. “And even if she wanted to, I would never allow a woman to be with me when I have so little to offer.”
Her expression crumpled into sorrow. “Oh, Duncan, don’t say such things. Ye’re chief of the Clan Carlyle. Ye’ll find a way to reverse the ruling against ye. Those noblemen ye wrote to—”
