Page 80 of The Wrong Bride
She straightened in shock and the world suddenly seemed a different place. Her uncle had never shown anything but impatience with the women in his life, except for Cat. Perhaps her aunt would blossom now that she was no longer under his shadow. She met Hugh’s somber gaze. “What does this mean for us?”
“Not much, I believe. The contract is binding regardless of your uncle’s death.”
Nodding, she frowned. “My aunt will be grief-stricken, but probably for show more than anything.”
“She has come to the Highlands with his body, along with the new earl and his sister.”
Riona gasped. “Cat? And Owen?”
He nodded. “I ken ye’ve missed your cousin.”
“I have, but . . . she probably doesn’t know I’m here.”
“We don’t know what Owen is aware of. But . . . have ye considered that soon word will spread that Owen’s sister is with him, and not here with me? Perhaps . . . they’ll think it’s Bronwyn? I’ve mentioned a sister to more than one person.”
Her stomach gave a twist of apprehension. “Oh, Hugh,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.” He’d worked so hard to be a worthy chief to his people, and now they’d soon discover his dreadful mistake.
“Stop saying that,” he ordered. “Ye’ve nothing to be sorry for. I’ve decided that we shall find a way to deal with this without revealing what we don’t want revealed.”
“But if you just explain everything, tell the clan you were deceived by my uncle—”
“And risk shaming you in public? Nay, I think I first need to meet with Owen.”
A sudden pounding on the door startled themboth. Riona jumped to her feet as if being caught on Hugh’s lap was the worst sin. Not compared to other things they’d done, she thought grimly.
Hugh came around his desk and went toward the door, but it opened before he got there and several people crowded in: Dermot and Alasdair, Maggie and Lady McCallum.
Samuel came in last, then closed the door and stood in front of it, arms folded over his chest, looking more intimidating than Riona had ever seen him.
Dermot led the charge. “We’ve heard news of the arrival of the new Earl of Aberfoyle—and his sister,” he added, glowering at Riona. “I’ve made it my business to learn everything about Clan Duff. The new earl only has one sister.”
Though her fingers twisted together before her, she tried to portray a calmness she was far from feeling.
“Aye, Samuel told me they’d arrived with their father’s body,” Hugh said.
“But I didn’t tell anyone else,” Samuel explained calmly. “Other travelers arrived today with the news.”
“What have ye done, Hugh?” Alasdair asked, exasperated. “Ye always did act before thinking.”
Hugh’s jaw clenched and unclenched, and Riona could feel him keeping a rein on the worst of his temper.
“My uncle deceived Hugh,” Riona said in a voicethat only wavered a little in the face of the angry men and confused women.
Hugh made a slashing motion with his hand. “What we discuss here goes no farther than this room, do ye understand? Dermot, have ye told anyone else how many sisters Owen has?”
Dermot hesitated, then shook his head.
“Then for now, Riona’s true identity is secret. I will make the decision about the information the clan will have.”
“Fine,” Dermot said, then demanded, “Did ye ken she wasn’t your betrothed? Or did the witch go along with her family to deceive ye?”
In two steps, Hugh had Dermot by the front of his coat and the room was in an uproar of raised voices. Lady McCallum gasped and covered her mouth, and Maggie looked like she wanted to jump between the men. Riona felt only despair that she was the cause of ruining Hugh’s relationships with his friends after he’d just mended them.
“Don’t ever speak about Riona like that again,” Hugh ordered in a cold voice. “Everything that’s happened ismyfault, not hers. She is an innocent here.”
Alasdair stared at her in frustration. “If ye’re innocent, Riona, why did ye let us all believe ye were the earl’s daughter?”
Hugh let go of Dermot, who didn’t back away. “She told me the truth but was too frightened to tellany of ye. I thought she was lying, that her uncle was trying to back out of the contract and take the land from us. She has the same name as her cousin; she was the only young woman in the house when I stole her out of her room.”
