Page 104 of A Highland Bride Disciplined

They had returned late, weariness in their bones, yet Kian refused to let her walk alone. He insisted on escorting her to her chamber.

Her thoughts lingered on Elise — it was always Elise — and the way the wee lass curled against her shoulder even when she slept. It steadied Scarlett, after the chaos of the last few days, to know the child was under her roof. Safe.

The heavy door creaked as Scarlett pushed it open. The fire within had burned low, embers pulsing faintly in the hearth. Effie snored softly on the pallet near the cradle, one arm flung over her face. But Scarlett’s eyes darted not to the maid, nor the cradle.

A shadow moved.

A tall figure, broad-shouldered, was already inside her chamber, only a few steps from the cradle.

Scarlett’s voice cracked out before she’d thought of it. “Stop!”

The intruder froze mid-stride. Effie bolted upright, hair sticking out at all angles. “M’lady? What —?”

Scarlett’s breath hammered in her chest as the stranger turned slowly, his face catching the glow of the embers.

Roderick Hendry.

He was the younger McTavish son, whom she’d seen all of two days prior at the hunt, his smile too polished, his words too sweet.

Her stomach turned. “What in God’s name are ye doing in me chambers? Why are ye near me child?”

Before she could charge at the man, Kian was at her side, arm intercepting her approach. Steel hissed as he drew his dagger. His presence filled the room like a storm.

“Step away,” Kian growled, his voice dark as thunder.

Roderick’s lips curled into a sheepish smile, as though caught in a harmless prank. “Ah. Laird Crawford. Lady Crawford. Forgive me. A… misunderstanding, surely.”

“Misunderstanding?” Scarlett’s voice trembled but did not waver. “Ye crept into me chambers like ye had a right!”

Kian’s gaze cut to her for a brief moment, steady, protective — then locked back on Roderick. “Ye’ve ten seconds to explain why ye’re in me wife’s chambers before I gut ye where ye stand. And send yer faither that report.”

Roderick spread his hands, palms outward, that same insufferable charm plastered on his face. “Now, now. Nay need for dramatics. I only wished a word. In private. Matters of some delicacy.”

Scarlett’s skin crawled. His eyes had flicked, just for an instant, toward the cradle. “Why were ye near me child!”

“Only curiosity —” he started to say, but Kian stepped forward, blade gleaming in the low firelight. “Ye’ll say nothin’ here. Out.”

“Please,” Roderick said smoothly, as though they were in the hall of some grand feast instead of her chamber. “Give me but a moment. A chance to explain, and ye’ll see —”

“Out,” Kian snapped, fury pulsing in every syllable.

Roderick bowed curtly and strode past them into the corridor.

The air was brittle, like glass about to shatter. Scarlett pressed a hand against Kian’s arm. “Wait.”

Her voice cut soft but firm, enough to turn his gaze briefly to her, and Roderick halted his retreat, lingering in the darkness of the threshold.

“Perhaps… we should hear him, Kian. If he’s come all this way, skulkin’ around like this —” she swallowed. Then she shifted her stance, so that her back was to the door and lowered her voice so that only the two of them might hear, “What if this is about Elise?”

Kian’s eyes briefly connected with the man in the corridor before landing on Scarlett again. The muscle in his jaw clenched as though he could bite clean through his own temper. But he did not strike.

He exhaled sharply through his nose. “Fine. The study. Nae here in me wife’s room.”

Roderick bowed mockingly low, his voice silken. “As ye command, Laird Crawford.”

“Get,” Kian thundered, lunging at the man, his dagger still in hand.

Roderick smiled and his eyes lingered half a second too long on Scarlett, which made her skin prickle with disgust. Then he wasgone, his bootsteps echoing down the corridor, striding down the hall as though this were his home.