Page 22 of A Highland Bride Disciplined

“More?”

“I thought ye’d want to see her for yerself.”

She pulled the door open and nodded to someone down the hall. A moment later, a quiet shuffle of feet echoed toward them.

The door opened wider.

“Her?” Kian managed to say before Effie stepped in, arms full.

Nestled against her shoulder, blinking up with wide, curious eyes, was the smallest bairn Kian had ever seen.

Kian’s hands curled into fists. He wasn’t a man easily rattled, but this shook him to his core.A god-damned baby?

“A girl,” Scarlett said, as if reading his mind while she walked toward Effie.

The bairn was wrapped in a well-worn blanket. Blond curls peeked out from beneath the bonnet. She had a fist in her mouth and one sock nearly kicked off.

Effie nodded respectfully, her face unusually solemn for once. “M’laird… Welcome home.”

“Effie,” Kian said, stiffly.

Scarlett lifted the child with surprising ease, cradling her against her chest. The baby gurgled happily, one hand resting on Scarlett’s collarbone.

Kian just stared.

He wasn’t sure what he’d expected. A dog. A cat, perhaps. A breeding mare. Never in a million years would he have guessed a child.

“Her name’s Elise,” Scarlett said softly.

Kian blinked. “Aye, the letter,” he said. “Ye… ye’ve been caring for her?”

Scarlett nodded and excused Effie before replying. “For the past six days, aye.”

His brow furrowed. “And ye thought I ought to be summoned from Edinburgh because…?”

Scarlett’s green eyes flashed. “Because she was left forus, Kian. The note namedbothof us. And whether or nae ye want to acknowledge it, I have nay intention of raising her alone.”

Kian ran a hand down his face. “Ye think I ken whose child this is?”

Scarlett hesitated. “Do ye nae?”

“What?”

“I thought maybe…” She looked at him, something like disbelief clouding her expression. “I thought maybe she was yers from some kind of dalliance before our marriage. That this was a consequence of yer carelessness.”

The room fell deadly silent.

Kian’s blood turned to ice.

He stepped forward, slowly. “YethoughtI would have left a woman with child to marry ye?”

Scarlett met his stare evenly. “I dinnae ken what to think. I daenae ken ye at all!”

That stopped him.

Because it was true.

For all their fire and sparring and pride, they didn’t trulyknoweach other. Not really.