Page 25

C ampbell tried to hide his surprise at seeing his grandfather in his hall, but it was getting hard to endure the man’s condescending look.

He had not seen the man since he had torn their family apart, and yet his face had been seared into his mind.

It was his hatred of his grandfather that had spurred him to defend his clan and become stronger. He had sworn he would never be weak like his father, but seeing his grandfather in his home, uninvited, raised his hackles.

His grandfather had never done things without purpose, and even now, his eyes scanned the crowd. Campbell cast his gaze around the hall, trying to spot the boys and his wife. He needed to ensure they were safe.

When he saw the boys still playing with the other children and his wife with her sisters, a wave of relief washed over him, but he was still wary and on edge.

What did the man want?

Campbell had not invited him, and they did not have any sort of relationship for his grandfather to consider attending, even if he caught wind of the cèilidh.

Was this about his letters?

He couldn’t think that Campbell would write to him, could he?

“Surely ye wouldnae want outsiders to listen in on our conversation,” his grandfather said, with a pointed look at Kian. “Leave us now, Crawford. This doesnae concern ye.”

Campbell glared hard at the man for thinking he had any right to order anyone around in his home, much less a fellow laird.

“He isnae an outsider to me. Ye are the only outsider I see here,” he growled, fixing him with a glare. “Why are ye in me home? I didnae invite ye here.”

He met Magnus’s eyes across the room and subtly motioned for him to keep watch. There could be more afoot, with his grandfather’s sudden presence, and he did not want to be caught off guard in front of the other clans present here.

So far, no one had taken note of their exchange, and he intended to keep it that way. He did not need any rumors spreading.

“A shameful thing, in me opinion. We are family, after all. Ye invited almost all of Scotland, yet ye didnae think to invite yer one remaining family member.” His grandfather tutted, disdain evident on his face.

“Nay matter, I decided I must see ye. Ye have been ignoring me letters, and I grew tired of writing them. Where is yer wife? I must meet the new lady of yer clan and determine her suitability.”

Campbell frowned.

He had expected news of his hasty wedding to travel fast, but he did not like the fact that his grandfather had traveled all the way there for that purpose.

“‘Tis nae yer place to determine whether me wife is suitable or nae, Darragh, and ye will do well to remember that,” he warned, stepping closer to the man, who did not even flinch. “Me marriage and clan arenae yer concern.”

His grandfather’s face twisted in a frown, and he looked ready to pounce but was holding back. Instead, he straightened his shirt and glanced around the room to ensure no one was listening in on their conversation.

Even now, he was still concerned about how he was perceived in public.

Even though he was well along in years, he looked strong, albeit smaller than he had been in his younger years.

His hair had gone from brown to a shock of white, which was the only thing betraying his age.

His brown eyes shone with knowledge and disapproval.

Despite his pristine facade, Campbell knew that behind it swirled a darkness that corrupted everything it touched. An acrid, corrosive thing as foul as the man who housed it.

“I dinnae ken who taught ye to be so disrespectful, but nay matter.

‘Tis much too late to teach ye better,” Darragh said with a frown.

“I only want to make sure that ye have chosen a bride deserving of yer maither’s place as lady of this clan.

‘Twill be a great honor to her if ye have chosen to walk as she did. Ye cannae afford to have children with someone unworthy.”

Campbell wished he could tell the man what he thought about honoring his mother’s place. He couldn’t fault her for making the decision she had when her father had manipulated his way into their lives, but her abandonment of him was something he did not know how to forgive.

“Ye dinnae have the right to decide for me, Darragh. I havenae seen ye in years, and ye have never cared for me existence, so ye cannae assume I consider yer opinion of substance,” Campbell bit out.

“Ye havenae told me the real reason why ye have come, and I dinnae care for it. I dinnae trust there is any truth in ye. I dinnae like ye tainting me castle with yer presence, so ye will leave at once.”

Magnus returned to a place nearby and shook his head.

Darragh had apparently come by himself.

That was hard to believe, but Campbell did not want to probe. Doing so would ruin his evening, and he had intended for everything to go smoothly.

“Ye are holding on too strongly to the past, Campbell.” Darragh frowned. “Ye didnae even invite me to yer wedding, and I have forgiven yer mistake. Surely ye can see I only want what is best for ye and yer clan.”

“I have chosen someone suitable, and ye will stay away from her,” Campbell warned. “Ye have lived yer life as though I werenae yer blood. Ye should continue to do so. Me life and clan are of nay consequence to ye.”

“Ye are me blood, Campbell,” Darragh insisted. “I am yer grandfaither. Yer life is me concern. I cannae allow ye to dishonor me by living with an unsuitable woman and having shameful heirs.”

“Darragh,” Campbell gritted out, “ye will keep away from me wife and nephews. Ye have nay place in our lives.”

The conversation had put him in a blacker mood than he had been all evening, and all he wanted was to put the stubborn man in his place. But his grandfather refused to accept that he was no longer the little boy who had been powerless to watch his family separated by the selfishness of one man.

Campbell was a laird now and a better man than his father had been, and he would not let Darragh’s selfishness taint the peace he had fought hard to maintain in his home. He was no weakling craving approval from a man who hated everything not done his way.

“Yer nephews are nothing more than a stain on our bloodline,” Darragh said with a sour face, as though the words irritated him to speak out loud.

“Yer braither was a fool to mix our blood with someone of low birth, and they have been raised by that lowly woman, so I expect nothing better from them. Since they are under yer care, I expect ye will educate them properly so they will be of some use, but ye cannae think to raise them as yer own. They?—”

Campbell could not help the laugh that escaped him at the man’s audacity.

Eyes turned to them at his humourless tone, causing his grandfather to stiffen. They knew that whenever he gave such a laugh, blood was bound to flow. But he had no such intentions on such a day.

He had decided to host a cèilidh to bring joy to his clan, and he intended to do so. Even if his grandfather’s dark cloud threatened to ruin the day, he would be the strong wind that blew him away.

“Ye had a chance to prove yerself to be a capable guardian with me maither and Aidan, but ye failed, so ye will understand when I tell ye that I need nay help from ye. Ye willnae get another chance at it.”

His grandfather claimed to know best how to raise worthy children, yet his only daughter had run off to marry a man of her own choosing, whom he had deemed unworthy.

He had tried again with Aidan, but he also had run off to marry the woman he loved.

Those were not testaments to his self-proclaimed skill at raising worthy children or sound judgment.

The man had failed spectacularly to produce or raise an heir.

It was a blow that was intended to pierce his grandfather’s judgmental armor without leaving any room for doubt.

Campbell had never been one for subtle warfare. If there was anything he had found useful in his and his father’s teachings, it was to fight with everything he had. Brute force would serve him well every time.

Darragh fixed him with a scathing glare that indicated Campbell’s words had hit their mark.

But Campbell only gave a grin, which made his grandfather’s face harden.

“Ye are acting much like a child, nae a man,” Darragh spat. “I am the only family ye have left and the only one able to counsel ye?—”

“I will allow ye a moment to leave of yer own accord. But if ye choose nae to, ye will see just how disgracefully I can behave,” Campbell cut him off. “I havenae needed yer counsel, and I willnae need it in the coming days. Leave now, Darragh.”

He walked away feeling satisfied, his mind immediately flashing to his wife. But before he could interrupt her conversation with her sisters, he turned to Magnus, who had appeared at his side.

“Get him out of here,” he ordered. “I need ye to make sure that he leaves. I dinnae want him here any longer.”

“Aye, Me Laird.”

“And post more men on the battlements tonight,” he added. “I need to ensure that he hasnae left any spies behind. I willnae have me wife or the boys hurt.”

“Ye have me word, Me Laird.”

“I am counting on ye.”

“I will order Timon and James to watch the bairns and Her Ladyship,” Magnus told him. “No one will get past them.”

Indeed, they were wise choices, but Campbell would not need anyone to watch his wife. He would do it himself.

“Tell them to watch the boys instead,” he ordered. “I will watch me wife meself.”

Magnus gave him a knowing grin, which faded at a dark look from him. “Aye, Me Laird.”

Campbell walked off and headed to his wife, who smiled hesitantly upon seeing him.

She really was beautiful, and seeing her chased away the dark cloud that had been hovering over his head since he saw Darragh.

“Me Laird,” Lady MacLennan greeted. “‘Tis an honor to be invited to yer home.”

“Ye are family now, Lady MacLennan,” he told her with a nod.

“I do hope me daughter isnae giving ye any trouble.” Lady MacLennan cast a glance at Mabel. “I ken she lacks in many ways, but she has a good heart.”

“She pleases me greatly, Lady MacLennan,” he answered honestly. “I am happy to have her.”

Lady MacLennan smiled happily.

At that moment, she resembled his wife strongly. He had a vague picture of what she would look like in her older years and felt a smile tease the corners of his lips.

“Forgive the interruption, but I want to dance with me wife,” he announced.

He liked the way his wife’s eyebrows shot up and a flush crawled up her neck to her cheeks, painting her in such a lovely hue.

He knew she loved to dance, and there was an itch under his skin that he needed to rid himself of. There were still a few dances left, so there was ample time to do so.

He held out his hand to her, and she took it, hiding her face.

Her mother smiled broadly and stepped away.

“Have I embarrassed ye?” he asked, seeing how she was still red in the face. “Ye hid yer face when I asked ye to dance.”

“Nay,” she answered, lifting her eyes to his. “I am surprised, is all. I didnae ken ye would ask me.”

“Why would I nae?” He frowned in confusion.

“Ye didnae speak to me all evening.”

He nodded thoughtfully and gently squeezed her hand.

“But have I made ye happy?” he asked, not knowing why he wanted to hear her answer.

“Aye.”