Page 29 of Taken By the Ruthless Highlander

“But ye didnae do it,” another small voice piped up.

Ryder noticed Eloise skipping about in the grass, trying to catch the fireflies as the sunset streaked through the low-hanging clouds.

“Aye, I ken, but it doesnae mean that others think otherwise. Just as ye think the Laird is a vile man, he’s nae. Just a bit distant, is all,” Morgana said.

There was more compassion in her voice than anything he’d heard before.

“Yet ye still have that image of him. Well, some of the councilmen have an image of me that I can either ignore or try to change.”

“I didnae mean to cause any trouble, truly. I was just havin’ a bit of sport with it all,” Eloise mumbled.

Ryder’s chest tightened as his palm tingled. Oh, how he wanted to be the one to scold the child. If the children were going to stay under his roof, he would have them all obey without question.

“Ye’ll nae do that again, alright? Ye understand why, dinnae ye?” Morgana asked as the last rays of light lingered on the horizon.

Ryder watched as she packed up the blanket and food that hadn’t been touched.

“I understand,” Eloise said as she grabbed the picnic basket from her elder sister and skipped toward the door.

Panic shot through Ryder as he realized they were headed back in. With no time to hide, he leaned against the wall of the castle and waited as if he’d been there all evening.

“Ye’re too soft on her,” the younger lad chimed in. “Ye’re goin’ to spoil her.”

Ryder held his breath as Morgana came around the corner and stopped the second her eyes fell on him. Fear lingered behind her gaze, yet she said nothing.

“Laird McKenzie,” the twins greeted in unison, before quickly scrambling to get back into the castle. There was no masking their horror as they darted for the door and disappeared.

“Did ye want me to stick around for a moment?” the young lad asked.

The defiance in his tone grated on Ryder’s nerves, but there was something about his loyalty to his sister that sparked a flicker of admiration.

“Ye should go; it is clear my husband has a few words for me this evenin’,” Morgana answered, her voice trembling with fear.

“Aye, it’s what he has to say and how he says it that I’m a bit worried about,” her brother insisted.

Ryder cleared his throat as he pushed off the wall. “Ye’ve got nothin’ to fear from me, lad,” he said. “Nor does yer sister.”

“Aye, well, ye mark her, and I promise I’ll find a way to mark ye, understand?”

“Ronnie.” Morgana hissed the name like a curse. If she was horrified before, terror now clung to her like a cloak. “Ye have nay right to talk so rudely. Apologize and take yer leave.”

Ryder arched an eyebrow and studied the young lad as he fought the urge to snap. It was a lesson he had to learn one too many times and still could never master it.

“I apologize,” Ronnie said through gritted teeth, keeping his head low.

Ryder didn’t say a word, only gave him a nod.

The gesture was all Ronnie was waiting for to take off for the castle.

“See that the girls go to bed and have the servants draw them a bath,” Morgana called after him, just as the door closed behind him. “He heard me. I’m sure he heard me.”

“Those children walk all over ye,” Ryder remarked. He tilted his head and stepped in front of her. “Ye ken that, right?”

“They do nay such thing,” she huffed as she sidestepped and started for the door.

Ryder shook his head as he stepped in front of her once again, stopping her from reaching for the doorknob.

“Ye werenae at dinner tonight,” he stated, holding her eyes.