He rode for a few minutes in silence, not too sure that it was a good idea. “’Tis a noble cause, for sure. But will ye have enough time to do that and still run the estate? ’Tis a big job yer taking on. The lands, tenants, the castle, all the staff, and now healing?” He shook his head. “I dinnae ken if that would work.”
“Aye. I did it all back in Stirlingshire.”
“And ye said one of the reasons ye left was it was too much for ye to keep up, and the place had begun to fall apart.”
“’Twas because of my da’s fondness for drink, too, ye ken. He spent all the coin on trips and seeing to his pleasure. That caused me more trouble than how busy I was.”
The opportunity had presented itself, and he would not let it pass. “Tell me again why ye decided to move yer whole clan to Fife? Ye just said again ’twas one of the reasons ye left, which leads me to believe ’twas another reason. More than just the run-down condition of yer da’s estate? What was the other reason?”
Katie looked at him briefly, then glanced away. Everything in her body screamed she was hiding something. “Aye. I misspoke. That was the only reason. Just to have a better place to live.” She looked up quickly. “Also, the fact that the MacDuff lands belong to me.”
“Aye. That fairy tale again.”
“’Tis not a fairy tale. A Bannerman Lady was a MacDuff about one hundred years ago. The MacDuff property should have come to Mistress MacDuff Bannerman on her brother’s passing. But the poor woman’s husband had just died, and she being heavy with child couldn’t travel to Dumfries to claim the land. So her cousin Sean stole it.”
He considered that as they continued on for a few minutes until they reached the next cottage. Evan pulled on his reins about a quarter mile out from the house. “Just a minute.”
“Aye?”
“A lovely story to be sure, but I wonder why ye haven’t told that part of it before now. Ye are hiding something, Mistress Katie Stirling of Stirlingshire. Why do I think there is another reason why ye decided to move everyone from one place to the next? And dinnae tell me ’twas because yer mum was cheated out of this place.”
She stared at the back of the horse’s head.
He moved his horse closer so their legs were almost touching. He bent his head to look into her eyes. “I would have the truth from ye, lass.”
Chapter Twelve
Katie continued to study the back of the horse’s head as if it was the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. Anything to keep her from looking directly at Evan. She could deny there being any other reason, but she’d never been good at lying. If she didn’t have to look the other person in the face she might—just might—get away with it. But if he demanded she look at him, she would begin to fidget. Then her face would turn red, and then she would look heavenward, as if to ask for celestial assistance.
“I’m waiting, lass.”
She took a deep breath and faced him. “Aye. There is another reason. Richard Armstrong.”
She said no more, and eventually, with Evan staring her down, she glanced away.
“Who is Richard Armstrong, and why did ye leave yer home because of him? Do I have to drag the entire story out of ye? As yer laird, yer well-being is my business. If ye need protection of any sort, I need to ken.”
After all this time—and distance—she’d managed to push Richard and everything he’d threatened to the back of her mind. But there was no doubt the time would come when she needed to face that problem. ’Twas indeed better if she shared it now rather than after he left her to return to Argyll. Should Richard make good on his threat, he would show up here eventually.
“Richard is the neighbor to the north of our lands. He arrived at my front door a week after my da passed. He had a paper in his hand that stated he and I were betrothed.”
“I take it this was a surprise to ye?”
She nodded. “I must admit the signature on the paper was my da’s. But I honestly do not believe he would give me to that man.” She shuddered, which, of course, Evan noticed.
His lips tightened, and his grip on the horse’s reins stiffened. The tension in his body had his horse shifting, feeling the anger of its rider. “Continue.” No questions from him, only his request for her to continue.
“I dinnae want to marry the man. He’s vile.”
Evan leaned forward, the fire coming from his eyes a frightening sight. “Did he touch ye in any way? Did he harm ye?”
At first she didn’t understand what he meant, then when she realized he was referring to rape, she smiled, which had him looking both angry and confused. “Nay. That was never an issue.”
His brows rose to his hairline. “The mon showed up at yer door with a betrothal paper, and ye weren’t concerned he would violate ye?”
“Nay.”
“Must I drag the rest of the story from ye?”
Katie looked off into the distance, not wanting to face him with her words. “Richard prefers the affections of young lads.”
Evan sucked in a breath. “Yer brother.”
“Aye.”
Nothing was said for a few minutes, just the far off sound of small animals scurrying about and birds overhead, searching for food. The soft wind blew in her face, and just the words spewing forth after holding them in all these months calmed her.
“Do ye have reason to believe he will follow ye here?”
“At first I dinnae think so. I told myself he wouldn’t make such a trip, but I
