- I guess I'm not the only prostitute in this place.
- If you tell anyone anything, I'll break every bone in your body! - I threatened. Grabbing her hand, I squeezed hard until my fingers snapped. - Now get out of my sight and thank God I love your mother very much. Otherwise, I wouldn't even be in this castle anymore.
Rose pulled her hand hard.
- You'll regret what you're doing to me!
She turned around abruptly and walked out towards the door. He got so angry, he almost ran over Bruce.
- Bad day? - Bruce asked in an ironic tone.
- Go to hell! - she spit and then disappeared.
He laughed and then looked in my direction.
- What's wrong with her?
- Jealousy, jealousy, spite... - said shaking his head. - Pick one.
- She didn't take it very well when I was getting married. - Bruce sat in the chair in front of the table. - I hear she's been trying to provoke Aideen, but she's responded accordingly. It made Rose shut up.
I hid a smile of satisfaction and frowned with a surprised look on my forehead. To be honest, I shouldn't be. Knowing how Aideen was with words, of course she would put Rose in her place. I had worried for nothing, but I decided to keep Rose away from her.
- Tell me! What is this urgent matter you wish to discuss with me?
I went behind the table and sat down.
- Hmm! I need your help with something. - I sighed. - I want you to go to Inverness and make a survey on the MacBride.
Bruce frowned.
- Exactly what should I be looking for and why?
- All about Ravenna's life and daughters. I don't care much for Loch, so you can ignore him.
- May I ask why that is now? I thought you liked Aideen.
I rolled my eyes and frowned.
- You're the one who said it, so don't look at me like that.
- I know that.
- Why do you want to know about her past and her life?
- Because Aideen had a lover and I need to know if there's a risk of him showing up again. - I fired without patience. - She told me on her wedding night before I could...
I paused to sigh and ran my hand over my face.
- That bastard Ravenna knew Aideen was no longer a virgin, but she gave me her daughter anyway.
- Well, after all the arguments and the dowry increase, it was kind of hard to refuse the deal. - Bruce sighed. - As I recall, you insisted a lot on having Aideen and made use of a law that we don't even use anymore.
I snorted because Bruce repeated the same words as Aideen.
- Aideen fooled me! - I fired.
- No! Aideen didn't fool you. It was Ravenna who deceived him by omitting his daughter to be no longer pure. - Bruce argued. - As I recall, Aideen begged me not to marry her.
- Why didn't she just say why at that moment?
- Would that make you quit?
- It would give me a choice.
- And how much Annabel?
- What about her?
- Would you risk tarnishing your sister's reputation because of your mistake?
- Of course not!
- So that's exactly what Aideen did. - Bruce smiled with satisfaction. - She was protecting her sister from having her reputation tarnished in front of a bunch of people. If she really wanted to fool him, she wouldn't have told him herself.
I opened my mouth to talk, but Bruce interrupted me again.
- Besides, we don't know what really happened and what threats Ravenna made so that neither of them would reveal anything.
- I thought you weren't paying attention. - I fired. - Weren't you busy with those fruits?
- My dear fellow, I'm never as busy as I look. - Bruce smiled. - You of all people should know that by now.
I closed my eyes by leaning back on the chair. I didn't think Aideen could be protecting her sister and vice versa. Annabel knew that sooner or later, I'd find out and tried to keep her sister safe.
- I think there's more! - I whispered.
- What's that? What's that? - Bruce asked confused.
- Aideen's attitude when he said he'd give it back. She was terrified of that possibility. He even suggested faking his own death and disappearing so I wouldn't have my reputation tarnished.
- Swear it! And what did you do?
- I sent the MacBride away, stopped her from seeing her sister and confined her to the castle.
- Very diplomatic of you.
- Will you stop judging me with your sarcasm?
Bruce had a laugh.
- Alistair, it's clear that you like Aideen very much and that you're dying of jealousy of her. His pride was hurt because he was not the first to touch the woman who bewitched him and he wants compensation in every way.
- I, uh...
- I'm not judging you. Maybe I would do the same, but before I hurt her anyway, don't you think I should check the circumstances?
- What do you mean?
- What if she was seduced by a bully? After all, she's only seventeen. It's just a little girl.
- I can't believe she was seduced.
- Why shouldn't
