“Yer man was found in my study, Robertson. That much is the truth. What remains tae be determined is ifyeput him tae it.”
Jane swallowed hard. She could see her father trembling with anger, making her worry for his health.. To him, Aileen’s word was law. That was how much Keith MacThomas loved and respected his second daughter. And Jane could not judge him for it, for she adored her sister just as much.
Aileen was an angel, and she would not have lied.
“That man ye speak of saved my life twice in my trip to the north. Kenn stayed by me and my brother’s side through the most difficult times. He is an honorable man.”
Jane’s heart raced when her father stepped forward, getting into Robertson’s face.
“I could nae care less what he has done for ye, youngun’. He’ll be tried and punished according tae my laws.”
The laird smirked. “He willnae by punished for crimes he didnae commit. Yer daughter must be mistaken.” He turned his attention to Aileen. “Tell yer faither the truth, lassie. Say that ye are mistaken.”
He made a move toward Aileen, but her father stood in his way.
“Ye take nae further steps toward my daughter, or by God ye’ll leave the keep without one of yer limbs.”
Darach stood still, his sword hanging in his hand as he leaned over her father. “We’re allies, nae foes. And I daresay ‘twould be honorable that ye hear what I have tae say. Kenn is a good man, and any sojourn into yer study must be because he was lost. Surely ye can’t plan tae punish him for that? Yet, I still believe yer daughter was mistaken.”
“It is nae so.” Aileen’s voice was soft, but it was followed by silence in the hall.
Jane stared at her sister’s face, laced with fear. She had never learned how to hide the things she felt. Aileen followed the rules and helped all people surrounding her. Her heart was made of gold. If she said he was lying, then hemusthave been.
In her eighteen years of life, the voice had never whispered to Jane that her sister had been lying, not that she had reason to doubt her anyway. Jane could almost believe that the girl was incapable of lying.
The accused man stood still beside her—his expression indecipherable.
Kenn’s head swiveled silently as he looked around the room until his eyes settled on her. The heated voices of her father and Darach faded into the background, and Jane sucked in a breath.
Once upon a time, she had struggled with her gift, and she had been unable to understand why people would utter mistruths. She’d thought everyone did it because they had no choice. The truth was that men lied to fulfill their own selfish needs, and people would lie as long as they were allowed to.
Jane narrowed her eyes at the man and wondered why he’d gone into her father’s chambers. While Darach Robertson and his brother never pretended to be anything other than brutes, this man seemed to be hiding something, like he harbored deep, dark secrets and plots he carried out behind everyone else’s backs.
Jane winced. Perhaps she had grown too cynical for her own good.
“Ye can leave at first light tomorrow, Robertson. But yer friend stays with us and will answer for his crime.”
“I wouldnae—”
“Ye can leave at first light tomorrow, or ye’ll spend time in the dungeon with yer man. He must pay for his crime either way, be it treason or carelessness.”
Jane looked to Darach. He was quiet, his face red with anger. He was breathing hard, his heels scraping against the floor.
“He committed nae crime. Yer daughter lies against my man,” he ground out.
Before the anger could burst out into a worse reaction, Jane walked over to him until the huge frames of both men loomed over her.
Her father was on one side, Darach Robertson on the other.
She saw Darach’s intense dark eyes move over her before settling on her face. His wide mouth twitched. Was he amused or irritated? Jane couldn't say and didn't care for a fire was burning inside her.
“He isnae a child, is he? I wouldnae stand here and watch ye label my sister a liar when the man ye speak for cannae even open his maw tae speak for himself.”
Holding her gaze, Jane could see her words had further aggravated him. In the dim light, she could see his face contort, and he stepped back once more.
“Ye cannae barge in here and tell us what tae do. This is nae yer land,” she said.
“Jane…”