Scot to the Touch (The Hots for Scots #7) - Caroline Lee Page 0,52

we established he fights dirty, then Graham showed up with Davina. Oh, and I love Kat and am going to be marrying her.”

MacKinnon began to rumble a response, but Aunt Agatha cackled over him. “Heard the drummer, have ye, lad? Banging about in those passages, eh?”

Banging about in the passages?

For the first time since Graham showed himself intentionally, Kiergan met Katlyn’s eyes, and when she grinned, he was unable to stop his to form in return.

“Hear now, ye’re marrying Katlyn? Yer lad’s supposed to be marrying Davina, William!” Before Da could answer—not that he would have, seeing as how he was still staring open-mouthed at Graham—the MacKinnon turned back to Graham. “And I recall ye. Ye’re that MacVanish bastard who wanted to court my granddaughter!”

Judging from the way Graham was gripping Davina’s hand, Kiergan supposed there was no use in asking which granddaughter. And mayhap this explained the strange behavior of Katlyn’s sister as well.

Da cleared his throat, but his voice still sounded hoarse, when he asked, “Who are ye, lad?”

There was no question of whom he spoke to. Graham exchanged glances with Davina, then dropped her hand and stepped forward. With his hands easy at his sides, he lifted his chin and met Da’s eyes.

“I am Graham MacVanish. Bastard son of Flora, the auld laird’s daughter.”

Kiergan was close enough so that, when Da released a strangled sob and staggered to one side, he was there to catch the older man. Slipping his shoulder under Da’s, Kiergan met Graham’s gaze.

“Ye’re the son of Flora MacVanish, ye said?”

Graham’s chin jerked once in a nod, and although the man might look at ease to an outsider, Kiergan could see the trepidation in his blue eyes. The man didn’t understand Da’s questions, any more than the rest of them.

It was Aunt Agatha who broke the spell when she snorted. “MacVanish? Nonsense. The boy’s an Oliphant, ‘tis obvious. He looks just like ye did at that age, Willie. He’s one of yers.”

It wasn’t a question, but as Da pushed himself upright, he nodded. “Aye,” he said hoarsely, still staring at Graham. “I loved a woman named Flora MacVanish many years ago. I would’ve married her if her father—the laird—had thought me worthy. But he was determined to betroth her to a more powerful man. She died before she could do either.”

Graham’s gaze darted to the MacKinnon, then back again. “My mother died birthing me, and my grandfather blamed me for ruining an alliance he might’ve made. He’d forced her to return home and had planned to hide her from her lover until after she was already married to a powerful laird.” Graham’s voice had gone hoarse. “He hadnae expected me.”

Suddenly, Da’s face split into a grin. “Nae one expected ye, laddie.” To the surprise of his sons—which, Kiergan was beginning to realize, now numbered seven—Da stepped forward, his arms outstretched.

“I dinnae ken why ye’re here, Graham MacVanish, but ye’re nae intruder. Ye’re my son, and I’ll be the first to welcome ye to the family!”

Graham hesitated only a moment, before moving forward into his father’s arms, and Da wrapped him in a great hug.

Around him, Kiergan’s brothers’ reactions were mixed. Malcolm and Alistair looked shocked, while Rocque and Finn were beaming. Duncan just looked worried, but that wasn’t unusual.

And Kiergan…?

Well, he wasn’t certain what story his face told, but his heart was a jumble of emotions. Over Da’s shoulder, Graham caught his eye, and the two brothers—for aye, how could anyone doubt Graham was his brother—offered one another a peaceful nod.

Another brother! ‘Twas like the day Da had gathered young Alistair and Kiergan and told them he’d discovered Rocque and Malcolm outside the castle, and they’d soon be coming to live with all of them. The possibilities had seemed endless then, a future of friendship, camaraderie, and brotherly love had opened in front of Kiergan, and holding Graham’s gaze now, he felt the same way.

Or mayhap…

When Katlyn stepped up beside him and slipped her hand into his, Kiergan turned to smile down at her.

Mayhap this feeling, this lightness in his chest, wasn’t because of his new brother at all, or at least the majority of it. Mayhap ‘twas because of Katlyn.

She smiled. “I love ye, Kier.”

Nay, there was no mayhap about it. Grasping her cheeks in his hands, he kissed her. Kissed her with all the love and excitement and plans for the future which bubbled inside of him.

He was flying, and it was thanks to this woman.

When he eventually pulled away and pressed