Too Scot to Hold (The Hots for Scots #8) - Caroline Lee Page 0,17

and gasped in surprise when it was yanked open.

Her sister stood there, clutching her own distended stomach, her gaze worried as her it settled on Davina’s tears. “I could hear ye sniffling. What is it? Is Fiona—?”

She left the words unsaid, but Davina understood the worry. Suddenly, the last several hours caught up to her all at once, and the tears flowed even more freely. But she grinned and shook her head. “She’s fine. ‘Twas twins, and all three are healthy.”

“Twins,” Katlyn breathed reverently, pulling her into the room. “Lads?”

Of course she’d want to know. The whole castle would want to know if Finn was to be the next laird. Kiergan wasn’t in the room, so Davina sunk into a chair as she groped for a handkerchief to wipe her cheeks. “Both lassies, beautiful little bairns.”

“Twins,” Katlyn repeated, this time close to laughter. “So she was twice the size as the rest of us. Tell me everything!”

Chuckling, Davina obliged. She explained it all in detail, starting when she arrived, and making sure to linger over Merewyn’s instructions, thinking her sister would wish to know those things when her time came.

But apparently, she had lingered over other things, because Kat was peering at her oddly when she finished.

“What?”

Her sister shrugged. “Ye waxed poetic about Graham there a bit much.”

“Waxed poetic?” Davina repeated. “What do candles have to do with poetry? Or do ye mean beeswax? Bees are generally unrelated to the birthing process, although I think Merewyn had Moira mix honey into the drink she gave Fiona after. Or do ye mean the birds and the bees? I suppose they’re related to how she got pregnant in the first place…” she mused.

But her sister blinked. “What? What? Birds and bees? What does that have—Och, never mind.” Kat scowled as she lumbered to her feet. “I just meant, during yer telling, ye were focused on Graham for the most part. And when ye spoke of him…” She took Davina’s hand, her expression softening. “Ye still have feelings for him, do ye no’? Ye havenae mentioned him in yer letters, but he mentions ye often when he’s home.”

But…?

“Ye never mention him either. I didnae realize he was at the MacVanish holdings!” His home wasn’t so far from Mull that he couldn’t have visited her, had he wanted to.

“Och, nay, I meant home home. Here. Oliphant Castle. ‘Tis my home now, and I believe he sees it as his home as well, at least, much more than where he was raised.”

“So he has been here?”

“He’s either been in St. Andrew’s, or traveling about helping patients. He’s come through Oliphant land, oh, maybe thrice since last summer.” Kat squeezed her hand. “He’s a busy man, although I’ve gotten the impression he’d welcome the chance to settle down.”

Once, Vina thought he’d settle down with her.

“He’s no’ said one word to me,” Davina whispered.

Her sister hummed and tugged her to her feet. “His letters must—”

“He hasn’t written, Kat.”

Katlyn froze, then blinked. “ ’Tis no’ right, Vina. I would swear that man loves ye as much as I thought he did last summer.”

“I thought he did as well.” Shrugging hopelessly, Davina sighed. “But he’s made nae effort to contact me, and I’m running out of excuses to put off Grandda’s attempts to marry me off. Once yer bairn is born, he’ll drag Kiergan back to MacKinnon land to be the next laird, and I…”

When she saw her sister’s face go pale, Davina realized she was upsetting Kat by hinting she’d likely have to leave Oliphant Castle. So instead of finishing that thought, she forced a smile.

“And I will finally be allowed to marry for love,” she said, forcing more cheerfulness in her tone than she felt.

Her sister wasn’t fooled. “Nay, Vina. No’ ‘til ye discuss it with the man ye love. Dinnae deny it; ye still love him. I can see it when ye speak of him, even though ye’ve been hurt.”

“Aye, what of it?” Raising her chin defiantly, Davina glared. “I love him, and he’s tossed me aside.”

“Nay, he hasnae.” Kat’s tone was serious, her gaze steady. “Ye must trust me on this, as Kiergan and Graham have become close. Graham still loves ye. I dinnae ken why he hasnae written, but ye need to discover that reason, before ye can hope to find happiness elsewhere.”

Well, shite.

Her sister must’ve seen the thought in her expression because Kat’s lips twitched as she nodded. “Go, Vina, talk to him. Learn his reasons, and then ye can decide if ye