My intention had been to make a beeline for the hall. Whether all the Clan Chieftains were there or not made little difference. My words would get back to the people who needed to hear them no matter what Aifric tried to do. I was stopped in my tracks, however, by a familiar voice.

‘I thought you weren’t going to run away.’

I turned, drinking in Byron. He looked rumpled, the shadow of stubble across his jawline. For once his hair wasn’t so perfect but his emerald eyes remained bright. I forced down the irritating prickles of desire that danced through my veins. I wasn’t going to believe the worst of him yet. Jumping to conclusions wouldn’t aid my cause but whatever was behind that sexy façade, I couldn’t let myself trust him. Not when I knew the truth about his father.

‘Circumstances altered my path. How’s Malcolm?’ I asked.

‘Grieving.’ He took a step towards me. ‘What happened? The Macquarries sent word that you appeared like a bat out of hell carrying Lily’s body.’

‘Lily’s corpse,’ I corrected quietly.

A shadow crossed his face. ‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.’

‘You don’t think it was me who poisoned her then?’

‘No.’ He met my gaze and held it. ‘I don’t.’

I shook out my hair. ‘It was the water,’ I told him. ‘There was something in it. It was obviously meant for me.’

Byron sucked in a breath. ‘But…’

‘It must have been William Kincaid,’ I continued blithely. ‘He hated me with every fibre of his being. He’ll be spinning in his grave that he missed his shot.’

Byron’s jaw tightened. ‘The magic is fine,’ he said. ‘As you assumed. Wherever the Foinse is, it’s no longer broken.’

I liked to the think of the source of all Scottish magic as a ‘she’, rather than an ‘it’. Kind of like Mother Nature. ‘I told you so,’ I said, raising an eyebrow.

He didn’t rise to the bait. ‘Why are you here now, Integrity?’ His voice was low and husky. There was an odd light in his eyes and I realised he was searching for a particular answer. I shrugged. Whatever.

‘Here,’ I said, thrusting out a brown envelope. ‘That’s what Taylor owes you. Including your unreasonable interest.’

He gazed at my outstretched hand. ‘You don’t have to do that. It was a mean trick in the first place.’

I cocked my head. ‘Beggars can’t be choosers, Byron. Your Clan needs the money and you have his loan paid in full. We’re all leaving town and I want to make sure there are no loose ends before I go.’

‘Leaving? Where are you going?’