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Malcolm Bain stood stiffly, as if he were under attack “I wanted to speak with Captain Grant, my lady”

Gregor ca hi, “Then come outside, Malcolm, and ill speak there”

Meg waited until they had gone, then gave Alison a long, stern look “You area fool of yourself”

Alison bristled “I am not, my lady! I speak as I see fit”

“I think it is time you put the past in its place”

“I will never forget the past,” Alison retorted in a low, thru voice “He abandoned me”

“He had a duty to his laird”

“He had a duty to me!”

There was pain in the other woreat deal of pain Clearly Alison had loved Malcol touched her hand “He did, Alison He did have a duty to you But he e what has been, and neither can you You must put it behind you and move on ’Tis the only way”

“Is it? Well, I want him to suffer as I suffered”

“Have you told him?”

Alison’s eyes widened, and she didn’t pretend to misunderstand the question “Nooo! And I won’t, and neither will anyone else, if they knohat’s good for them”

“Alison, you know that someone will tell him, eventually Or he will simply realize the truth They are very alike, you know, Malcol from you?”

“I dinna want hius is my son!”

Meg spoke gently “He’s Malcolm’s son too, and sooner or later Malcolm will discover it”