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“Someone ye definitely dinnae like but cannae kill,” Flynn replied with a shrug, since he shared similar sentiments towards the man seated inside.
“Who?”
“Laird O’Donnely.”
Billy’s eyebrows furrowed at the revelation, since neither of them had been expecting this uninvited guest.
“What is he doing here?” Billy asked, and Flynn shook his head.
“If I only knew, me friend. We will simply have to go inside and ask for ourselves.”
Without waiting for a reply, Flynn turned and walked straight ahead inside the drawing room, his strides as sure and proud as ever. He knew he was the Laird, and he knew how to act like one, which was something immensely necessary in front of Laird O’Donnely. Flynn knew the old man was Astrid’s father, and she did love him, but that relationship could not erase the ten years of enmity between the clans.
His gaze roamed over everyone in the drawing room, and he was rather surprised to see both his grandmother and Daphne present there as well. Astrid was seated at one end with her sister Keira, who was someone Flynn remembered perfectly, since the young girl got all the credit for being the reason Astrid had broken their kiss and then called him a name a year ago. He finally looked at Laird O’Donnely and found the man already staring at him.
“Laird O’Donnely,” Flynn greeted, walking towards the man.
It was customary for Flynn to greet Laird O’Donnely, since he was a guest at the MacKie castle, even though the old Laird had his own clan and was much older than Flynn. The two were also bound through Astrid, even if it was all fake. Despite that, Flynn would never shy away from propriety.
Laird O’Donnely stood up from his seat and extended a hand to Flynn, which Flynn shook gratefully. Flynn noticed how he did not feel similar contempt towards Laird O’Donnely as he had felt earlier towards Laird Gallagher. With Astrid’s father, it was simply coldness that sprung out between them because of the enmity they had harbored over the last decade.
“Laird MacKie,” Laird O’Donnely greeted back.
“Dinnae embarrass me by being formal, Laird O’Donnely. Ye should call me Flynn,” Flynn offered, wishing for things to go ahead smoothly between them. He was the one who had asked the King to initiate the ceasefire between the two clans and had always wanted this fight to end. Now, he would make sure that it remained that way, and he would do anything to keep the peace.
“I apologize for comin’ here all of a sudden uninvited, that is,” Laird O’Donnely said. “I should have written to either ye or Astrid before me arrival.”
“Ye can come anytime ye wish to come. Yer daughter resides here, and it is only natural that ye would wish to see her.”
Flynn could see the surprise on Laird O’Donnely’s face, since the man must not have been expecting such amiable behavior from him. The two had never before met on good terms, and Flynn had only ever been civil to him. Today, however, he was being welcoming towards the man and treating him like family, which was something he could have never seen himself do before.
“That is why we are here, to check up on Astrid,” Laird O’Donnely replied, a smirk on his face.
The smile on Flynn’s face vanished at the Laird’s words, and he wondered what the man meant bychecking upon Astrid. However, he did not allow a single emotion to show on his face.
“Check up on Astrid? What is that supposed to mean?”
“Ye ken, to make sure she is being treated right here. I cannae help but be concerned about her well-being, considering she is staying here with the MacKies.”
Flynn’s blood began to boil at what the old Laird said, and he felt anger coursing through his veins. He could not believe Laird O’Donnely would dare to step into his castle and berate him on the treatment of his daughter when he had been courteous to the man.
“Are ye saying Astrid isnae safe here with me?” Flynn asked, his tone dangerously low but his words expressionless.
“Ye clearly are delusional if ye believe I would consider me daughter to be safe around ye, now or ever.”
Before Flynn could utter a word, he felt a soft hand touch his arm, and he turned to look at Astrid coming to stand beside him. Her touch somehow magically worked to lessen the anger he had felt mere moments ago as his attention shifted entirely towards her. He knew she must have somehow understood his anger and had immediately walked into the scene to stop him from lashing out.
Laird O’Donnely’s eyes also immediately went towards Astrid’s hand, which was possessively resting on Flynn’s arm as if it was completely natural for her to touch him this way. The gesture had been surprising for Flynn himself, since his betrothed had not even talked to him in the past weeks. She had been extremely distant, and Flynn had respected her wishes. His main aim still was to make sure that Astrid was comfortable and felt at home in his castle, and from her interactions with his grandmother and Daphne, it was apparent she was happy. Despite that, her obvious support of him felt heartwarming, and he waited for Laird O’Donnely to make a sly comment about it, but the man remained silent.
“I think after seeing me and talking to me, ye ken that I am more than safe and happy here,” she interjected, firmly stating her case. “The entire MacKie family has not only been welcoming but also extremely kind towards me, Faither.”
“Ye have indeed told me that, but I think I must stay here for a few days to make sure of it and see it with me own eyes,” Laird O’Donnely replied before turning to look at Flynn. “Will that be all right with you, Flynn?”
“Stay as long as ye wish to, Laird O’Donnely. Ye will only see the MacKie hospitality.”
* * *
Astrid finally breathed a sigh of relief once her father had retired to his bedchamber, and she could finally be alone for some time. It was not as if his presence was unwelcome, but his surprise visit to see her had proved to be rather stressful. She had expected him to act maturely like a grateful guest, but he had been nothing but condescending, especially towards Flynn.
