My Daring Highlander (15 page)

Linden MacKenzie, Isobel’s cousin and
the owner of the manor house, had arranged passage for them on one
of his merchant ships, a galleon large enough to transport them and
some of their horses. The rest of their mounts would be stabled
here until the MacKays’ return in a few weeks.

Keegan hoped the weather would hold so
they could reach Dornie before nightfall. He would breathe a lot
easier when everyone was out of danger.

What dampened his mood was the pain
Dirk was in, even though he tried not to show it. Two of his men,
one under each arm, helped him board the ship while Isobel looked
on with a worried frown.

Keegan surveyed the area again,
especially the stone-dotted green hills around the northern and
eastern edges of the village. Haldane and his men had a habit of
hiding on hilltops and raining down arrows.

MacMillan carried Lady
Patience on board. She and four of the MacKay guards were prone to
seasickness, and this was one reason they’d traveled overland thus
far. Also, none of the MacKay
birlinn
s or galleys was large enough
to accommodate their entire party plus horses. But now they needed
to reach Isobel’s brother’s keep, Teasairg Castle, as soon as
possible for everyone’s safety and so a healer could treat Dirk’s
leg.

Keegan escorted Seona to the small,
wood-framed captain’s cabin, where the women would remain until
they reached their destination. When Seona’s gaze met his for that
brief moment, he saw glimpses of secret yearnings in her eyes. He
hoped they were the same yearnings he had. After what she’d said
last night, he believed they were. He gave her a brief smile and
took his leave.

On deck, he and the other guards kept
an eye out for enemies until the ship sailed out of the harbor.
Maybe Haldane and the few men he had left were off licking their
wounds.

Keegan was thankful the sky remained
clear most of the day with no severe weather in sight. The gentle
but persistent wind in the galleon’s giant white sails propelled
them the fifty or so miles south, between the Scottish mainland and
the Hebrides. At first, the islands and their jagged mountains were
hazy blue in the distance, but once they sailed closer, the green
hills speckled with white sheep and black cattle were clear. He
recognized the largest of these islands, Isle of Skye, for he’d
visited a few years ago with Da and Uncle Griff, the former
chief.

Keegan wished Seona could join him on
deck so he could point out the picturesque mountain ranges, the Red
Cuillins and the Black Cuillins, but ’twas much safer for her to
remain inside the cabin.

The sun was low in the sky when the
oarsmen paddled through a few narrow straits and along Loch Alsh.
Keegan was glad they were almost to their destination with no sign
of trouble. Of course, this was only a stopover, for he was tasked
with taking Lady Seona home. A sinking dread settled into his
gut.

The ship anchored just off shore from
Teasairg Castle, in the middle of the loch, and they took smaller
boats to the sea gate. Keegan, Seona, Dirk, Isobel, three guards
and an oarsman were in the second boat.

Once they docked and the sea gate
opened, Dirk hobbled up the narrow stone steps under his own power.
The guards and Isobel followed. Keegan made sure he could catch
Seona if she stumbled on the uneven steps. At the top, Dirk was
breathing hard and his face was ashen. Although he wasn’t moaning
in pain, Keegan knew he was feeling it.

Chief Cyrus MacKenzie, frowning
darkly, and his brothers, met them in the cobblestone
bailey.

Cyrus eyed Dirk’s lower leg below his
plaid. “Saints! What on earth happened?”

“Arrow through the calf,” Dirk said.
“’Twas one of Haldane’s men. We had a couple of skirmishes during
our travels.”

“Show them up to Isobel’s chamber,”
Cyrus told the maid standing nearby, then he turned to one of his
men. “Go find the healer and send her to Isobel’s room.”

“Aye, m’laird.”

Isobel briefly greeted her brothers
while the rest of their party disembarked from the small two-oared
boats. Two guards helped Dirk across the bailey and toward the
entrance to the keep.

Leaving Seona with Isobel and
Patience, who were surrounded by several MacKay guards, Keegan
followed Dirk and the two men into the corner of the almost empty
great hall. He trailed after them up the narrow turnpike stair and
into Isobel’s old chamber to make sure the room was
safe.

The maid rushed to the small hearth to
start a fire while the two guards helped Dirk into the large bed.
He sank into what had to be a thick featherbed. Even if Keegan
hadn’t known this was Isobel’s bedchamber from when she was a lass,
the lacy curtains and abundance of floral embroidered pillows
would’ve made it clear.

“I thank you, lads,” Dirk mumbled, his
words slurred.

“M’laird.” One of the guards dipped
his head. “We’ll wait in the corridor.”

“Uh-huh,” Dirk grunted, his eyes
closed.

“How much whisky have you had?” Keegan
asked.

“Enough.” Dirk forced a grin but his
face was sweaty and pale from the exertion and pain.

Keegan had checked on Dirk several
times throughout the day where he’d been lying in a hammock style
bed used by the sailors. Half the time, Dirk had been sleeping,
most likely due to the whisky, or because he’d lost sleep the night
before. At least, if he was asleep, he wasn’t feeling pain. Keegan
hoped the MacKenzie’s healer could help Dirk recover.

Rebbie entered the room, his dark eyes
concerned. “How is the pain?”

“No’ so bad.” Dirk winced as he moved
his leg.

“You’re a bold-faced liar, my friend,
but I’ll overlook it this time.”

“Aye, you’d best do that.”

“I’ll send Isobel in. She’ll cure what
ails you.”

Dirk actually grinned at that. “Both
of you… update Cyrus on everything that’s happened.”

“We will,” Keegan said. “Get some
rest.”

“Aye.”

Keegan and Rebbie left the room,
bypassing Isobel, her two maids, and an older woman, perhaps the
healer, just as they arrived. At the bottom of the steps, MacMillan
approached, carrying Lady Patience, her face white, eyes closed
tight, and her hand pressed tightly against her stomach. Keegan
cringed, imagining how miserable her extreme nausea must be. But
MacMillan was taking good care of her. Keegan suspected the guard
did not mind helping her. In fact, he seemed rather taken with the
lady and was greatly protective of her.

Seona followed a few feet behind them.
When her eyes met Keegan’s, she gave him a brief, shy smile. He had
come to depend on those to lighten his mood. He winked in return.
Even in the dimness, her blush was evident.

“How is your aunt?” Keegan asked,
glancing at MacMillan carrying her up the steps.

“Not so well.” Seona shook her head.
“She’s very seasick and her ankle still pains her.”

“I hope she recovers from both
ailments quickly.”

“I thank you. She will be wondering
where I am.” Seona hastened up the steps.

He stared after her, wishing they
could’ve talked longer about… anything. The topic didn’t matter to
him. He simply loved listening to her light, feminine voice and
looking into her eyes.

He caught up to Rebbie and they headed
toward the great hall. “Lucky bastard,” Rebbie mumbled.

“What?” Keegan asked, even though he
knew what Rebbie was referring to.

“I saw the way she looked at you with
that seductive smile.”

Keegan couldn’t help but grin in
response. “She is lovely.”

“And you are smitten, my
friend.”

“Guilty as charged.” Keegan only hoped
he would find another opportunity soon to talk to Seona and spend
some time with her. Their kiss the night before, combined with that
revealing conversation, had kept him awake most of the
night.

***

Seona entered the chamber Hugh
MacMillan had carried her aunt into. Patience now lay on the bed
and the guard waited a few feet away.

“Is there anything else I can do for
you, m’lady?” he asked.

“Nay. I thank you, Hugh, for all your
help. I don’t know how you put up with me.”

“Och. M’lady, ’tis no hardship. Would
you like me to get a fire started?”

“Nay. Millie will do that. Where is
Millie anyway?”

“Here, m’lady.” She rushed in from the
corridor along with their other maid, Edwina.

MacMillan left and the two maids
fussed over Lady Patience, preparing her for bed.

“Is there anything I can do, aunt?”
Seona asked.

“Nay, I just want to rest.”

“M’lady,” one of the MacKenzie’s maids
addressed Seona from the doorway. “Would you like me to show you to
your chamber?”

“Aye,” she told her, happy to see she
would have her own room and some privacy. “I will return soon,” she
told Aunt Patience.

Her aunt waved her off as if she
didn’t want to be bothered with anything. Seona followed the maid
down the corridor to the next room.

“Will this suit you?” she
asked.

“Aye, ’tis a lovely chamber.” Seona
surveyed the blue velvet counterpane and curtains on the bed, and
the finely made blue, gold and green Turkish carpet
underfoot.

The maid lit a fire in the wood and
peat that was already laid in the hearth. “Lady Isobel said you
might want a bath.” The maid stood and faced her.

“That would be wonderful.” Seona
almost sighed at the thought of sinking into a tub of hot water and
scrubbing herself with a nicely scented soap.

“I will have it sent up. Supper will
be ready in about an hour.” The maid curtsied and left.

Seona moved toward the small window
which offered a splendid view out over Loch Alsh. The orange and
gold sunset and the blue-gray mountains reflecting in the water was
one of the loveliest sights she’d ever seen. She wished she could
share it with Keegan. He seemed to enjoy beautiful scenery as much
as she did. But of course, he could not enter her bedchamber.
Although she would like him to.

What would it be like if they were
married and allowed to sleep in the same bed?

She shook her head, trying to dislodge
the spellbinding but impure thoughts.

One of the MacKenzies’ manservants
arrived, carrying her large sack of clothing which a pack horse had
carried from Durness to Ullapool. Poor animal. Well, the bag
weighed no more than a hundred pounds, so ’haps it hadn’t hurt the
animal overmuch.

“I thank you,” she told the servant.
When he left, she closed the door.

An hour later, she was bathed and
dressed in clean clothing, wondering if she should’ve asked for a
tray to be sent to her room instead of going to the great
hall.

Nay, she wished to see Keegan again.
’Haps he would escort her to the high table and she would get to
touch him for a few moments. ’Twas one of the few joys in
life.

A maid arrived to tell her supper was
being served. Her heart rate sped up with excitement. But she would
not get to talk to Keegan if her aunt joined them. She knocked at
Aunt Patience’s door. Getting no answer, she poked her head
in.

“How are you feeling,
aunt?”

“Awful. Just awful!” she griped from
the large four-poster bed. “I thought this blasted seasickness
would cease once I got off the water.”

“I’m sure it will go away soon. Can I
bring you something to eat?”

She groaned. “Nay, the very mention of
food turns my stomach. I only wish to sleep.”

“Very well.” Seona exited, and closed
the door. She was truly sorry her aunt was so miserable, but maybe
she would get some time to talk with Keegan.

In the great hall, everyone was
gathering for the meal. She paused, glancing over the crowded room,
and Keegan appeared at her side, as he often had at
Dunnakeil.

“A good eve to you, Lady Seona.” He
offered his arm.

“Good eve.” She savored the familiar
and comforting motion of sliding her hand around his arm and
feeling his hard muscles.

“You look lovely,” he
murmured.

She noticed his hair was still damp
from a recent bath and that he’d changed into his finer clothing—a
newer blue and green plaid, a clean white linen shirt, and a green
doublet. “I thank you. And so do you.”

He grinned. “I look lovely, do
I?”

“Indeed.” She smiled. “Astonishingly
handsome, too.”

“Och. Lady Seona, you do ken well how
to flatter a man.” He lowered his voice to a deep, seductive
murmur. “That can get you into trouble.”

A heated blush seared her skin just as
they arrived at the table. Keegan pulled out the chair beside
Isobel’s and Seona sat.

“I thank you,” she told
him.

He gave a wee bow and stepped down
from the dais.

“How is Laird Dirk?” Seona asked
Isobel, hoping her blush was fading.