My Daring Highlander (34 page)

“He is a weak dandy. Hell, he’s
practically English.”

A pang of nausea struck her, as it did
anytime she thought of Wentworth. “Aye, and I sense a vile streak
in him.”

“I don’t care what I have to do,”
Keegan said. “You’re not marrying him.”

Voices from outside the stall reached
them. “Wentworth,” Rebbie said in a loud tone. “I was hoping you
would show me your horse.”

“’
Slud,” Keegan muttered,
wanting to burst out the door and take his sword to
Wentworth.

“Shh,” Seona hissed, her eyes
wide.

He didn’t want to be caught either,
but if they were, it might solve a lot of his problems—Wentworth
would probably hightail it back to the Lowlands. But being
discovered in a stall with Seona would also create new, deadly
problems. Her father would no doubt try to kill him. Not that he
would succeed.

Rebbie and Wentworth moved away from
the door, their voices fading.

Keegan wanted to spend more time with
Seona, but ’twas unsafe for her. Besides that, someone was likely
to bring a horse back and lead it into this stall.

He slipped toward the door and peered
through the crack where Rebbie had left it ajar. The two men stood
near the end of the long, straw-littered corridor. Wentworth opened
another stall door, his back toward Keegan. Rebbie inspected the
black stallion.

“Come,” he whispered to Seona. “You
need to return to the keep.”

They both stepped out into the wide
passageway and Keegan tried to keep himself between her and
Wentworth. At the entrance, he glanced around, seeing no one about.
The rain had diminished to a drizzle.

“I will see you later,” she
whispered with a fiercely emotional glance. Before he could say
anything, she strode quickly across the barmkin toward the
kitchens, her head covered with the plaid. Remaining at the
stables, he watched her go, praying ’twas not the last time he
would see her.
Nay.
She was his life, and he could not go back to Durness without
her.

Voices approached behind him. He
turned to find Wentworth and Rebbie moving toward him.

“That belted plaid must make it
greatly convenient when tupping the maids, hmm?” Wentworth asked
with a nasty grin. “Almost makes me want to become a
Highlander.”

Keegan ground his teeth,
his palm itching to feel the horn hilt of his dirk in it.
Maids?
Had Wentworth seen
Seona with him and assumed she was a maid because of her old
arisaid
?

“Och! Look at that! The rain has
stopped,” Rebbie announced, as if this was something
monumental.

“Aye. ’Haps we can go for a ride and
you can see how the stallion runs,” Wentworth said.

“Want to join us?” Rebbie asked
Keegan.

“Nay. But I thank you for the
invitation.”

The two men proceeded into the stables
again. “I’ll be right there, Wentworth,” Rebbie said, then returned
to Keegan. “Are you well?”

Keegan nodded. “Did he see her with
me?”

“He saw someone. He assumes ’twas one
of the maids.” Rebbie shrugged. “I’m going to find out all I can
about him.”

“Mayhap his stallion will break his
fool neck,” Keegan muttered.

Rebbie snorted with suppressed
laughter.

“I’m going to stay here and figure out
a solution.” At the moment, all Keegan wanted to do was put Seona
on his horse and ride as far as they could go.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Seona paced in her room,
knowing supper was being served in the great hall. Wentworth was
there, waiting to
get to know
her
. Well, she didn’t want to get to know
him at all. His unnerving smile made her nauseous.

A knock sounded at her door. She
jumped, then moved across the floor. Opening the portal, she found
Aunt Patience outside, her dark hair styled to
perfection.

“Your father sent me to fetch you for
supper.”

“I’m eating in my chamber.” Seona
motioned toward the tray of food one of the servants had already
brought her.

Patience raised a brow and shook her
head. “Your father said if you refuse to come to the great hall, he
will send one of the guards to carry you.”

Wanting to call her father a vile
name, Seona gritted her teeth.

“Very well.” She slammed the door on
her way out. “I wonder why he won’t order Talia to supper so
everyone can see all the bruises he gave her.”

“You’d best watch your mouth, lassie,”
her aunt hissed.

“Why did you tell him that Dirk and
Isobel were not betrothed when they arrived in Durness? I was
trying to protect them. They are my friends.”

Her aunt’s glare was spiteful. “At
least I didn’t tell him about finding you and Keegan kissing in
your bedchamber.”

Icy cold washed over Seona. “And I
hope you won’t, or we shall both face dire
circumstances.”

“I’m keeping my mouth shut about that
as long as you keep my secret also.”

Seona nodded. “Agreed.”

They crossed the great hall and
several of the men at the high table turned to stare at her. When
they drew closer, most of the men stood, Keegan, Rebbie and
Wentworth among them. Her aunt rushed forward and claimed one of
the chairs. The only vacant seat was between Wentworth and her
father.

Blast!
She slowed her steps.

“Please, come and sit, daughter,” her
father said in a forced pleasant tone that gave her sickened
chills. “Have some food.”

Sending Keegan a longing glance, she
proceeded to the chair.

***

Keegan wanted to crawl down the table
and beat Wentworth’s eyes shut. He detested the smug and lustful
way the man watched Seona. Keegan would not abandon her to the
bastard even if he had to steal her away tonight.

Rebbie, sitting to his right, lightly
elbowed Keegan in the arm, then gave him a lifted brow
look.

Aye, Keegan knew he probably looked
angry enough to kill someone. But who could blame him? Another man
was courting the woman he loved. He drew in a deep breath and
focused on his food so no one would suspect the level of his
fury.

He needed to talk to her again, right
away, but couldn’t with her glowering father looking on.

At the end of the meal, the music
started and Chief Murray encouraged Seona to dance with Wentworth.
How the devil was Keegan supposed to sit and watch this? Murray
smirked at him. Battle-lust tore through Keegan’s veins. His hand
clenched, craving the solid feel of his sword hilt in
it.

After one dance, Chief Murray directed
Lady Patience to escort Seona from the great hall. Keegan could
only assume she was headed toward her bedchamber. To see her there
would be a risky endeavor, especially since Chief Murray watched
him closely. Without doubt, he had servants spying on Seona, too,
in order to see if she would indeed slip into Rebbie’s chamber. He
wouldn’t be there, of course, but Murray didn’t know that
yet.

’Slud. Keegan wouldn’t get to see her
this night. Tomorrow night, then. A plan was forming in his
mind.

It gored him to realize he was either
going to have to betray Dirk and the MacKay clan by stealing Seona
away. Or leave her here to the mercy of a demon chief and his
minion.

Dirk obviously trusted Keegan more
than anyone else, and that was why he’d made him the tanist. He
depended on Keegan to do what was best for the MacKay clan, but
taking Seona away from this place was the worst thing he could do
for the clan. Murray would seek vengeance.

Keegan’s job was supposed to be
simple—escort Seona home, bring the gift and smooth things over
with Murray. Dirk didn’t want conflict. Neither did Keegan. But
conflict was exactly what he was going to stir up by protecting
Lady Seona. ’Haps even clan war.

***

Seona stood in her father’s solar the
next morn. He had summoned her again and she was growing
exceedingly tired of being treated like his servant. Or his
pawn.

“You did not slip into Rebbinglen’s
chamber last night as I commanded you to do.” Her father turned
from the fireplace and pinned her with a dark glower.

“It could not be helped,” she said.
“Someone told me he slept in the barracks with the rest of the
men.”

“Aye, and
why
did he choose to do
that?” her father asked, suspicion written on his face.

“I know not. I haven’t talked to
him.”

“I’ll tell you why. Because you warned
him of my plans!” His yell echoed off the stone walls.

Staring past her father’s shoulder
toward the gray light at the window, Seona remained silent. Of
course, she’d known he would figure it out. Her father was not only
vicious but also canny.

“Did you not?” he asked.

“Nay.”

“You are lying again!”

She didn’t respond, simply stared past
him. She didn’t care what he thought of her. If he came toward her,
she’d flee out the door. If he caught her… she didn’t know. Could
she stab her own father?

“Well then, you leave me no
choice. You’ll marry Wentworth the day after tomorrow. I’ll talk to
him and arrange everything.” His voice hardened. “And you’ll
willingly
marry him or
you’ll find yourself far more bruised and battered than Talia
was.”

Day after tomorrow?
Mo creach!
She had to
find a way to escape her father’s plans.

“Next week, Talia will marry the Comyn
chief,” he said. “That has already been arranged.”

“Does she know when she is to be
married?”

“Aye. She also knows I will do her
grievous harm if she doesn’t sweetly go along with the
marriage.”

Seona gritted her teeth. Damn the
man.

“I want you both married and gone from
here!”

She would love to be gone from here,
but she would not marry the man her father chose for
her.

***

That evening after supper, Chief
Murray waited in his solar for one of the chambermaids to bring
Talia to him. He needed to see if her face was healed so that he
might present her to Rebbinglen. If the earl took a fancy to her,
mayhap a match could be made. Aye, Murray had already signed a
contract with the Comyn chief, but he would come up with a good
excuse… the earl compromised her or… stole her away. Out of his
control. Besides, who would nay-say an earl?

Talia entered, but remained by the
door. His guard outside closed the door back. In the dimness,
Murray couldn’t see the tone of her skin.

“Come closer, lass.”

She inched forward timidly, but her
dark, arrow-sharp gaze met his. Aye, she was rebellious, but also
brave. He was proud to see she took after him in looks and
temperament. Damn, why couldn’t she have been a lad? ’Twas the
greatest disappointment of his life.

Perhaps her future son might also
resemble him. And if the boy was sired by an earl, he’d be a
powerful man one day.

Talia paused several feet
away.

“Closer,” he commanded.

She took a couple more steps. “What is
it you want, Father?” Her tone was submissive and he was glad for
it.

“To see how your face looks. The
bruise is gone, aye?”

“Aye.”

“I’m glad. Do not defy me again and
you’ll not receive another one.”

Her eyes narrowed threateningly, and
he wanted to snort with wry amusement.

“I’ll leave your door unlocked if you
promise to conduct yourself as a biddable lady. I’ll not have you
throwing tantrums like a maddening bairn.”

She stared at the floor. “I
promise.”

“You’ll marry the Comyn chief next
week… unless you can somehow convince the Earl of Rebbinglen to
marry you.”

She frowned, her confused but wary
gaze on him again.

“I will introduce you to him in the
morn,” Murray said.

“Very well.” She clasped her hands
before her demurely.

“Off with you, then.”

He was glad to see she quickly vacated
the room instead of arguing, as she had done the last time. Aye,
’haps Rebbinglen would find her lovely and lose his head over her.
Murray grinned.

***

Just before dark, Haldane and his men
lurked outside the walls of Gillenmor Castle. He had lost several
men in that last skirmish, but had enough left to get the job done.
He’d hired over a dozen in Inverness days ago.

The MacKays had to leave the castle
eventually, heading back home, and he intended to kill Keegan and
any other MacKay he could. The fewer of them left, the fewer he’d
have to fight in Durness. Seona would be the ultimate prize, of
course, but he doubted she’d leave the walls anytime
soon.