My Daring Highlander (20 page)

“Is that it?” Haldane
asked.

“Aye. ’Tis Teasairg Castle.” McMurdo
breathed hard from the exertion.

“It appears they have strong
defenses,” Haldane muttered, watching the guards stationed on the
wall-walk and the battlements.

“Without doubt. MacKenzie is a
powerful chief.”

So… that’s where Seona and Dirk were.
Since Dirk was injured, he was unlikely to show his face for a good
long while… if he survived the wound.

Soon, several of the MacKay
men would take Seona and her aunt home, toward the east. Haldane
would grab her then and head back to Durness, by ship or
birlinn
if possible, to
make it quick. Once he reached Dunnakeil, he and his men would take
the castle. The only task left at that point would be killing Dirk.
He was still counting on McMurdo to figure out a way to take care
of that problem, if an infection hadn’t already.

After descending the hill and
rejoining the other men, they hid in the bushes and watched the
crofter’s cottages along the edge of the loch. Several of them
showed no signs of activity this morn. Likely, the inhabitants had
taken their sheep to the high pastures on the mountains. Some
wouldn’t be back until autumn.

He and his men slipped to one of the
cottages near the edge of the wood, and he forced the door open. He
was right. No one inside the fully furnished home. No food either,
unfortunately. He and his men would sleep a few hours, then head
out later. He didn’t look forward to hiring a boat or ferry to take
them across the loch. ’Twas money he’d rather spend for something
else, but the loch was named Long for a reason, McMurdo had told
him, and going around it was out of the question.

Haldane wasn’t daft enough to storm
Teasairg Castle. They’d merely wait until the party escorting Seona
emerged, then follow and find the best opportunity to snatch
her.

Chapter Fifteen

After being startled awake by the loud
knocking on her door, Seona rushed across the room, unbarred the
door and opened it a crack.

“Is something wrong?” Aunt Patience
asked, her hand propped against the doorframe, her dark hair coiled
into a perfect style.

Seona’s face heated as she tried to
smooth down her disheveled hair. “What do you mean?”

“Millie said she knocked on your door
twice before breakfast but there was no response. When she tried to
open your door, it was barred.”

“I didn’t hear her. I must have been
sleeping soundly.”

Aunt Patience’s dark blue eyes
narrowed and inspected her. “I’ll send one of the maids in to help
you get dressed. ’Tis almost time for midday meal, and Isobel is
all in a tizzy about having the meal outside in the garden. ’Tis
silly if you ask me. Did we not eat enough meals outside during our
travels here?”

Seona shrugged. Judging by the
sunlight beaming through her window, it appeared to be a nice, warm
day. “It could be fun.”

“I suppose,” she said, sounding like a
snob.

Seona noticed her aunt was without her
cane today. “How is your ankle?”

“A bit better.” She limped away, then
called back, “I’ll send the maid for you.”

An hour later, the MacKays and
MacKenzies gathered around three long tables in the stone paved
center of the garden. Red and pink roses climbed the gray stone
walls surrounding it, filling the air with a wonderful scent.
Standing at the edge of the activity, Seona glanced up at the clear
blue sky, with only a few wisps of white clouds, and relished the
warm sunlight on her face. ’Twas indeed a rare and spectacular
day.

A familiar deep voice
reached her.
Keegan.
She turned her head to find him standing near the castle’s
rear exit talking to the other men. The memory of last night
flashed into her mind, bringing scorching heat to her
face.

Heavens!
She had been shamefully wanton, hadn’t she? The
way she’d allowed Keegan to touch her in shockingly intimate
places. What would he think of her today? She was not certain now
that she could face him. She tore her gaze away, turned her back
and pretended to be studying the roses against the wall. Maybe he
wouldn’t notice her and she could slip back inside.

What was wrong with her? She drew in a
deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heartbeat. She was no
longer a child who could run and hide when she didn’t want to face
a stranger or deal with a difficult situation. Of course, Keegan
was no stranger. But talking to him and looking into his eyes after
what they’d shared in the dark… surely she would melt into a puddle
of mortification on the stones beneath her feet.

“Lady Seona, ’tis a lovely day, aye?”
Keegan said behind her.

She sucked in a surprised breath,
praying she wouldn’t pass out or do something equally daft, then
turned to face him.

“Aye, lovely,” she repeated, darting a
glance up into his eyes, bright blue, like the sky.

“But not as lovely as you,” he
murmured in a lower tone, a wee grin lifting his lips.

Her face burned as if she’d stood too
long in the sun. “I thank you.” Unable to hold his gaze, she stared
at the ground. ’Twas too much, too intense. Her heart thumped so
loudly she could hardly hear anything beyond it.

He turned aside and offered his elbow.
By habit, she slid her hand around his arm and he led her to one of
the tables, all of which were already crowded. Each bench was only
long enough for two people, or three if they were small. But none
were completely empty. He seated her beside Aunt Patience, then
proceeded to one of the other tables to sit with a few of the
men.

Blast.
Much as she’d wanted to hide from him minutes ago, now she
missed sitting beside him. Of course, with Aunt Patience there,
that might not be possible.

The meal dragged by, but the food was
delicious. She was saved from total boredom because Isobel and Dirk
sat at the same table. He had better color today and was grinning
more. The way he and Isobel interacted with such affection, humor,
and care made Seona’s heart yearn for something she might never
have. What would it be like to be married to the person who made
your heart sing? It seemed pure fantasy.

After the meal was over, Dirk limped
away to talk with the men at another table.

“Come, Seona,” Isobel said, rising to
her feet. “I want to show you something.”

Seona followed her to a small doorway
cut into the stone wall, then up a narrow dark stairway. They
emerged outside on a roof or small terrace of some sort. More
plants and flowers grew here and a bench sat toward the
back.

“’
Tis amazingly beautiful
up here.” Seona took in the view toward the west, over Loch Alsh,
with jagged mountains and islands in the distance. Spectacular.
Turning, she glanced southeast over Loch Duich. The surface of the
water was so still and glassy it mirrored the blue sky and the
vivid green mountains.

“Aye,” Isobel said. “My mother loved
gazing out over the lochs so much my father had this terrace built
for her. Down in the garden, ’tis impossible to see over the high
defensive walls. Then, she planted a few wildflowers up here. I
would often find my mother and father up here on nice summer
days.”

Bittersweet tears burned Seona’s eyes
for she knew Isobel’s parents had both passed a few years ago, but
they’d shared a great love. ’Twas what had inspired Isobel to find
her own true love. Seona’s parents had been the opposite. Her
father had cared naught for her mother. She, in turn, had lived a
miserable life, having been forced to marry Chief Murray at a young
age. At all costs, Seona did not want to share her mother’s fate.
But how could she prevent it?

“Did you and Keegan talk in the
kitchen last night?” Isobel whispered, sending Seona an impish
grin.

Seona hated the way her cheeks burned.
How could she stop blushing whenever Keegan was mentioned? “Aye, we
talked for a few minutes.”

“Well, I hope he was a
gentleman.”

“Indeed. When is he not?” Seona was
unsure if his actions had been gentlemanly or not, but he hadn’t
taken her virtue. Was that what Isobel had meant? However, the
things he had done with his wandering hands, and his wicked mouth,
had not been proper behavior at all. But she had reveled in
it.

“Speak of the devil,” Isobel murmured
with a grin.

“What?” Seona turned to find Keegan
emerging from the small doorway leading from the
stairwell.

“I have to go see what trouble Dirk is
getting into.” Isobel strode toward the doorway as Keegan
approached Seona, one hand behind his back. Was he hiding
something?

“What are you about?” she asked, eying
him suspiciously.

He grinned and brought his hand from
behind his back. In it, he held a small bundle of
bluebells.

She drew in a sharp breath and glanced
up into his eyes, his expression filled with happiness.

“These bluebells match your eyes so
perfectly, I had to bring them to you.” He held the flowers out to
her.

“I thank you,” she said just above a
whisper and accepted them. The two dozen or so stems were bound
together by a strip of plaid material. Had he ripped this from his
own clothing? She pressed her nose into the bluebells and sniffed,
catching a faint sweet fragrance. “Where did you find
these?”

“By the loch shore.” He nodded toward
the south.

No one had ever given her flowers
before. Emotion grabbed at her throat but she pushed it back. She
refused to let Keegan see any tears from her in such a public
place. “You are too kind.”

“I think not. You deserve far more,
Lady Seona.” He lowered his voice. “I wish I could give you the
world.”

“I don’t want the world.
This is all I want.” Glancing up into his eyes, she sniffed the
flowers again.
Him
. He was what she wanted.

His gaze penetrated her for a long
moment, then abruptly he glanced around them, toward the castle and
the garden below.

Would he have kissed her if they’d had
more privacy?

He motioned toward the bench. “Would
you like to sit?”

“Aye.”

He dropped down beside her on the
stone slab and turned to her. “I hope you’re not angry with me
because of last night,” he said, just above a whisper.

“Nay. Why would I be?” It had been the
best experience of her life so far.

“Well… I took liberties, shall we
say.” His brow furrowed. “I probably shouldn’t have touched you the
way I did, but—”

“Surely, you ken ’twas what I wished
as well,” she whispered.

He observed her, his eyes darkening,
then he blew out a sharp breath—in relief or growing desire, she
was not certain.

“But I worry now that you think me a
wanton or a harlot,” she confessed, her face feeling scalded
again.

He frowned. “Nay. Never,
m’lady.”

“Master Keegan?” the male voice came
from the doorway that led to the terrace. A second later Hugh
MacMillan appeared.

“Aye, what is it?” Keegan
asked.

The guard’s face appeared flushed. He
stared at his feet for a moment. “Lady Patience sent
me.”

Keegan’s annoyed gaze darted to Seona,
then back to MacMillan. “And what is her message?”

“She wishes to see Lady
Seona.”

How had her aunt seen them? Seona’s
stomach ached and frustration near overwhelmed her. Why could she
not have any time alone with Keegan without someone cutting it
short?

“Where is she?” Seona
asked.

“I took her upstairs. She was
tired.”

Seona stood. “I thank you again for
the lovely flowers, Keegan.”

“You’re most welcome.” He stood, took
her hand and kissed it. “I’m going deer stalking with the
MacKenzies. I will see you at supper.”

“Very well. Have a care,” she said,
wishing she could spend the afternoon with him instead.

The bundle of flowers in one hand,
Seona descended the stairs and went in search of her aunt. If she
had seen Keegan within three yards of her, Seona would likely get
another scolding.

Taking her time, she climbed the
stairs within the castle, then proceeded to her own bedchamber. She
placed the lovely little bouquet of bluebells in a pottery vase of
water on the windowsill. Her eyes misted because Keegan had been so
thoughtful and romantic in picking them for her. He was a treasure.
She remembered the first time he’d told her that her eyes were the
color of bluebells, during the gale when they’d taken shelter
against the rocks. She took a moment to savor how charming and
sweet he was.

She truly believed he cared for
her.

Unable to delay the inevitable any
longer, she strode down the corridor and knocked at her aunt’s
bedchamber door.

“Enter,” she called, though the word
was more like a command.