My Daring Highlander (26 page)

“Although I don’t wish to kill my
cousin, I will if I have the opportunity, for you and for Lady
Seona.”

“I appreciate that,” Dirk said,
looking disappointed. Keegan knew ’twas because of how Dirk’s
brother had turned out.

Keegan could only imagine how he would
feel if one of his younger brothers or sisters became a murderous,
thieving outlaw.

“Godspeed and have a safe journey.”
Dirk grasped his hand in a warrior’s handshake.

“I thank you.”

While Dirk spoke to Rebbie,
Keegan stepped away and surveyed the courtyard. The two MacKenzie
brothers and ten of their men who would be traveling with them had
climbed aboard one of the
birlinns
. Over a dozen MacKay guards
stood by, one of whom helped Lady Patience into the boat. Her face
was set in grim lines. Seona stood alone by the sea gate. He headed
toward her.

“Lady Seona.” He bowed. “A good morn
to you.”

She blushed and curtsied. “Good
morn.”

He glanced around to see who might be
listening. No one was close. “I must apologize for what happened
last night.”

Her face grew even redder. “Nay. Do
not worry over it.” She smiled, giving him an intimate glance. It
reminded him of the kiss they’d shared the night before.

“Make haste, MacKay,” Fraser called
out with a teasing grin.

Keegan darted a glare at him, then
turned to Seona again. “Would you like me to help you
board?”

“Aye and I thank you.”

After she slipped her hand around his
elbow, he led her to the galley, then took her hand and helped her
aboard, wishing he didn’t have to release her so soon. Nay, he
wished he could lift her into his arms and carry her off to a very
private bedchamber where they would not be disturbed for a few
days.

But that was not going to happen
anytime soon—if ever.

***

Seona sat beside Aunt
Patience and their two maids within the polished wood hull of
the
birlinn
.
Keegan took a seat with Fraser and Rebbie somewhere behind her and
to the left. Listening to his deep voice as he talked to the other
men, she closed her eyes, wishing she could watch him, for she
found each day his face, his hair, his eyes, his body… everything
about him fascinated her more and more. The beautiful words he’d
spoken to her the night before haunted her…
I love you.

The
birlinn
rocked and swayed upon the
water as the last of the men stepped aboard. The oarsmen set to
work, rowing the two large boats away from the sea gate and along
the loch.

Seona waved to Isobel, tears burning
her eyes, her throat tightening. She hoped she would see her good
friend again very soon. She’d never had a friend as close as
Isobel, whom she could tell anything and trust her to keep it a
secret. Of course, Seona was close to her sister, but since Talia
was younger, there were many things she couldn’t talk to her about.
With Isobel, she could discuss anything.

Besides that, Isobel was a genuine,
caring person. Seona would miss her greatly.

“Oh heavens,” her aunt muttered a few
minutes later, pressing a hand to her stomach.

“Do you feel seasick?” Seona
asked.

“’
Tis starting.”

“This calm loch surely can’t be as bad
as the rough sea was.”

“Nay.” Aunt Patience swallowed and
appeared to be focusing on not growing nauseous.

They moved smoothly along the dark,
glassy surface of the loch, the oarsmen singing a song in rhythm to
their rowing. She’d always found rowing songs to be very
soothing.

When the wind picked up, the crews of
each vessel raised the square sail, making the trip far faster and
easier for them.

Just over an hour later, they
disembarked at the end of Loch Duich.

For two days, their party
traveled, sometimes on horseback and sometimes on ferries or
birlinns
along the lochs,
and each night they were fortunate enough to obtain lodgings in a
castle or manor house. Fraser and Dermott knew the important people
of the area.

Though Seona wished to speak to Keegan
far longer than the brief greetings they exchanged in passing, her
aunt watched her even more closely than she had before she’d found
Keegan in Seona’s room. Sometimes his gaze caught and held hers for
a long moment when no one was watching. His eyes were so expressive
she could almost read his thoughts. When his eyes darkened, he
seemed to be envisioning something passionate and intense; other
times, his light blue eyes emanated happiness and
mischief.

Her own emotions were tossed upon a
stormy sea. Simply to look at Keegan filled her with giddiness,
excitement and joy. But thoughts of her future, her home, and her
father shrouded her in a smothering darkness.

On the third evening, a misty rain
fell, and they arrived at a large fortified castle held by the
Mackintosh Clan.

Seona was glad to escape the rain and
eat a warm meal in the great hall. Though she wasn’t fortunate
enough to sit by Keegan, he wasn’t too far away and she slipped a
few glances his way. Once, his gaze caught hers and he smiled,
heating her from the inside out.

Afterward, she and her aunt were shown
to a large bedchamber containing two beds and a large pallet for
their maids.

Seona and the other women were so
exhausted, they went to bed early and slept all night. The rain
continued and grew harder the next morn. The men of their party
decided to stay another night, which Seona was glad for. Though she
needed to see about her sister, she was thankful for any sort of
delay that kept her from home. Once she arrived there, her time
with Keegan would be very short.

***

Haldane led his men east, through the
green glens and along the lochs, toward the Inverness area. He only
had eight men now. Damn Keegan and the MacKenzies for seizing two
of them. Though annoying, their capture didn’t put a damper on his
plans. The two miscreants had been his least valuable men. As
warriors, their skills were sorely lacking, and he was glad he
hadn’t paid them much.

“’
Tis there,” McMurdo said,
pausing on top of the small rise and pointing at the sizable castle
in the distance. “Gillenmor Castle.”

Haldane and the rest of the men
stopped in the middle of the well-worn, muddy road.

“’
Tis impressive,” Haldane
said. The fifteen-foot, gray stone walls surrounding the castle
appeared to be impermeable. Several guards patrolled the
battlements, visible above the high wall. A fitting place for an
admirable lady like Seona to have grown up. A good-sized village
lay only a short distance from the castle.

Thanks to his mother and McMurdo,
Haldane knew about the general area where Seona’s branch of the
Murray clan lived. Along the way, he’d asked two people the exact
location of Gillenmor Castle. And now, here they were.

He suspected they’d arrived a few days
ahead of Keegan’s party, at least he hoped so. McMurdo was an
expert at finding concealed spots where they might hide and wait
for the MacKays.

Haldane’s gaze scanned the surrounding
area—a vast expanse of arable farm land with mountains in the far
distance. Vibrant green pastures, cattle and sheep. He’d never seen
such gently rolling land, so different from MacKay country.
Plentiful bushes and trees grew along the edges of the crops and
expanded into a forest.

“Do you think we might hide out in
that wood?” Haldane pointed to the left.

“Mayhap,” McMurdo said. “We’ll need to
search it and see if anyone else is using it. See if the Murrays
have a gamekeeper patrolling it.”

Haldane nodded. “You and six of the
men do that. I’ll take two with me to the village and look for
several trained warriors in need of work. After that, I’ll seek out
a quick way home by sea.”

“The sea is about a half day’s ride
from here,” McMurdo said. “I can handle that tomorrow if you wish.
As for now, we need food.”

“Aye. I’ll bring some back from the
village.” Haldane well knew hunting game on Murray land would get
them into trouble with the chief if he learned of it. They had to
remain inconspicuous.

“How far are we from Inverness?”
Haldane asked. If he couldn’t find men here to hire, he would have
to go further out.

“About five miles.”

Haldane nodded, hoping he wouldn’t
have to travel that far. Who knew how soon the MacKay party would
arrive in the area? He had to be ready.

“Gil and Rusty, come with me. McMurdo,
we’ll meet you at the edge of that wood in a couple of hours,”
Haldane said, then headed toward the village. He would have
everything set up and in place, but he had to hurry. When he
captured Seona, nothing would delay him and his men from reaching
Durness within a few days’ time.

He would need at least two dozen
skilled warriors to help him take Castle Dunnakeil from whoever
Dirk had left in charge. Dirk’s sword-bearer, Erskine, had not been
with the rest of the MacKays as they’d traveled south. ’Twas
evident to Haldane he was the one left in charge.

Haldane’s brother, Aiden, was there as
well, but he posed no threat. Although Aiden was a couple of years
his senior, Haldane considered him his wee brother because he was
small in stature and utterly incompetent at fighting. Haldane did
not want to hurt his brother, but Aiden had best stand aside or he
would find himself in the dungeon or killed.

Same with his infuriating half-sister,
Jessie. She would likely put up more of a fight than Aiden. She was
near as tall as Haldane and had the same flaming red hair, like
their da. Besides that, she carried a wicked dagger on her
belt.

Truthfully, none of them concerned
Haldane. Dirk, Keegan and the more highly skilled MacKay guards
would not be at Dunnakeil when he attacked. No doubt, Dirk had only
left a few of his weaker men in charge. Haldane would have an
easier time taking back what was rightfully his. The legacy his
father had left him, and his mother had so desperately wanted him
to have. She’d given her life for him and Aiden.

Once Haldane had Dunnakeil well under
control, and Dirk returned a few days or weeks afterward—if he
survived the injury to his leg—Haldane or McMurdo would have an
easier time killing him. Or Gil might fill him with arrows from
atop the guard tower. Haldane grinned, loving his plan. He could
see it all unfolding so clearly. His mother, God rest her soul,
would be proud of him.

What he had to concentrate on now was
the best way to slip Seona away from Keegan and the guards. He must
grab her as they approached Gillenmor, because once she was inside
the castle walls, removing her would be far more difficult. If he
and his men were forced to kill Keegan and several of his men in
the process, so much the better.

***

A knock sounded at Seona’s bedchamber
door, startling her from her imaginings of Keegan as she’d drifted
toward sleep. She sat bolt upright. The gray light of gloaming
still lingered outside the narrow window, and a soft rain fell
beyond it.

Her aunt had not yet returned from
supper. Perhaps she had spent extra time with Lady Mackintosh, an
old friend of hers, catching up. Could that be Aunt Patience
knocking? Why did she not simply enter?

Seona slipped out of bed, padded
barefoot across the floor, and opened the door to find Keegan
standing in the dim corridor.

Exhilaration darted through her. “What
are you doing here?” she whispered. “My aunt could return at any
moment.”

Holding back a wicked grin, he shook
his head. “I asked someone to keep her occupied.” His voice was
equally quiet.

“Who?”

“MacMillan.”

Saints!
Was her aunt having a tryst? Seona realized her
mouth was hanging open and snapped it closed. “Do you mean… what I
think you mean?”

His grin broadening, he shrugged. “Who
knows what they will do? Where are your maids? I thought I saw them
pass through the great hall not long ago.”

“I know not. Aunt Patience gave them
the night off.”

“Well then, may I come in?” Keegan
asked. “I need to talk to you.”

Her heart pounding, she glanced toward
the stairwell. “What if one of the maids or someone should come
along?”

“We’ll bar the door. And you can tell
them you don’t wish to be disturbed.”

What he suggested… along with the
smoldering look in his eyes, sent hot sparks snapping through her
body. If her only joys in life were to be stolen moments with him,
she would take them. She stepped back, allowing him entrance to the
room. Once she closed the door, he placed the plank of wood into
the metal brackets, barring anyone from entering.

He glanced around the dim room,
inhaling deeply. “I smell lavender soap.”

“I had a bath a short time
ago.”

“Do you mind if I light a
candle?”