Chapter 12 #2
Jamie turned to see Colen enter the chamber, and then the girl dashed across the room and flew into Colen’s arms.
An unexpected jealousy took hold of Jamie. Here was a vision he had searched for, had dreamed of countless times. And she was in his brother’s arms. Colen had found her before Jamie had.
“Tell me what you’ve done to the lass,” Colen said angrily.
“Done!” Jamie exploded. “I’ve done naught but stand here and talk with her. But the moment she learned who I was, she acted as if I were the devil himself. I want to know why.”
Colen’s brows knit in confusion. “Sheena?” he tried to question her, but she clung to him and wouldn’t speak.
“Well?” Jamie demanded.
“Stop it, Jamie,” Colen replied. “Can you no’ see she’s upset?”
“I’m no’ too happy myself,” Jamie growled. “I want to know who she is and why you felt the need to lock her in your room.”
“She’s just a poor lass, Jamie, with no home or family to speak of. She was staying at the poorhouse in Aberdeen.”
“A beggar. I see. And the rest of it?”
“This is no’ the time—ouch!”
Sheena pinched Colen and shoved him away. “You’ll tell him all of it, Colen. Now.”
“So the lass has found her tongue.”
Sheena swung around to face Jamie but then backed away. She still couldn’t bring herself to speak to James MacKinnion, not after all she had heard about him.
If she had not been so frightened, she would have seen his resemblance to his brother, though Colen’s hair was reddish-orange and Jamie’s was yellow-gold.
But The MacKinnion was so young looking and so handsome.
There was not a mean line in his face! Was this really her dreaded enemy?
He was certainly not what she’d imagined the savage MacKinnion looked like.
Jamie sighed and sat down on the bed. “Colen, lad, I’m close to losing my patience with the both of you. I’m asking you for the last time to tell me what goes on here.”
Colen swallowed hard, then blurted, “I want to marry her.”
“Marry?” Jamie laughed. “You’ve already got her, so why bother?”
Sheena flushed bright red at the assumption being made. It was so typically arrogant, exactly what she could have expected of a Highlander—this one in particular.
Colen frowned darkly. “You’re no’ to insult her, Jamie. “Tis no’ what you think.”
“Marriage was her idea, no doubt?”
“She’s no’ made up her mind yet. It is I who want to wed.”
“Colen!” Sheena warned.
“All right!” Colen snapped, furious. “She says she willna marry me.”
“But she came here with you?”
Colen lowered his gaze. “I…I took her.”
Jamie fell back on the bed and laughed heartily. “Och, Colen, what am I to do with you? Have you no’ learned there are enough girls for the asking? You dinna have to take one who’s no’ willing.”
“There’s no other like Sheena.”
Jamie sobered at that. Indeed, there wasn’t another like this lass. That she did not want to marry Colen brought Jamie a great measure of relief.
“’Tis a fine mess we have here, and no mistake,” Jamie said thoughtfully. “’Tis plain you’re serious, Colen, but I canna consider only your wishes. You’ve kidnapped the lass.”
“But if she were willing, would you give your blessing on the match?” Colen persisted.
Jamie stared hard at the girl. How could he bear to see this particular girl wed to his brother? She was his vision made flesh. Yet how could he put his own desires above theirs?
With the greatest reluctance, Jamie was forced to say, “You would have my blessing on the match if she desired it. But I’ll hear what the lass has to say. Sheena is it?” She nodded, and he asked, “Do you want to marry my brother?”
Sheena shook her head adamantly. She knew her silence angered him, but she couldn’t help it. She just couldn’t bring herself to talk to the man.
“I know you’ve a voice, lass,” Jamie said, surprising himself with his own degree of patience. “If you dinna want to marry my brother, you’ll have to be telling me what it is you do want. I canna help you otherwise.”
There was no way out of it now. Sheena cleared her throat, but her voice came out in a mere whisper. “I…I want to leave here.”
“To go where?”
“Back to Aberdeen.”
“Dinna listen to her, Jamie.” Colen spoke up quickly. “She has no one there. She’d only have to fend for herself again, to beg.”
“So what are you suggesting, brother? You canna force the lass to marry you.”
“Och, I know. But she can live here. She’ll be better off.”
“Mayhap,” Jamie replied carefully.
Sheena gasped. So Colen’s plan was to keep her so that he would have time to win her. But could they really keep her when she was determined to leave?
Sheena’s fear made her bold. “Tell him why you really want me to stay, Colen. And tell him the truth.”
Colen turned around to face her. “I canna bear the thought of you alone in that crowded place, with no one to protect you. There’s no telling what would happen to you in Aberdeen.”
“What becomes of me is my affair, no’ yours,” she reminded him. Jamie’s direct gaze flustered her, and she stammered, “He is sure I’ll change my mind about him if I stay. That’s the real reason he wants me here.”
“That is possible,” Jamie said.
“Nay, ’twill no’ happen,” Sheena insisted firmly. “I’ll no’ wed a lad younger than me, and I’ll certainly no’ marry a Highlander.”
Too late Sheena realized she had insulted them both.
But Jamie laughed. “’Tis a Lowlander you’ve brought here, Colen, lad.” He grinned.
“That doesna matter,” Colen replied.
“It does to her.” Jamie chuckled. “They’re no’ like us, lad. Did you not know we’re all savages to them?”
“She’ll find out differently if she stays here.”
“Aye. She will.”
Sheena bristled. “I’ll no’ stay here, and you canna make me,” she said, hands going to her hips in a rebellious stance.
Jamie didn’t like being told what he could or couldn’t do, even by this girl who fascinated him so.
“I’ll no’ argue with you, lass!” he said sharply.
He watched with irritation as she backed away from him with wide, frightened eyes.
He turned on his brother angrily. “I’ve no patience for this, Colen.
When she’s ready to talk to me without shrinking, I’ll settle the matter. ”
Jamie stalked from the room. Sheena collapsed into a chair and asked, “What did he mean?”
Colen grinned, for he had got what he wanted. “You’ll be staying, lass.”
“I’ll be doing no such thing!”
“Aye, you will. There’ll be no one taking you back until he says so. And he’ll no’ be doing that until you give him a good reason why he should.”
“I’ll leave by myself then.”
Colen shook his head, still grinning. “I’ll only bring you back, lass, and that’s a promise.” And he chuckled at the withering look she gave him. “Och, Sheena, you brought this on yourself. Why were you so afeared of him? He didna like that one bit.”
“You heard him shout at me.”
“Aye, and no wonder he did,” he replied. “You dinna tell Jamie what he can or canna do, Sheena. He’s laird here. He can do as he pleases.”
“No’ where I am concerned,” she said.
“You’re welcome to tell him that…if you dare. But I’ll no’ be able to help you when he turns his fury on you.”
She had to get away from there. But she would have to face The MacKinnion again in order to do so. To face the devil in order to escape the devil. Och, God, give her the courage, she prayed.
“I’ll see your brother again—now.”
He hesitated, then lowered his gaze. “’Tis only fair I tell you.
Jamie wouldna have left the matter unsettled if he wasna so angered that he couldna trust himself to give a fair decision.
That’s the way he is. For some reason, your fear of him has raised his ire.
If you force the matter now, you’ll no’ be happy with his decision. ”
“You mean he would keep me here for spite? Or out of anger?”
“’Tis more than likely. But if you want to try your luck anyway, I’ll no’ be stopping you.”
“You’d like that!” she snapped. “Och, what am I to do then?”
“Dinna take it so hard, Sheena. No harm will come to you here. And now I’ve no need to hide you anymore, so tomorrow I’ll be showing you your new home.”