Chapter Eleven #3
“How is Laird Dirk?” Seona asked Isobel, hoping her blush was fading.
A small frown drew Isobel’s dark brows together. “He is sleeping now. Earlier, the healer soaked his injured leg in hot water and various herbs, then she put some kind of smelly poultice on it. She assured me it would draw the infection from the wound.”
“Oh, I certainly hope it does.”
“Aye, indeed. My stomach has been in knots with worry.”
“He will likely show improvement very soon.”
The chair next to Seona slid out. She glanced up to find Keegan taking a seat beside her. She smiled, but then felt her blasted blush returning. Why could she not stop doing that? He sent her a wee smile.
Everyone else took their seats at the high table, including Rebbie and Isobel’s five brothers. She had met four of them when they’d visited Durness last winter. They were devilishly dark and attractive men. But none of them captured her interest the way Keegan did with his tawny hair and blue eyes.
After grace, the meal was served, starting with succulent quail and brown crusty bread with butter.
Seona didn’t realize how hungry she was until she started eating.
Never had food tasted this delicious. She barely paid attention to the conversation going on around her about their journey from Durness and the attacks.
Enjoying Keegan sitting beside her, which he rarely did, she focused on devouring her food. Though she tried to mind her manners.
“We would like to stay here until Dirk is recovered,” Isobel said, drawing Seona’s attention. She would also like to stay here, or anywhere Keegan was, instead of going home, but that was impossible.
“Aye. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Cyrus said.
He had the look of a formidable chief and warrior, tall and broad of shoulder, with long black hair and penetrating dark eyes.
Seona found him to be an intimidating man.
But when it came to his family, ’twas obvious he cared deeply for them.
After all, he had allowed Isobel to choose her own husband.
“Dirk was planning to go with the rest of the men to escort Lady Seona and her aunt home and take her father a gift,” Isobel said. “But now he won’t be able to.”
“What gift?” Fraser MacKenzie asked. Isobel had told her that Fraser was the second youngest brother.
He appeared to be in his mid-twenties, but he had to be younger than Isobel, who was five-and-twenty.
Fraser resembled Cyrus, except he had blue eyes and his expression was much lighter and carefree.
In fact, almost every time she’d seen him, he’d been grinning or smirking. And he possessed a leaner build.
“The horse,” Keegan said. “’Tis the finest ever bred at the MacKay stables.”
Seona felt bad that Chief Dirk had to give up such a valuable animal because of her. She thought her father would like the horse, but very few things made him happy.
“Why is he taking him such an expensive gift?” Fraser asked.
“Because Lady Seona was not able to marry the MacKay chief. ’Tis complicated,” Isobel said.
All eyes turned to Seona and she was glad she didn’t have a mouthful of food at that moment. She blotted the linen square against her lips.
“You stole her husband-to-be?” Fraser asked Isobel with a wide grin, his gaze darting back and forth between the two women. “I didn’t know that. You kept that quiet while we were in Durness.”
“Nay,” Seona spoke up. “In truth, I was never betrothed to Dirk.”
“There was merely an old contract between Seona’s father and the late MacKay chief,” Isobel said.
“Dirk’s father?” Dermott asked.
This was the first time Seona had met Dermott, Isobel’s second eldest brother, because he hadn’t traveled with the others to Durness last winter. He appeared to be around thirty summers. He possessed dark brown hair and green eyes and was not quite as massive in stature as his oldest brother.
“Aye. He was also Aiden’s and Haldane’s father. They are Dirk’s half-brothers,” Isobel said.
“We thought Aiden would be chief and that I would marry him,” Seona said. “Aiden was chief for about a month, and then Dirk returned.”
“Since Dirk is the older son and a stronger leader, the clan agreed that he should be chief. And Dirk was already in love with me…” Isobel smiled.
“Indeed,” Seona said. “I did not wish to marry Aiden or Dirk anyway. And especially not their youngest brother, Haldane.” Seona wanted to make sure those present knew she held no grudges. “I’m glad Isobel and Dirk found happiness.”
“So… who will you marry, Lady Seona?” Fraser asked with a grin, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair.
Seona’s face heated and she forced herself not to glance at Keegan to gauge his expression.
“That remains to be seen,” she said, staring down at her almost empty trencher of food.
“As you know, very few ladies are permitted to choose their own husbands.” She hoped they would soon be off the subject of her marital status.
“’Haps Keegan would be interested in the position,” Fraser said.