Chapter Twenty-One
The Brightest Star in the Highlands
Jennie and Aedan
Loki always had a wee crush on Jennie, and Alex Grant was glad of it.
Chapter Ten
Loki takes care of his wee brother but also protects Jennie, claiming his role as protector.
Donnal interrupted. “If it pleases you, Laird Grant, I would like to insist on a wedding before the next moon, as we are in need of some organization at our castle. Seems our staff have become quite slovenly and lazy. We need someone who can crack the whip, shall I say?” His smug expression did not speak well for him.
A small commotion took place over in the bairn’s area, so Maddie promptly got up to tend to them.
“Truly, Laird,” Donnal said, glancing over his shoulder at the unruly group. “Is there a reason you have the weans nearby? Are they not too young to act appropriately around guests?”
“Aye, there is a reason,” Alex said gruffly. “They’re my weans and I want them here. They’ll learn to act appropriately in time.”
Jennie stifled a giggle, wishing she could hug her brother over his declaration. He was a good sire and a good leader.
“Mama!” Braden screamed. Maddie whispered something soft in his ear, then sent Loki away with him.
“You see. They are too young.” He nodded his head, apparently in affirmation of his previous statement, but no one volunteered to agree with him.
“That wean is my brother’s first born lad, and I prefer to have him here. Please do not concern yourself, Boyd.”
Donnal let out a loud belch and excused himself. “Must find the garderobe.”
Coll reached for her hand under the table. “My apologies for his rudeness. ‘Tis unforgiveable. I love weans and hope to have many.”
Jennie turned to look into his kind eyes—he was such a better lad than the other suitor—but she still pulled her hand back.
She noticed Donnal was headed in the same direction as Loki.
Her intuition told her to follow them so she excused herself and did just that, trailing him toward the passageway that led to the tower rooms where Brodie and Celestina lived.
Once she left the great hall, she caught sight of Donnal a few steps behind Loki, who was desperately trying to manage an unruly Braden.
“Here, lad. I’ll handle the wee twit.” Donnal reached for Braden, but his wee protector was faster.
Loki pulled his small sword from his sheath. The weapon connected with the skin of the suitor’s hand and drew a drop of blood, causing him to yank it back. “You will remove your hand from my brother, my lord. No one touches him without my permission.”
“Why, you ungrateful cur.”
Jennie rushed up to them just as Donnal was about to wrest away Loki’s sword. “Leave him be, my lord. They are not bothering anyone.”
He spun around to glare at her. “They’re bothering me. Weans should not be heard from. They should know their place.”
Jennie nodded to Loki. “Why do you not continue and take Braden to his mama.”
“Nay, I will not leave you unprotected with this brute, Lady Jennie.” His chin came up and he squared his shoulders, just like his sire did so many times, his sword still drawn at his side. Braden had stopped crying and was staring at the stranger with wide eyes.
Jennie smiled. “My thanks, Loki, but I can handle myself.”
Loki nodded and continued on his way, tugging a whining Braden behind him, but he watched Jennie over his shoulder. Loki had grown quite a bit over the last couple of years, and he was mighty protective of his adopted family.
Chapter Fourteen
You just never know where you’ll find Loki next.
Jennie strolled along with Ennis, taking the turn toward Brenna’s garden, away from the crowd in the bailey.
She trusted Ennis more than her first two suitors combined, and she had to agree with Brodie.
Perhaps it was good for her to compare men.
Ennis MacKenzie happened to be the only other man who’d captured her interest to any degree, so why not see how it felt to be in his arms?
“May I call you Jennie? And please call me Ennis.”
“Of course.”
“Jennie, I would love to bring you to my home to meet my mother. She would enjoy talking about healing with you.”
Jennie rubbed the back of her neck. Hellfire, but the dancing had heated her up. Sweat dripped underneath her hair. She knew it was not quite ladylike to be dripping with sweat, so she tried to wipe it away.
“Would you be agreeable to discussing such an arrangement with your brother?”
Jennie glanced into his kind eyes. “I only just arrived home, so I am not quite ready to travel yet. Mayhap in a sennight or so.”
She wasn’t ready to leave while Aedan was here.
That was the truth of the matter. Ennis was nice, but there was something different between her and Aedan, something special.
She needed to discover if Aedan had any interest in her at all, and if she left for MacKenzie land now, there was a possibility that she would never see him again.
Nay, she had to stay here for a while. Somehow, Jennie was just now noticing that they had wandered quite a ways from the main path.
The sky around them was dark, and Ennis had managed to maneuver her under a big tree.
Before she knew it, her back was pressed against the trunk of the tree, and one of his hands had settled on her shoulder.
His lips descended on hers, and she allowed it. He tried to angle his mouth against hers to force her lips apart, but she denied him because it just wasn’t the same. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t enticing either.
He was a fine lad. The problem was that he wasn’t Aedan.
Suddenly, a loud growl met her ears. She jumped back just in time to see Aedan grab Ennis by the back of the neck and hurl him across the stone path, where he landed in a stunned heap on the ground.
“What the hell, Cameron!” he bellowed. “Tend to your own affairs.”
But Aedan threw himself on top of Ennis, his fist flying and connecting with the other man’s face. “Jennie’s mine. Do not ever touch her again.”
Another loud whoop rent the air, and something dropped out of the tree next to the two of them.
Loki. He came to a stop next to the two men. In moments, his sword was out and aimed at MacKenzie.
“You can both stay away from my aunt,” Loki growled.
“Loki, stop! Aedan, cease!” Jennie shouted just as Brodie came down the pathway.
“Hellfire. Jennie? Loki? What goes on here? I heard Loki’s whoop just as I walked outside.” Brodie stood with his arms crossed and his legs planted.
All other movement had come to a halt since Loki still brandished his sword at the grappling men, forcing them to put a stop to their fighting. “Get up,” Brodie said to the two men on the ground.
Aedan stood and moved to Jennie’s side. “Are you all right?”
“Aye.” She stared at him. “I’m fine. What is the meaning of this?”
“Defending your honor. He had his hands where they didn’t belong.”
Ennis jumped to his feet and brushed off his clothing, a sheepish expression on his face. “My apologies. I did not do anything against the lady’s will.”
Brodie quirked his brow at Jennie. “Jennie? Would you care to explain yourself?”
Jennie sputtered, realizing she had put herself in a very uncomfortable position. “Please. ‘Tis over. Can we let everything go?”
Loki shouted, “Hellfire! He had his hands all over her. He needs to pay.” He moved his sword so the point was close to MacKenzie’s throat.
Ennis rolled his eyes. “Truly, Grant? This is ridiculous.”
Brodie glowered at him. “Is it?”
Loki’s face glowed red with anger, his eyes lit with a fury Jennie had never seen. “You do not come to your friends’ land and assault their sister…or their aunt. We shall see what my laird has to say about this.”
“Loki, lower your sword.” Brodie’s hand settled on his hips.
“Must I? They deserve something.” Loki gripped his sword until his knuckles were white.
“Loki!” Brodie said through clenched teeth. “I know you are the great protector of all our lasses and bairns, but I think Jennie can handle herself.”
Loki’s head dropped and he did as he was instructed. “Someday, you’ll appreciate my protecting.”
“I already have, lad, as you are aware. Go back inside.”
Loki shuffled off toward the keep, his shoulders slumped. He peered over his shoulder once to give Jennie a forlorn look, but then continued onward.
Chapter Fifteen
Jennie lets Loki down as nicely as she can…
When Jennie stepped inside the keep, she searched for Loki. She finally found him over in a secluded corner, his shoulders slumped as he stared at the crowd of people chatting inside.
“Loki?”
His face lit up when he saw her. “Jennie. My apologies for interfering, but I do not like those men.”
Jennie sat on a nearby bench and patted the seat next to her. Loki sat down, hanging his head.
“I cannot believe you are almost as tall as I am. When did that happen?”
His eyes danced and he grinned as he peered up at her, clearly pleased she had noticed he was getting older.
“My thanks for being my protector,” she added. “I am new at being around lads, since Alex has protected me for so long.”
“Aye, well, you still need to be protected. He was doing things he should not have been doing.” Loki frowned and stared at his feet.
“‘Tis true he kissed me, but I allowed it.”
“Why? Can you not see he is wrong for you?” he said, his brow furrowed.
“Aye, now I do. But I needed to find out for myself. You are growing up too fast for me, Loki. Not long ago, you would have called him a surly pig-nut.”
Loki laughed. “I did like that name. Ennis isn’t surly.” He gazed into her eyes. “Must you choose someone?”
Ah, Brodie had been correct in his assessment of Loki’s affections.
She thought for a moment before she spoke again.
“Alex is not forcing me to choose, but I do wish to marry. There was a time when I loved my brothers more than I could love any other man. Do you know, I always thought of you as my brother instead of my nephew? You are much older and more mature than the lads that are about. I feel as if I have four brothers, all looking out for me.”