Chapter 12
Colen’s brother had returned to the hall after speaking to the gatekeeper and learning there was no sign of Colen yet.
He was not worrying over the men, just the success of the raid.
One of his prize stallions had been lifted and the laird wanted it back.
He ought to have gone himself, he knew that, but Colen had been so nervous all week, his brother felt he needed the diversion.
It was a quiet night. There were no guests, so only one long table was filled. These were castle retainers. Servants bustled about, refilling trenchers, pouring ale.
The laird’s own table had yet to be served.
It was considered a crime to serve the laird’s food before he was ready for it, for if there was anything that could turn James MacKinnion sour, it was a cold meal.
New servants learned this the hard way. Jamie’s wrath could be quite entertaining—as long as one wasn’t the recipient of it—and no one volunteered the rules to newcomers.
Right then, Jamie’s table was empty except for Jessie, who sat looking sullen.
Jamie had kept her waiting, and she didn’t like that one bit.
Jessie Martin was first cousin to Jamie’s brother-in-law, Dobbin, and she had come to Castle Kinnion with Dobbin and Jamie’s sister Daphne when they visited, three weeks past. But she had not left with them.
During those three weeks she had made it known that she was available to Jamie, and he had finally taken her up on her offer.
He had had his fill of her by yesterday—or so he thought.
But seeing her now in a low-cut burgundy velvet gown, he admitted he’d never found a better mistress.
If only his Aunt Lydia hadn’t taken such a dislike to Jessie.
But she had, staying in her room in the north tower and almost never coming out.
Aunt Lydia couldn’t tolerate a forward, brazen woman.
But sometimes a man needed such a woman in his life, especially a man who was not looking for a wife.
She was experienced in ways of pleasing a man, Jessie was.
After four unsuccessful handfastings, she claimed she had given up on marriage.
Jamie wasn’t sure about that. He’d never yet met a woman who didn’t pine for marriage.
But Jessie would be disappointed if that was what she was after.
“Can we begin now?” Jessie said petulantly as soon as Jamie took his chair.
He didn’t care for her tone and replied, “They’ll serve, now I’m here. But you didna have lo wait for me, lass.”
“They’ll no’ serve this table until you’re seated,” she reminded him tartly, regretting it when she heard his reply.
“There’s ample room at the lower table, and plenty of food.”
It was a privilege to eat at the laird’s table, and Jessie knew she was being reminded of that.
Jamie could be very hard. But she wanted James MacKinnion.
She wanted him badly. She had never known such a handsome man.
Handsome and rich, a laird, he was everything she desired.
She had realized that when she first saw him at her cousin’s wedding, and from that time she had nagged and begged and cajoled Dobbin to bring her with him to Castle Kinnion.
It had taken three years for him to agree, and now that she was finally here, she had no intention of ever leaving.
“Och, Jamie, dinna mind me.” She smiled sweetly. “’Tis a sour nature I have when I’m hungry. But I’ll no’ take it out on you again.”
Jamie was not fooled. “I hope I can count on that, Jessie, for I’ll tell you now, I’ve no liking for a bitchy woman, nor one who argues and nags.
I dinna have to put up with that sort of nonsense, nor will I.
You’re a bonny lass to be sure, and I’ll take care of you as long as you share my bed.
But you’ve no other hold on me, Jessie.”
“I know. And I didna mean to anger you,” she quickly assured him, desperate to drop the subject. “Look. The girl comes with our…”
Jessie didn’t finish, for the girl who came in from the kitchen with a platter of food walked toward the end of the hall and the bedchambers. The laird’s table was not her destination. When the girl, Doris, went through the archway at the end of the hall, Jamie’s curiosity was aroused.
“And where are you off to now?” Jessie demanded, already forgetting her apology.
Jamie didn’t answer. As he left the table, another servant came from the kitchen tower with his food.
“Gertie.” He stopped her with a grin. “Go on and serve Mistress Martin, even though I’m not there. She’s nigh to fainting from what I’ve been hearing.”
The old servant looked up at him and said solemnly, her eyes twinkling, “Aye, Sir Jamie, we wouldna be wanting that.”
“And where is young Doris off to?”
“Doris? I dinna know. She said your brother set her to some task if he wasna back ’afore dark.”
“Did he now?”
Jamie followed Doris up the stone steps to the second floor.
His own bedchamber ran along one side of the building, and there were two smaller guest chambers opposite.
But Doris had not stopped there. He caught sight of her at the end of the corridor, turning up the stairs leading to the top floor, where Colen had one of the four rooms.
“Doris!”
She poked her head back around the corner and then came into full view under a torch set by the entrance to the third floor.
“Where are you off to with that?” he asked when he reached her. “We’ve no one ill up there that I’ve no’ been told about, have we?”
“Nay, I dinna think she’s ill.”
“She?”
“The lass young Colen’s keeping in his room,” Doris explained. She was wary, but she couldn’t keep anything from the laird.
“He’s keeping a lass there? Who?”
“I dinna know, Sir Jamie, I’ve no’ seen her. But ’tis strange. He told me to be sure and lock the lock after I left the food in there. Now why would he be locking the poor lass up? It dinna seem right.”
“Why indeed?” Jamie laughed. “Here, give me that. I’ll see she gets fed, and I’ll find out what I can.”
Jamie chuckled as he carried the tray up to the third floor.
So his brother had found himself a mistress!
One he wanted all for himself. No wonder he had been acting so strangely.
The lad was probably having his first love.
Jamie had gone through the same infatuation at Colen’s age and could remember it well.
But it had passed, and he’d never felt that way again.
He could almost envy Colen the heart-throbbing experience.
Time enough for the boy to learn it wasn’t true love. Time enough for disillusionment later.
The door to Colen’s bedchamber was indeed locked, and Jamie grinned as he pulled the wooden peg from the latch and pushed the door open. It was dark. Torch light from the corridor fell only a few feet into the room.
Jamie squinted. “Where are you, lass?”
“Here.” There was spirit in her voice.
He followed the voice, but he still couldn’t see her. “We’ve candles aplenty in this castle.” Jamie scowled. “Are you so ugly Colen must keep you in the dark?”
“There’s a candle on the table.”
“Then why do you no’ use it?”
“For what?” the girl asked tonelessly. “There’s naught for me to do in this room that I’d be needing a candle for.”
Jamie chuckled. Colen had found himself a rare female, one willing to await his beck and call.
Jamie saw the bed and moved toward it, his eyes now able to make out the girl sitting on the edge of it. He put the tray of food on the table.
“You’re no’ the girl who was supposed to bring this,” she mentioned warily.
Jamie didn’t reply. He found the candle and, after several seconds, had a fair light illuminating the room.
“Now then, lass, who…”
The words died as Jamie turned and faced the girl. He caught his breath. The vision before him was not real, it couldn’t be. The delicate oval face, the large eyes of a remarkable bright blue, the mass of red hair so dark as to be magenta. Now when had he dreamed of this before?
She was staring at him with open curiosity.
Under her perusal, Jamie stood tall. He could not speak.
If he spoke, she might disappear. With a sudden jolt he realized why he felt that way.
It was the vision! The water sprite from the pool in the glen!
Her image had dimmed with the passing of time, but his vivid feelings had not.
She smiled as the silence lengthened, and Jamie thought his heart would stop at the brilliance of that smile. Then she giggled, a bubbling sound.
“I’ve been known to turn the heads of men,” she said in amusement, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “But I’ve never struck one speechless ’afore. I think I like it.”
Jamie would have taken offense if anyone but this vision had teased him so. He delighted in her laughter and didn’t mind at all.
“I…I’ve never lost my tongue so completely ’afore. But now I’ve found it, you’ll be telling me who you are.”
“I dinna think I will,” she said.
“Why?”
She shrugged prettily and looked away. “I’ve no’ told Colen, so why should I be telling you?” she answered pertly, reaching for the tray and picking up a sugar roll.
“You’re no’ a MacKinnion?” he asked.
“Heaven forbid.”
Jamie frowned. “From where do you come then?”
“The lad found me in Aberdeen” was Sheena’s evasive reply.
“Your home is there?”
Her gaze narrowed. “I’ve no home to speak of, not anymore. But who are you to be asking me so many questions?”
“Colen didna tell you of me?”
“He told me of a brother, nobody else.”
“I am his brother,” Jamie replied simply.
Then it was her turn to stammer. “Then…you’re…”
Jamie watched in amazement as she scrambled across the bed and backed up against the wall beside it. She cowered, as if trying to disappear into the stone wall.
“What nonsense is this?” Jamie demanded.
There was terror in her eyes.
“Will you answer me?” he said sternly.
“What are you doing here?” said a voice behind him.