Chapter 13
The morning was passing quickly, but still Jamie tarried in the hall.
Most of his retainers had come and gone about their business.
The few remaining were those who would ride with Jamie when he left the castle.
They lounged, waiting for Jamie, jesting with the servants eating their breakfasts at the lower tables.
The unexpected lull was welcome, and they did not question their laird’s delay in leaving.
Jamie questioned himself, however. It was unusual for him to be found in the hall so late, even when he had no pressing demands.
The day was wasting away, but there he sat, waiting.
He should have been out on his land. Though the rents had all been collected by his tacksmen, it was Jamie’s custom to visit all his crofters, cotters, and grassmen at that time of year to ascertain if anyone had been unduly pressed to meet the rents.
But he was doing none of what he ought to be doing.
On the chance of seeing the lovely Sheena this morning, Jamie sat at his table and waited. He admitted the truth to himself but would never tell anyone else why he was sitting there. Luckily, Jessie wasn’t there. She did not make an appearance until midday.
Jamie gave Jessie little thought, anyway.
The other lass occupied his mind and had done so since he’d left her the previous evening.
Because of her, he had had no desire for Jessie the night before.
Because of her, he had lain awake many hours, feeling utterly alone, wondering what the devil he had done to frighten the lass so badly. He couldn’t stand her fear of him.
He wanted the exact thing his brother wanted—for the girl to stay with them. How to make her stay was the problem. It would be easy to force her. He had that power. But she would hate him for it, and he was surprised to find that he valued her good opinion.
Just then, all he wanted was to see her.
He kept his eyes riveted to the far end of the hall and the arched entrance.
What could be delaying her? He had thought surely the girl would want to speak to him, to find out what he wanted to do about her.
He sighed. She had every right, after what Colen had done, to demand to be returned to Aberdeen.
Jamie was beginning to feel quite ridiculous, sitting there knowing his men and servants were wondering what he was doing.
At last, his vigil paid off. Colen appeared at the end of the hall.
Behind him there was a swish of green skirt, and then the lovely Sheena came into view.
Jamie’s pulse picked up at the sight of her.
Colen was holding her hand and seemed to be dragging her forward, though gently.
She was looking all around her, and Jamie was suddenly proud of the richness of his hall, seeing it through a stranger’s eyes.
The wainscot-paneled walls, the painted deal ceilings were the luxuries of a tower house, not a castle.
The lower tables had padded benches. The laird’s table had English chairs covered in damask, plates of silver and pewter, and Dutch linen to cover the rough wood.
There was even a thick Persian rug, and there were several chairs before the great hearth, where Jamie liked to spend evenings.
All in all the place was impressive, and that pleased him very much.
But his pleasure quickly turned sour when Sheena spotted him, stopped dead in her tracks, jerked her hand away from Colen, and ran back the way she had come.
Colen was after her instantly, stopping her.
He swung her back around, and they argued, though in hushed voices.
Colen tried to catch her hand again, but she pushed him away and cried “Nay” loud enough for everyone to hear.
Jamie could well imagine his brother’s embarrassment, for he and the girl had suddenly gained everyone’s attention, and the silence that followed was complete. Jamie knew the reason for the long silence. Sheena’s extraordinary beauty was spellbinding.
But she seemed not to notice the attention. She took advantage of Colen’s discomfort and left him, moving to the far end of the nearest trestle table. She sat down, ignoring one and all, and began to partake of the food left there.
Colen stomped angrily up to the raised dais and the laird’s table.
Jamie said nothing for several moments after his brother had sat down next to him, glowering across the room.
There was ample food left on the table, but Colen didn’t move to help himself.
Conversations slowly began to resume below, but Colen fumed silently.
Finally, Jamie sighed. “Will you be telling me what that was all about, lad?”
“She thinks I lied to her,” Colen answered, his words sharp.
He wouldn’t meet Jamie’s eyes, so Jamie followed Colen’s gaze to what he preferred looking at anyway. “Did you?”
“Nay.”
“But she didna believe you?”
“How could she when here you are?”
Jamie turned his attention back to his brother. “And what have I to do with it?”
Colen squirmed. He still wouldn’t meet Jamie’s gaze. Jamie’s curiosity grew.
“Well?”
“Och, Jamie, she wouldna come down here until I convinced her you wouldna be around. She had locked herself in the south tower and wouldna open the door to me until—”
Jamie was frowning. “You put her in the south tower?”
“Aye.”
“Why?”
Colen finally turned to his brother, and his eyes, so like Jamie’s, darkened. “I dinna like the drift of your thoughts, Jamie. I’ve told you I’ve no’ touched the lass. Nor will I till she’s my wife. I dinna know if she’s a maiden. I didna ask. But it doesna matter to me if she is or no’.”
Jamie didn’t apologize. He was simply relieved. “What else was I to think, lad, when you kept her locked in your room?”
“But I slept elsewhere.”
“Very well. Why did you move her?”
“She didna like staying in my room. She felt ’twas no’ proper, and she was right.”
“But why the tower? There were plenty of other rooms you could have put her in.”
“She wanted a room with a lock on the inside. Mother’s tower room is the only one.”
Jamie was amused but warned himself not to show it.
The room high in the south tower was indeed the only one that could be locked from the inside.
Their mother had gone there often, whenever she and Robbie argued, and she had ordered the lock just so she could annoy their father by locking him out.
It was ever a source of amusement throughout the castle when it was known the south tower was occupied.
Here was another woman locking herself in.
“You say the lass wouldna open the door to you. Now why is that? She may no’ want to marry you, but she seemed to like you well enough.”
Once again Colen looked away. “I came to escort her to the hall. She didna want to come. She…she was afeared of seeing you.”
Jamie’s scowl darkened. “Why?”
“Och, Jamie, I dinna ken her fear. She has more spunk at times than any lass I know. Then, of a sudden, this crazy fear takes hold of her—like last night. It took me hours to coax her to leave the tower this morning. And she only consented when I swore she wouldna be seeing you. Yet here you are. Why?”
“Never mind why,” Jamie replied curtly, his anger mounting. “Does the lass want to leave here or no’?”
“She does.”
“So I thought. Then her avoiding me doesna make sense. She needs to talk with me if she wants the matter settled.”
“She knows that,” Colen replied. “Have you made a decision?”
“Bring her here.”
“Now?” Colen frowned.
“Aye, now.”
“But you’re riled, Jamie,” Colen protested. “Dinna send her away just because she displeases you.”
Jamie leaned back and sighed. “She angers me with her fear of me, ’tis true, for I did naught to cause it. But I’ll no’ send her away for that. I’ve heard your arguments, Colen. Now I’ll hear hers.”
“But she has none, none that make any sense.” Colen pressed his cause. “In good conscience, Jamie, you canna send her back to a beggar’s life.”
“If she stays, lad, there’s no guarantee she’ll marry you,” Jamie pointed out.
“I know. But I’d rather see her settled here, even married to another, than prey to scoundrels on the streets of Aberdeen. She’s too lovely for that.”
“’Tis glad I am to hear you say that, for I dinna want to see you hurt,” Jamie replied thoughtfully. “’Tis well you realize now that, if she stays, you’ll no’ be the only one trying to win her. Many will fall under the spell of her beauty, just as you have.”
“I’ve no doubt of that.” Colen grinned, apparently unconcerned.
Jamie was reflective for a moment, then decided to admit, “’Tis only fair I warn you, lad—she has an effect on me, as well.”
Colen raised a brow, then chuckled. “I dinna know why that should surprise me. So! No wonder her fear of you riles you.”
“That we should both desire the same woman is no’ a laughing matter,” Jamie said gruffly.
“I know. But there’s humor in it, since it has no’ happened ’afore.”
Jamie was incensed, for he found the situation highly disconcerting. After all, they were brothers. “And if I should set out to win her? You’ll no’ be thinking that so amusing, will you?”
“You’re welcome to try, brother, if ’tis marriage you have in mind,” Colen said seriously.
“But if ’tis only another mistress you’re wanting, I’d no’ take kindly to that.
The lass says she’ll marry only for love.
I’ll no’ stand in the way if she chooses you freely.
And you’ve already given your blessing if she chooses me. What could be fairer than that, eh?”
“You surprise me, lad.”
Colen grinned. “And you’re forgetting something, brother. Sheena trembles at the mere sight of you. I dinna think you’ll have much luck winning her. You frighten her so.”
If Colen had desired to bring Jamie’s anger over the boiling point, he had succeeded. “Fetch the lass!” he snapped. “It could well be she’ll find herself back in Aberdeen tomorrow and no’ have to contend with either MacKinnion brother!”