Chapter 4 #2
Keir stared at the two contrasting women.
Briana’s brown hair, tied up behind her head, contrasted with the bright blonde of Elin’s which had somehow not lost its shine on their journey.
Where Briana was tall and slim, Elin was short and curvy, and while every step Briana took sang of regal composure and dedication, Elin’s aura was softer yet somehow more guarded.
Against everything that his mind told him, Keir desperately wanted to know what she was guarding herself from.
The wistful way she had said the word family made it clear she had her own story there, and his chest twinged as he suddenly understood what lay ahead of her even if she went free.
Even if she was right and Eamon Grant loved her—though Keir doubted it—she was deluding herself if she expected a proposal of marriage.
The life she longed for was the life of a mistress.
A life of shame. Of marginalization. And for her children? The lives of bastards.
There was a short pause, then Theon spoke. “Ye’ll nae be hurt as long as ye’re here, Elin. Forgive us for yer bindin’s. We just had tae use caution until we understood the situation. Ye’re a welcome guest.”
Elin turned her distrustful glare on Theon. “I ken who ye are. I ken who all of ye are. If I’m tae be yer prisoner, then do me the favor of nae pretendin’ it is otherwise.”
Theon and Briana exchanged looks, then Theon turned a questioning gaze on Keir.
Keir knew that look. It was the look that Theon had perfected over the years that meant, How are ye gonnae fix this mess ye’ve made, wee brother?
Keir scowled and lowered his eyes, not wanting to face him quite yet. He didn’t feel like facing anyone.
Graeme approached. “Well, if ye’d tasted our cookin’ before Briana joined us, ye might have called us brutes correctly,” he said cheerfully.
He spooned some of the food into a bowl and offered it to Elin, but she folded her arms and turned away.
Unperturbed, Graeme winked and said, “Och, come on. We’re actually pretty good company once ye get tae ken us. ”
Noah joined them and took the bowl that Elin had refused. “Dinnae be so forceful,” he scolded Graeme mildly. “Elin, ye should eat.”
“Nay. I dinnae want anythin’ from ye,” she snapped.
Keir’s jaw tensed, then he moved to join them all and sat down on Briana’s other side. “Elin. Sit. Eat. I’m nae askin’.”
She turned, her mouth open to argue, but she must have seen something in his eye.
Maybe it was the pulsing, restless fury and shame that had cycled in Keir’s heart as long as he could remember, or maybe it was just the memory of his threatening promise.
Whatever the reason, she closed her mouth and primly took a seat.
When Noah offered her the bowl, she took it, though she glared at Keir as she did.
“Theon, aye?” she asked after a moment while Graeme doled out the rest of the meal for everyone else.
Theon nodded.
“Ye’re the leader of this wee group, are ye nae? Ye must let me go,” she demanded.
Keir started, surprised—he’d not expected her to try with someone else. He almost spoke, but curiosity kept his mouth closed.
After a pause, Theon said, “I’m sure Keir has explained why that isnae possible.”
“I think it is possible. I think ye just dinnae want tae,” Elin protested. “Ye willnae get what ye want from me. I see ye’ve got this lass as a willin’ servant—”
Noah interrupted with a laugh. “Forgive me, miss, but me lady here is anythin’ but a servant.” He winked at Briana, then grew a little more serious. “I ken yer family will miss ye, but I assure ye, so long as ye obey, ye’ll be safe until ye can return tae them.”
It may have been a trick of the moonlight, but Elin’s white skin seemed to grow even paler.
“I—” she started, then shook her head. “Ye’re criminals, all of ye, and ye’re makin’ a mistake.
I will be missed. Eamon Grant will come for me, and for Nightwind too, and he’ll ensure ye all pay for what ye’ve done. ”
Keir grunted, his eyes on his food. “If we’re tae pay when Eamon arrives, how about ye stop talkin’ about him and allow us freedom from havin’ tae listen about it? Nae need tae punish us twice.”
He felt rather than saw how his words had offended her, but he did not look up. He didn’t want to see her expression.
“He’ll destroy ye all like the traitorous rats ye are,” Elin hissed. Beside him, Keir felt Briana stiffen, no doubt remembering the same sentiments leaving her own lips not so long ago. “And I’ll watch with glee. Just ye wait.”
Elin sat by the fire alone long after the others had dispersed, the cold bowl of stew still almost full in her hands.
She had weakened and taken a bite or two, but only when she was sure that none of them were watching her.
Briana had tried to talk to her several more times, but when it had become clear that Elin wasn’t interested, Briana and Theon had gone off to their own little hut.
Graeme had gone to his own soon after, and lastly Noah had followed, bidding her a courteous goodnight.
Now, the fire was dimming, and she poked it with a stick, partly for warmth and partly for something to do.
How had she ended up in this situation? She felt disgusting, her clothes weighty on her body thanks to dirt and Keir’s blood, her skin clogged with sweat and muck.
Briana had come out briefly to offer her a simple front-tie robe to change into.
It would be a bad fit, but it would cover her well enough until she could get her current dress cleaned.
First, though, she’d need to do something about the grime on her body—that was, if they’d even let her.
The crunch of boots on the ground made her look up to see Keir approaching.
He’d left at some point earlier, and she’d deliberately not let herself wonder where he’d gone.
She didn’t like how much her thoughts were dwelling on him, nor how disorienting it was when he was out of sight.
He stood watching her in silence for several moments.
“What?” she snapped. “What do ye want?”
Keir folded his arms. “Are ye gonnae sit out here until the fire dies? Will ye sleep on the ground as well?”
“Is that an option?” Elin asked.
He snorted. “Nay. Ye’ll sleep in me hut, of course. I presume ye want tae wash first? I can show ye where.”