“Perhaps I willnae be punished by that. But what if he’s displeased by something else I’ve done? I’ll admit that I dinnae always listen tae him...”
“What can ye do?” Alys asked, looking nervously over her shoulders.
A streak of uncertainty ran down Kila’s spine. She had no answer to that question. What was so important that Rory needed to see her at this very moment?
“Let’s go,” she said to Alys, grabbing her elbow and urging her forward.
As she led her friend through the threshold, her heart raced. Hopefully, Rory only wanted to discuss a minor thing. After all, he was entertaining a visitor. He wouldn’t rebuke her in front of his guest, would he?
Chapter 5
Usually, the main hall was filled with activity, but today the chamber was reserved for the meeting of the three clans. As Kila and Alys entered the large chamber, some occupants started to file out. A couple of guards glanced curiously at them as they passed.
Kila ignored the stares as she walked straight ahead. Just as soon as her friend caught a glimpse of Rory, her pace seemed to quicken. It was almost as if she wanted to relieve herself of her food tray and get out of the room as fast as possible.
“Dinnae walk sae fast,” she hissed.
“Sorry,” Alys said, slowing her pace to match hers.
The great hall was devoid of any servants, and she was only too aware of the rustling of her gown and the echo of her footsteps. Four birds that had entered the large chamber twittered near the ceiling.
The emptiness of the hall made her feel as if she shouldn’t be there. And at this exact moment, Kila’s shoes felt as if they were filled with iron blocks. The distance to the dais seemed impossibly far. In her mind, she was still trying to figure out why she was being called to the room. And the fact that the MacIachlan chief was not present also confused her. All this time, she thought that Rory had intended to marry her to the laird. At least she was mistaken about that.
Alys had her gaze trained to the ground. “Does Rory look mad tae ye?” she asked, her tone hushed.
“Nay, he always wears a stern expression,” she said, trying to sound brave.
As far as she could remember, she hadn’t done anything untoward. After all, she had escorted Henry as Rory requested, and she even stayed with the laird even though the man made lewd and offensive remarks.
At the far end of the room, her brother and his companion sat. The Highlander had a tankard to his lips, and when she walked in, he set it down on the table.
A streak of heat coursed through her body, but she was somehow aware that the hot wave wasn’t from the fire burning in the hearth.
Although the Highlander’s eyes were slightly hooded, she could feel the intensity of his gaze. She swallowed her nervousness and stared back at the rugged stranger. She wasn’t exactly certain why she found him so fascinating. It wasn’t as if she had never seen an attractive man before. In all honesty, she had seen men who were more handsome. But ever since she bumped into him in the hallway, her interest had peaked. It was impossible to ignore his fair looks. Even as he sat next to her brother at the table, she was struck by his enormous size and the power that emanated from him. His sleeves were rolled up to his forearm, exposing thick, corded muscles. The excess part of his great kilt was pinned at his shoulder. And every part of him exhibited male strength and confidence.
Kila straightened her shoulders, sensing the two men watching her approach. She was no longer a child, she reminded herself. She was a woman. And she didn’t need to act like a guilty party, because she did nothing wrong.
Rory waited until Alys set the tray on the table and then dismissed her. As her friend passed Kila, she raised her brows, and a concerned look was etched on her face. But she knew that even if Alys wanted to help her, there wasn’t much she could do. Kila stood tall and smiled bravely though she dreaded being left alone with the men.
“This is my sister, Kila,” Rory nodded at her. “And this is William MacTyrnell.”
Kila understood what was expected of her. Her lips curved automatically, and she voiced her greeting. But facing their visitor did little to stem the confusion or the questions that swirled in her mind. She shot a puzzled look at her brother, however he had his gaze fixed past her shoulder.
“I have heard of ye,” she said politely. “Ye are Chief of Clan MacTyrnell.”
Before her Mairead had run off to Bracken Ridge, Kila heard Rory speak about this laird. Even though Rory had hosted several war councils at Tancraig Castle, the women were never invited to join them in their discussions. Then during meals, the MacTyrnell would have just been one of the many chiefs that converged at the fortress. Mairead was always keen on learning about the discussions at these meetings. For Kila, she had never expressed interest in politics or the governing of Scotland. Her chosen topic was much more intriguing. She preferred to study Scottish myths and legends, and dream of the possibility that different, more magical realm existed.
Unfortunately, she was stuck in reality and was unable to escape to her fantasy world. As the Highlander sat before her, she tried to recall all she knew of him. She had imagined him to be the same age as Henry, but he was much younger. In fact, he was actually in his prime, just as Alys had described. When she had bumped into William earlier, she only got a cursory look at him. The man was over six feet and was perhaps an inch or so taller than Rory. No doubt, he had the bearing of a lethal warrior; his physical appearance suggested military expertise and competence.
In every way possible, he was different from Henry. The gossip surrounding him implied that he was ruthless. Except the impression she got from him during their brief interaction suggested that he was mild-mannered and pleasant. But was this all an act? What if beneath this persona he was a violent and dangerous man?
Her mind flashed to all the news she had ever heard of William MacTyrnell. From what she could recollect, the man had married twice and had a young son. She was triggered by another memory of the chief. And a shiver immediately ran down her spine. He was the same man who was rumored to have murdered his wives.
So with this kind of reputation, why was Rory introducing her to the Highlander? What interest did he have with her? But then she remembered that Mairead was supposed to marry this fierce warrior. She had sidestepped the whole affair by running off and marrying someone else. As a consequence of her sister’s actions, it was left up to Kila to take her place. When this realization hit her, she felt queasy.
“’Tis a pleasure tae meet ye,” she said, giving the laird a wobbly smile.
“I want tae ask ye a few questions,” William said.
“What would ye like tae ask?” she said, keeping her voice polite. “I’ll try my best tae answer them.”
He nodded as if he was satisfied with her response.
“Tell me, how many times in a day do servants collect eggs from the chicken coop?”
“Chicken coop?” The topic threw her off guard, and she looked blankly at him. What kind of question was this? “I dinnae ken the times,” she said slowly. “I suspect they collect the eggs once a day.”
“Nay, ye are incorrect.” He twisted his lips and shook his head. “Servants typically gather chicken eggs twice in the morning. And they finish this task before noon.”
She didn’t like seeing the judgment or the disapproval on his face. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why are ye asking me this if ye already ken the answer?”
When he didn’t respond, she looked over at Rory for an explanation, but her brother only shrugged. It seemed that her brother was leaving her at the mercy of his guest.
“All right, I have another question for ye,” William said. “What is a book that a lady of the castle must read?”
“That’s an easy one tae answer,” she said, relieved.
Kila understood now that he wanted to know her reading preferences. She didn’t quite understand where this cross-examination was leading, but it was rare to find anyone interested in discuss
ing books with her.
She began to warm up to the topic, and he listened intently to her answer. Emboldened by his attentiveness, she continued further, “Any lady of the castle must read about the Myths and Legends of Scotland by Sir Conar Tilson. ‘Tis a fascinating subject, and might even interest ye too. Although the stories seem fantastical and tell of magical creatures, they are a reflection of our heritage.”
William continued to watch her speak, his heated eyes sweeping across her face. But when she examined him in return, she was unable to know his thoughts. At first, she believed he was interested in the subject, but she was no longer so sure. She had responded to his query with enthusiasm, but she faltered slightly when she noticed his expression remained neutral. Did he approve of her reading choice or not?
“I have one last question for ye,” he said when she finished speaking. “What do you ken about managing Tancraig Castle?”
“Managing Tancraig Castle?” she repeated. “I dinnae understand why ye are asking me all this. There is nay need for me tae run this fortress. Rory’s wife has taken on that role.” She looked over at her brother for help. “Tell him, Rory.”
Rory lifted a corner of his lip to acknowledge her appeal. “Are ye certain ye dinnae have any more questions, MacTyrnell?” he asked.
This line of interrogation was becoming stranger by the minute. And most of all, it was starting to annoy her. The only person who was responsible for the estate was Rory. Before Darra had come along, Mairead was the one who governed the stronghold. None of the management duties appealed to Kila, and she was more than happy to let her older sister handle everything.
“I think I have all the answers I need,” William said, leaning back on his seat. “Asking more questions wouldnae yield anything further.”
“All right, ye proved your point,” Rory said. There was a slight frown on his lips, but he didn’t appear angry or vexed. “Ye may go now, Kila.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but she decided against it. Rory wouldn’t like to have his authority challenged in front of his peer. She knew better than to undermine his leadership. But still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that this examination had big significance to her life. The only problem was that she didn’t know the reason.
“I’ll need tae speak with ye later, Rory,” she said.
But her brother had already resumed his conversation with his associate, and Kila wasn’t certain whether he had heard her.
As she made her way out the door, she couldn’t prevent herself from glancing back at the two men. They looked as if they had already forgotten about her. But though they dismissed her, she couldn’t easily do the same to them. This whole interaction had given her pride a serious blow. What right did the MacTyrnell have to probe her like this? And why did Rory allow it? She felt as if she was put on trial, defending herself over some unknown crime. One thing was clear. She hated the unfair judgment of her.
Kila longed to go back and conduct her own interrogation. She needed to discover from her brother what this was all about. She forced her steps to slow as she strained to overhear their conversation. If they were going to talk about her, then she had a right to know what they said. However, as much as she tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, she was too far away to hear anything useful. She could only surmise that they spoke about politics because she heard a couple of words to that effect.
With no other choice, she exited from the great hall. A few minutes later, she discovered Alys waiting anxiously for her by the archway.
“Ye look as if ye had just witnessed a hanging,” she said, scanning her face. “Why did Rory summon ye?”
Kila slapped her palms against her flaming cheeks. “I dinnae ken.”
She needed something solid to support her. She stumbled to the wall and leaned her back against it. After a moment, she continued, “The MacTyrnell asked me about harvesting chicken eggs, book preferences, and castle management.”
“What strange things tae ask,” she said, puzzled. But then after a moment of consideration, understanding reflected in her eyes. “He wants tae ken whether ye have basic knowledge about castle affairs,” she said. “That could be the only explanation.”
“But why?”
A flash of color caught the corner of Kila’s eye, and she turned in time to see Henry walking toward the great hall.
Alys looked over as well and gasped. “Is that the man ye spoke about earlier, the one Rory wants ye tae marry?” she asked.
“I’m nay longer certain,” she said.
Before this conference, Kila was convinced that Rory was going to set up a marriage between her and Henry. But how did William factor into all of this? Somehow she knew that her confusion wasn’t going to be resolved today. And besides, if she didn’t make her exit now, she would be forced to interact with Henry again.
“I need tae leave,” she said.
Chapter 6
A couple of hours later, questions continued to swirl in Kila’s mind, questions that demanded answers. Was Rory making marriage plans for her without her knowledge? The thought caused her stomach to churn. When the war with the English began, or even when Mairead married, Kila gave minimal thought to her future. She had wrongly assumed that the time would come where she would choose her own mate, just as her siblings had done. Every so often she thought about love, and what she wanted in a husband. But now it seemed that she wasn’t going to be given a choice.
And seeing how things transpired, she was fairly certain that Rory wished to marry her off soon. But to whom? A frustrated sound rumbled in her throat. Considering that she was alone in the solar, she likely wore down the stone floor with all her pacing. There was a benefit of not having the castle women witness her behavior since they might think she was turning mad.
She wandered to the window, searching for the hundredth time to see if she could spot Rory. It was difficult to keep track of her brother since his responsibilities took him on some errand or another. Fortunately, the solar was the perfect lookout point to view all the comings and goings of the castle.
Kila was just about to turn away when she saw Rory’s familiar figure walking across the courtyard with one of his men. Now was her chance. She dashed out of the chamber, praying that she would catch up to him. In record time she made it outside. However, when she stood at the steps leading to the courtyard, her brother was nowhere to be seen.
Disappointment weighed on her shoulders her like a heavy sack of grains. Somehow the opportunity to speak to Rory had slipped through her fingers. Her brother was always busy with clan affairs, and she thought she might intercept him before he went off to complete another important task.
She kicked herself for not challenging him earlier when she had the chance. She was too well mannered and preoccupied with decorum. Now that she had the time to reflect on her situation, she clearly saw that her future was at stake. But she had the right to know what was in store for her, didn’t she?
Unfortunately, confronted with the dilemma as she understood it, her choice in a husband was either the MacIachlan or the MacTyrnell. Neither of the prospects sounded promising to her. The thought that she should run away crossed her mind, but she immediately stowed that idea away. She couldn’t run off like Mairead. Rory and his men were home. If she made any attempt to leave the compound, they would immediately go after her. Then on top of running away, she would be in even more trouble.
Her only chance now was to talk with Rory in private, and hope that she could appeal to his sense of fairness. After all, he found a love match. Why should she be deprived of finding her own?
She searched the entire area and was just about to admit defeat when she saw Rory rounding the corner.
“I was looking all over for ye,” she said.
“Och, why?” He quirked a questioning brow.
“I want tae ken,” she swallowed, the words having difficulty escaping her mouth. When she was younger, she wasn’t afraid to voice her opinions. But she was aware that things w
ere different. Rory was now the clan chief and his word was law.
She cleared her throat and started again. “I want tae ken what marriage plans ye have for me. I thought that perhaps ye wanted me tae marry Henry MacIachlan. But after the conference earlier, I’m beginning tae think it might be William MacTyrnell that ye have in mind for me.”
“What are ye talking about? I’m nae trying tae arrange anything with Henry.” He raised his sights to the sky and let out a long sigh. “The marriage talks were about Mairead and the MacTyrnell, but then the war got underway, and nothing was agreed upon. Now that she has gone and married Thom MacCullvin, ye are next in line. However, the MacTyrnell disnae want tae marry ye, so ye dinnae have tae worry about that any longer.”
The Highlander’s rejection hit her like a slap across her face.
“But — but that’s wrong!”
Rory looked at her as if she had taken leave of her senses. “Wrong or right, the MacTyrnell has made it clear that he disnae want ye for his wife. Maybe I’ll have tae talk with Henry, and see if he’s interested in a marriage alliance. Perhaps I can make a suitable settlement with him.”
“Nay, dinnae do that!” she said. “I dinnae want tae wed Henry MacIachlan.”
“Why nae?”
She quickly combed through her mind for an excuse. “He’s almost as auld as Da,” she said.
“Age disnae matter,” he said, making a small impatient sound. “Henry is a respectable warrior, and he’s capable of caring for ye. Now if ye will excuse me, I need tae go meet with the steward and go over the accounts.”
Kila stayed rooted to her spot, barely registering that Rory had left. But when the truth of his words finally sunk in, her annoyance erupted. Why did the MacTyrnell not want to marry her? She didn’t wish to be married to anyone, at least not now. But the idea that someone spurned her without just reason caused her blood to boil. How dare he reject her? What did the MacTyrnell know about her that he could dismiss her so easily? He had quizzed her on three areas that held no relevance on how she was as a person. None of those questions had any bearing on how she would be as a wife.
Highland Pride Page 4