“Show our guest to his chambers, love. And see to a bath for him. He’ll be joining us fer the feast we would have shared with Laird Munro if he hadn’t left us so swiftly.”
Zeke was surprised to hear this news. “Isn’t he to marry your daughter.”
“Aye. He had some things to attend to at his own castle. He’ll be back.”
Zeke got the impression he was being lied to again, but he had no proof, nor did he wish to cause any problems with these people.
“Come with me, sir,” Greer motioned to the entry and beckoned Zeke to follow her.
“How long do ye plan to stay here with us, Laird?”
“Only as long as necessary. I’m searching for my sister. Paddraig says she’s not here. Are there others who live outside of the castle walls?”
“Aye. There are. There are many crofts not far from here, and a village. Do ye believe she may be there?”
“I don’t really know.”
They walked up a spiral staircase to the second floor and then down a passageway with doors here and there on either side. Greer came to a stop in front of one of them and pushed it open. “I hope this chamber suits ye, m’laird. I’ll have a bath sent up fer ye at once.”
“Please, call me Zeke. I’m sure it will be fine. Thank you for your hospitality.”
“’Tis me place to manage the servants and the care of our guests. It used to be Brenna’s job and I’m afraid she is feeling quite out of place now that I’ve married her Da. It will be good for her to marry and leave this place.”
“Why couldn’t she just stay here with her father?” Zeke asked.
“’Tis only right that she find a husband and marry. I wish it werenae Laird Munro, but it seems he’s the only one interested in her. Poor dear. He has a reputation for…” she didn’t finish her sentence.
“A reputation for what?” Zeke asked. He knew what she was up to, but he was curious to hear what she had to say.
“I hate to gossip, but I’ve heard this many times.” She lowered her voice to a whisper and glanced around. “’Tis said that he killed his wife because she would not do his bidding. I fear the same fate may befall our dear Brenna. She is hardly the sort of lass who will behave herself. Her Da let her run wild here at Castle Treun and so she never learned to be obedient.”
“If he killed his wife, why hasn’t he been arrested?” Zeke was shocked to hear this. Why would her father arrange for her to marry a man who was a murderer? He didn’t know Greer at all, but he was pretty sure she was playing him. Knowing Paddraig, he’d probably encouraged her to do it.
“Ye see, there’s no evidence. He told everyone she was ill and threatened the servants and any who he even thought would know, that if they said anything they, too, would have a similar fate.” She shook her head and smiled sweetly up at Zeke, her voice back to normal. “I’ll leave ye now. Ye need yer rest. Dinnae worry about Brenna. She’s a resourceful lass. She’ll learn quickly not to disobey Laird Munro.” She turned and left Zeke staring at her back as she made her way down the passageway.
He wasn’t sure what to think of all this. He’d seen Laird Munro with his own eyes. He knew Brenna didn’t wish to wed Munro and he knew that since he’d arrived, everyone was trying to push Brenna on him. He felt badly for her, but as he’d told her, he was here to find his sister, not to find a wife. He hoped that things worked out for her and that she wasn’t forced into this marriage, but in this time women were treated like property. It was the reason he wanted to get his sister back to San Francisco.
He closed the door to the room and looked around. A large bed draped with curtains stood on the far wall. The windows were shuttered and there was a fireplace, but no fire. The room was sparsely furnished - only the bed, a chest at its foot and a small table and chair set near the hearth. Bare bones as it was, he couldn’t wait to lie down on an actual bed. He didn’t have high hopes for it being comfortable, but after sleeping on the ground since he’d arrived in this time, he’d enjoy this bed tonight. Someone had brought his saddle bags up to the room and he rummaged through them to find his flint so he could get a fire started.
He was pleased with how expertly he managed to start the blaze now burning brightly in the hearth. Squatting on his haunches, he stared into the flames hoping Edna might speak with him.
“Edna?” He wasn’t surprised that she didn’t answer him. Maybe she only spoke through his fireplace back home. The thought of being stuck here in this time and never finding Sara was not something he wanted running around in his brain, but so far he found himself at a completely different castle, his sister and Logan didn’t appear to be anywhere nearby and he was now the focus of an entire family of people who were determined to convince him to marry Brenna MacRae.
Standing, he shook his head in disbelief. The sooner he got away from Castle Treun, the better.
***
“Brenna, come sit here next to our guest.” Paddraig called his daughter over to sit closer to him than she had since Greer’s arrival. She knew what he was up to and she also knew he’d be angry when he found out that even if he could get this man to agree to marry her, she was not willing to do so. She searched the room for Laird Munro and he was nowhere in sight.
“Where’s Laird Munro?” she asked as she took her seat. Zeke was kind enough to stand and hold her chair out for her.
“He’s gone home, me dear.” Paddraig was behaving much as he had when he loved her.
“Is he coming back?” she asked, suspicion in her eyes.
“We’ll see. Much depends on ye.” Her father winked at her and chuckled.
Brenna turned to Zeke and spoke softly, for his ears only. “Me father has not allowed me to sit at the center of the table since he married. He is up to something and I believe I know what it is.”
