“Will ye make her return with you?”
Her question gave him pause. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll try to persuade her to come back with me, but if she doesn’t want to…” He wasn’t sure what he’d do. He hadn’t thought about what she’d want. He started to look at Sara’s situation through Brenna’s eyes. He knew he couldn’t force her to come home, but he still hoped she would come back with him. “Let’s talk about something else. What do you do for fun around here?”
Brenna laughed. “I like to take a walk down to the stream. Alone. I take me shoes off and dip me feet in the water. I ken ‘tis probably not what you’d consider fun, but when I’m there, all me cares and worries are left behind and I can be free of the castle and…” She nodded her head in Greer’s direction and made a comical face.
“And do you just sit there with your feet in the water?” Zeke couldn’t help but chuckle. He was enjoying Brenna MacRae. She was fun and easy to talk with when the subject of marriage wasn’t on the table.
“Aye. I do. And I listen to the birds singing so sweetly in the trees and I spy on the fish as they swim by. And sometimes, if I’m verra lucky, an otter will join me.”
“An otter!”
“Aye. He sits on the opposite bank and grooms himself. He hasnae gotten any closer, but I have…” She corrected herself. “I had hopes that one day he would join me, but that willnae happen now.”
“I’m sorry.” He kept trying to steer their conversation away from upsetting things, but somehow it always ended up right back where he didn’t wish to go. His heart ached for her, but there was nothing he could do to save her from the plans her father had for her. He noted that Brenna still hadn’t touched her food and it didn’t appear she would. “Are you going to eat that?”
“Nae. I’m nae hungry. Ye can have it if ye like.” She pushed her food towards him.
“No. I’m just concerned that you’re not eating.” He pushed it back towards her.
“Dinnae waste yer time worrying for me. I’ll eat when I’m hungry.” She sighed as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and he guessed that she did.
He wished he could lighten her mood. If things were different, he’d want to spend more time with her, but that wasn’t possible. He was here to find Sara and once he did, he’d be leaving. There was no sense in starting something he would never be able to finish.
Chapter 8
After their meal was over, Paddraig went out of his way to keep Brenna and Zeke together. Zeke had taken note throughout the meal of the circumstances Brenna found herself in. Greer and her sister, Gillian seemed to delight in making fun of Brenna, either loudly for all to hear, or whispering to each other and giggling like the mean girls he remembered his sister talking about from high school. He also noted that her brothers barely paid any attention to her, brushing off her comments or ignoring them all together as if she wasn’t even there. Zeke knew what it was like to be an unwanted child. Abandoned by their parents, he and Sara had lived with their grandfather. At least they’d had each other. How could this family be so cruel to one of their own? He wished he could help her, but the only way he could would be to marry her and take her away from all of this. It was an impossible option. He was only here to find Sara. Once he did, he’d be on his way back to San Francisco. Brenna would then be left alone to fend for herself. It hardly seemed fair. If only there was another way he could help.
The family antics continued on long into the night. They were drinking heavily and were therefore free with their words. He got the impression that if he didn’t get away from them soon, he’d be hard pressed to leave without a wife.
“Paddraig, I hope you’ll excuse me. I’ve had a very long day and I’d like to retire to my room,” Zeke said.
“Zeke, ye’d make a wonderful son-in-law, please consider marrying me Brenna. I believe ye’d find the dowry would make it well worth yer trouble.”
He was getting tired of telling them he wouldn’t marry her. How many times could he say it? “Good night.” Zeke left the room, relieved to be away from these vultures. He’d best step up his efforts to find Sara. He thought she was at Breaghacraig, but Edna had sent him here. Or maybe Olwydd had taken him to the wrong place. Either way, before he left, he was determined to continue his search and if Sara wasn’t here, he’d have to continue trying to contact Edna to find out why she’d sent him to this godforsaken place.
Zeke opened the door to his room and was surprised to see a fire blazing in the hearth. He was grateful because its golden glow lit the room just enough for him to see. He closed the door behind him and made his way to the bed.
“Zeke!” He jumped at the sound of a woman’s voice somewhere in his room. His eyes were adjusting to the low light and he peered into the corners of the room.
“Zeke, ’tis only me,” came the voice. This time he recognized it.
“Edna?” he said.
“Aye. I’m merely checking in to see how yer doing.”
“Not very good. Olwydd seems to have taken me to the wrong place,” he said.
“No. He took you to the right place.”
“Edna, I’m not at Breaghacraig. I’m at a place called Castle Treun.”
“Exactly where you’re supposed to be, lad.”
“How can that be? I was told Sara was at Breaghacraig.”
“Yes. She is. Ye, however, are needed right where ye are.”
Zeke didn’t like what he was hearing. He had a bad feeling about his. “What do you mean?”
