The woman gave her a chiding smile. “Don’t be so hard on the lad, my lady. He’s a bit gruff, but he has a good heart.”
“He keeps it well hidden.”
The woman took her arm as if she’d known her all her life, and led her inside the small cottage. “Shall I answer your question for you?”
“What question?”
“The one you posed to him just now about what he meant by not being around a lady without his brothers.”
“Aye, please.”
“Have you ever met any of his brothers?”
“Nay.”
“Well, I’ve met them all. Wiped both ends of most of them back when I was a maid for his mother. They are a spirited bunch of lads to be sure. But Lord Ewan was always quieter than the others and whenever a lady came near, his brothers would fair knock each other down in an effort to win the lady’s notice. I can’t tell you the times I saw him attempt to speak to a woman only to have Braden or Kieran elbow him aside. After a time, he quit trying to compete with them and simply ambled off to tend his own needs and ignore the others.”
That was interesting.
“Are his brothers as handsome as he?”
“Some think they are more so. But I think each one is handsome in his own way. The youngest, Braden holds many the same features as Ewan and is unearthly handsome, but is rather arrogant about it. Lochlan reminds me of a golden angel, all fair, graceful and refined. The eldest of them, Sin is like a fallen angel, dark in his ways and yet extremely compelling. And Kieran, God rest his soul, was what every woman dreams of, I think. He had black hair and eyes so pale they looked almost colorless.”
Sorcha sighed wistfully. “Och those eyes of his … they smiled even when he was serious. He was a charming rogue who dallied with more women even than Braden. I tell you the world is not as happy a place as it was when he was in it.”
The older woman glanced behind them as if looking for Ewan, then leaned forward and whispered to her. “You do know what day today is, do you not?”
“Tuesday?”
Sorcha shook her head. “Nay, my lady. ‘Tis the anniversary of Kieran’s death. This is the very day his brother Lochlan went out to find the lad and found his sword and plaid lying on the banks of the loch.”
Her heart sank at those words. “Ewan drowned his brother?”
Sorcha pulled back with a scowl. “Whatever makes you say that?”
“I’ve heard rumors that Ewan killed his brother.”
Shaking her head, Sorcha let out a sad breath. “Nay, my lady. Kieran took his life because Ewan ran off with the lady they both loved. I was there that very day when Kieran had learned Ewan and Isobail were gone. He couldn’t believe that he had lost his lady to his brother. Heartsick, he’d told his family that he needed some time alone. Ewan was probably halfway to London by the time Kieran took his own life.”
Nora frowned at that last bit as a horrible wave of pain swept through her. “Halfway to London?”
“Aye, they were going there to stay with the lady’s aunt. She was supposed to shelter them. Only ‘twas a lie the lady told Ewan so that he would take her off to England to meet with her lover. The poor lad was devastated when she left him and he learned he’d been duped by her treachery.”
Nora felt ill at the news. No wonder the man had looked so angry when she posed her suggestion to him. How could she do such a thing?
Especially on this day…
“Oh Sorcha, I am such a fool.”
“How so?”
“I asked Ewan to take me to London so that I could stay with my aunt and avoid marrying a man I loathe.”
Sorcha gaped.
“I didn’t know,” she hastened to assure the woman as guilt and pain tore her conscience apart. “I can’t believe I said it today of all days, no less. At least now I know why he looked as if he wanted to strangle me.”
No wonder the poor man had been lying drunk in his bed. He’d probably been doing his best to forget the pain he had caused his brother.
