She shoved the cowl off her head while Keegan lit a candle from the glowing hearth coals.
“Have you been staying here?” she asked, glancing around the room. She saw none of his possessions but the room seemed lived in, though the bed was neat and tidy.
“Aye, but not long.” He placed the candle upon the mantel, then added two small pieces of wood to the coals.
“Why?”
“Your father sent word by one of his servants that I was to sleep in the barracks with the guards and Rebbie. ’Tis very crowded and busy there. I needed time to think, so I rented this room.”
Seona was ashamed of how her father treated people. “I’m sorry he has been so rude to you.”
Keegan shrugged. “The important thing is we must leave tonight. We won’t be able to get all the Murray guards drunk again. Your father may punish them if he realizes they allowed you to escape. Everyone will be even more vigilant.” Keegan frowned. “What were you telling me about your sister? You couldn’t findher?”
“For the last several years, she’s had a habit of hiding in the deserted attic when she’s upset.”
“Why is she upset?”
“My father has arranged for her to marry the Comyn chief next week. He is a ruthless man who is much too old for Talia. I know marriages such as this are often arranged, but she’s only eighteen summers. And the Comyn is at least fifty. Just before we arrived, she resisted and Father beat her so badly, half her face was blue.”
“What? That bastard,” Keegan growled. “Has he struck you?”
“Not recently. But in the past, aye.”
“Damn him,” Keegan said through clenched teeth and placed a hand upon his sword hilt. His eyes were so filled with fury, she feared he might storm the castle now and hunt down her father. ’Twas exactly the reason she hadn’t told Keegan before. Not because she was trying to protect her father, but because she feared her father’s guards would slay Keegan.
Though it might be sacrilege, she didn’t care what happened to her father. What occupied her mind most was what would her father do to Talia if he found her first? He might send several of his men to scour the attic, or even the smaller lads to search the nooks and crannies. She couldn’t hide forever.
“How will I find Talia in time and get her out?” Tears burned Seona’s eyes.
“Shh.” Keegan pulled her into a warm embrace. She slipped her arms around him and laid her forehead against his shoulder. His tall, powerful body felt so wonderful and comforting. If only she could draw some of his strength into herself.
Keegan kissed the top of Seona’s head and fisted his hand in her unbound hair.
A battle rage such as Keegan had never felt pounded through his veins. He wanted to kill Chief Ambrose Murray. What was wrong with a man who would beat his beautiful young daughters? He had to be a madman.
Keegan pulled back and stared down at Seona’s hand within his, so much smaller and more delicate than his own. He kissed her slender fingers, unable to imagine how anyone would want to hurt her in any way. Aye, he knew she possessed great inner strength—she must in order to deal with her detestable father all her life. ButKeegan had to protect her; ’twas his responsibility and his wish.
He’d never even seen Lady Talia, and now he knew why. “Did your father lock your sister in her chamber?”
“Aye. How did you know?” Seona gazed up at him, trust and worry in her dark blue eyes.
“I wondered why I hadn’t seen her. If her face has a great bruise on it, he’s not going to want anyone to see that.”
“Indeed. Just before I left the castle, I learned that my father had unlocked her door after supper because the bruise had faded.”
“How will we get her out of the castle?”
Maybe he could ask Rebbie or Fraser to sneak her sister out, but he couldn’t let Seona go back. There was too much of a chance her father would beat her.
“What does your sister look like?” Keegan asked.
“She looks much like me, except she has dark brown eyes.”
Keegan released her hands and stepped back. “Wait here. I’ll go see if Fraser and Rebbie can slip into the castle, find her, and bring her here.”
“’Twould be wonderful, but very dangerous for them should my father discover them.”
“They live for danger.” Keegan sent her a smirk, hoping she would stop worrying so much.
