“Millie said she knocked on your door twice before breakfast but there was no response. When she tried to open your door, it was barred.”
“I didn’t hear her. I must have been sleeping soundly.”
Aunt Patience’s dark blue eyes narrowed and inspected her. “I’ll send one of the maids in to help you get dressed. ’Tis almost time for midday meal, and Isobel is all in a tizzy about having the meal outside in the garden. ’Tis silly if you ask me. Did we not eat enough meals outside during our travels here?”
Seona shrugged. Judging by the sunlight beaming through her window, it appeared to be a nice, warm day. “It could be fun.”
“I suppose,” she said, sounding like a snob.
Seona noticed her aunt was without her cane today. “How is your ankle?”
“A bit better.” She limped away, then called back, “I’ll send the maid for you.”
An hour later, the MacKays and MacKenzies gathered around three long tables in the stone paved center of the garden. Red and pink roses climbed the gray stone walls surrounding it, filling the air with a wonderful scent. Standing at the edge of the activity, Seona glanced up at the clear blue sky, with only a few wisps of white clouds, and relished the warm sunlight on her face. ’Twas indeed a rare and spectacular day.
A familiar deep voice reached her.Keegan.She turned her head to find him standing near the castle’s rear exit talking to the other men. The memory of last night flashed into her mind, bringing scorching heat to her face.
Heavens!She had been shamefully wanton, hadn’t she? The way she’d allowed Keegan to touch her in shockingly intimate places. What would he think of her today? She was not certain now that she could face him. She tore her gaze away, turned her back and pretended to be studying the roses against the wall. Maybe he wouldn’t notice her and she could slip back inside.
What was wrong with her? She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her pounding heartbeat. She was no longer a child who could run and hide when she didn’t want to face a stranger or deal with a difficult situation. Of course, Keegan was no stranger. But talking to him and looking into his eyes after what they’d shared in the dark… surely she would melt into a puddle of mortification on the stones beneath her feet.
“Lady Seona, ’tis a lovely day, aye?” Keegan said behind her.
She sucked in a surprised breath, praying she wouldn’t pass out or do something equally daft, then turned to face him.
“Aye, lovely,” she repeated, darting a glance up into his eyes, bright blue, like the sky.
“But not as lovely as you,” he murmured in a lower tone, a wee grin lifting his lips.
Her face burned as if she’d stood too long in the sun. “I thank you.” Unable to hold his gaze, she stared at the ground. ’Twas too much, too intense. Her heart thumped so loudly she could hardly hear anything beyond it.
He turned aside and offered his elbow. By habit, she slid her hand around his arm and he led her to one of the tables, all of which were already crowded. Each bench was only long enough for two people, or three if they were small. But none were completely empty. He seated her beside Aunt Patience, then proceeded to oneof the other tables to sit with a few of the men.
Blast.Much as she’d wanted to hide from him minutes ago, now she missed sitting beside him. Of course, with Aunt Patience there, that might not be possible.
The meal dragged by, but the food was delicious. She was saved from total boredom because Isobel and Dirk sat at the same table. He had better color today and was grinning more. The way he and Isobel interacted with such affection, humor, and care made Seona’s heart yearn for something she might never have. What would it be like to be married to the person who made your heart sing? It seemed pure fantasy.
After the meal was over, Dirk limped away to talk with the men at another table.
“Come, Seona,” Isobel said, rising to her feet. “I want to show you something.”
Seona followed her to a small doorway cut into the stone wall, then up a narrow dark stairway. They emerged outside on a roof or small terrace of some sort. More plants and flowers grew here and a bench sat toward the back.
“’Tis amazingly beautiful up here.” Seona took in the view toward the west, over Loch Alsh, with jagged mountains and islands in the distance. Spectacular. Turning, she glanced southeast over Loch Duich. The surface of the water was so still and glassy it mirrored the blue sky and the vivid green mountains.
“Aye,” Isobel said. “My mother loved gazing out over the lochs so much my father had this terrace built for her. Down in the garden, ’tis impossible to see over the high defensive walls. Then, she planted a few wildflowers up here. I would often find my mother and father up here on nice summer days.”
Bittersweet tears burned Seona’s eyes for she knew Isobel’s parents had both passed a few years ago, but they’d shared a great love. ’Twas what had inspired Isobel to find her own true love. Seona’s parents had been the opposite. Her father had cared naught for her mother. She, in turn, had lived a miserable life, having been forced to marry Chief Murray at a young age. At all costs, Seona did not want to share her mother’s fate. But how could she prevent it?
“Did you and Keegan talk in the kitchen last night?” Isobel whispered, sending Seona an impish grin.
Seona hated the way her cheeks burned. How could she stopblushing whenever Keegan was mentioned? “Aye, we talked for a few minutes.”
“Well, I hope he was a gentleman.”
“Indeed. When is he not?” Seona was unsure if his actions had been gentlemanly or not, but he hadn’t taken her virtue. Was that what Isobel had meant? However, the things he had done with his wandering hands, and his wicked mouth, had not been proper behavior at all. But she had reveled in it.
“Speak of the devil,” Isobel murmured with a grin.
