Searching her eyes, Isobel nodded. “Keegan and most of the men went out looking for Haldane and his gang.”
“What? Haldane is here?”Saints!Even now, Keegan could be in danger.
“Aye, when the men were deer stalking, they ran upon the outlaws in the wood. They captured two of them and got information. Haldane is still bent on kidnapping you. So, the men decided to take care of the threat.”
Her throat tightening, Seona shook her head. “Keegan is risking his life for me. And he shouldn’t. He’s such a good and honorable man.” She felt unworthy.
Isobel led her toward the fireplace and they sat on the padded bench before it. “Aye. That’s what a man does when he loves a woman.”
Emotion caught in Seona’s throat and emerged as a sob. Overcome with the sudden and sharp emotions, she covered her face with her hands. “He shouldn’t do it,” she forced the words out past her constricted throat. “He should not risk his life for me.”
“I doubt anyone could stop him.” Isobel rubbed her shoulder in a comforting manner. “What is wrong, Seona? Why were you not at supper?”
Swallowing back the emotion and blotting a handkerchief against her eyes, she shook her head. “My aunt saw Keegan giving me flowers. I must stop seeing him. I fear my father will kill him if he has half a chance. Aunt Patience thinks Keegan has… compromised me, and she’s going to tell my father if I don’t stay away from him.”
“What a meddling battleax,” Isobel muttered.
“Aye. I agree. I care for Keegan too much to put his life in danger.”
“Well, I know he cares for you, too.” Isobel patted her hand.
“Last year, I merely danced with a man named Graham MacSween. My father deemed him ‘not good enough’ and had his men beat him horribly. My aunt just told me today that someone murdered MacSween shortly after. My father probably sent his men to do the horrid deed. They made it look like a thief killed him in Inverness.”
Isobel’s mouth dropped open. “Saints! In truth?”
“I’ve never known my aunt to tell a lie. And she didn’t know for certain my father had it done. But knowing him like I do, I wouldn’t put it past him.”
Isobel shook her head and appeared in deep thought. “I wish there was some way to get you away from your father so you and Keegan could be together. You could come live at Dunnakeil.”
Seona’s heart ached for that would be her fondest wish. “I would love that, but I fear ’tis impossible. I must go home for my sister. I fear Father will beat her if she talks back to him.”
Isobel frowned. “Has he beaten you?”
“Aye.” Seona had never talked to anyone about this, other than her aunt or the people back home who knew about it. “He’s hit me several times. Sometimes for no true reason other than he was angry and I happened to be there.”
“’Slud!” Isobel muttered, her face tightening. “I had no idea he was so brutal. Does Keegan know this?”
“Nay. And you must not tell him. You know he would do something drastic and put his own life in terrible danger.”
Isobel nodded. “Keegan is a lot like Dirk. Neither of them would stand for such injustice and abuse, especially to someone they care about. You must get away from your father.”
“I had hoped to marry a decent man who was not cruel and bring my sister to live with me.”
“’Tis a good plan.”
“It isn’t too much to ask, is it?”
Isobel put an arm around Seona’s shoulders and gave her a comforting hug. “Nay, of course not. Not only do you deserve a good man, but also a man who loves you.”
“That would be a dream come true, of course. But I doubt that I’ll be as lucky as you are.”
If only she could be. The image she had in her mind of being married to Keegan was so beautiful it brought tears to her eyes.
“Indeed, you might be luckier than anyone,” Isobel said. “It can’t hurt to imagine it. And it will give you comfort.”
“I’m not certain of that. ’Tis something I’ll likely never have, so why imagine it might come true? I would only be torturing myself.”
“I disagree. Last year, I thought I would have to marry another man I didn’t care for, but I didn’t. I stopped thinking of Torrin. I could think of naught but Dirk after he rescued me and took me to Dunnakeil. I couldn’t help falling for him or thinking about him all the time.”
