Isobel poked Dirk in the ribs and gave him a severe frown.
Dirk caught her hand. “Well, ’tis true.”
“Has anyone seen her?” Keegan demanded, imagining the worst. Had she slipped out and run away?
“Aye, Keegan. Calm yourself,” Isobel said. “I’ve talked to her several times in her chamber.”
“And?” He waited, anticipation near consuming him.
“She is not ill. She simply doesn’t want to be around a lot ofpeople. She is a private person who prefers spending time alone, sometimes.” Isobel shrugged.
Keegan frowned, knowing full well Isobel was behaving strangely. Aye, Seona was a quiet lass who didn’t mind being alone, but he’d never noticed her avoiding meals. Was it simply because he hadn’t been there? Or something else?
Isobel was keeping a secret, and he intended to find out what it was. “Are you saying she hasn’t been out of her room for two days?”
“I don’t know if she has or not,” Isobel said with a neutral expression.
Irritation welled up inside Keegan’s chest. “Is she eating?”
“Aye. The maids take her food.”
“Isobel said she was worried about you going after Haldane.” The look in Dirk’s eyes said he understood the turmoil and worry Keegan felt.
The idea that Seona was worried about him eased Keegan’s mind a bit. Maybe the anxiety had gotten the best of her and that was why she wanted to be alone.
He had to see Seona. Would Isobel help him with that as she’d done in the past? Something had changed, and he didn’t like it.
After the meal, he asked the servants to bring him a bath, then proceeded to his small bedchamber in the same wing as the MacKenzie brothers’. Once Keegan had bathed and put on clean clothing, he proceeded through the castle, trying to think of a place where he and Seona might talk in private. Though it was late, the castle was still abuzz with activity.
He proceeded up the steps to the corridor where Seona’s chamber was. If he ran into anyone, his excuse would be that he was going to talk to Dirk, whose chamber was a couple doors down. But luckily, no one was about in this part of the castle. He hurried to Seona’s door and knocked lightly.
As the silence extended, the foreboding inside him grew darker.
Isobel had told him Seona wasn’t ill. She simply wished to be alone. But he knew something was wrong. Had he offended her in some way? Angered her?
He knocked again, a bit harder.
“Who is it?” Seona asked from the other side of the door.
He released his held breath. The sound of her voice both calmed him and excited him at the same time.
“’Tis me. Keegan,” he said, low, then glanced back along the empty corridor.
Staring at the door again, he waited for her to open it. But it remained closed.
“Seona?” he asked “Are you ill?”
“Nay.”
“Why won’t you leave your bedchamber?” He had not considered it might bethattime of the month for her. But surely if this was the case, she would at least pretend to be ill.
“I cannot see you again,” she said, her voice strained and barely audible.
“What?” Surely, he’d misheard, but still… her words sent a shock of confusion and denial through him. “Why would you say such a thing?” he asked, trying to keep his voice down.
“’Tis dangerous, Keegan. My father is a cruel man.”
Hell.She had been crying. He heard it in her voice.
