“I thank you.”
Once Keegan had finished his soup, he placed his hands on his thighs. She knew she was mad, but she could scarce eat for thinking what his thighs might look like bare. She’d seen his naked calves often enough beneath the bottom of his belted plaid. They were muscular and lightly furred with golden hairs. Likely his thighs were the same. She had not been able to see them well in the low light when he’d waded from the loch, but she remembered the hard feel of his thighs beneath her when he’d put her on the horse infront of him.
Mo creach!She had to think of something else, but how could she with him sitting so close?
Though she refused to look at him, she felt his attention on her. She prayed he wasn’t staring at her. Someone would surely notice.
Beneath the table, he moved his knee against hers and left it there.
She froze, unable to believe what he was doing. She glanced around, making sure no one was watching. They weren’t; their attention was on the roasted grouse being served. She released her held breath.
Though she loved sitting by Keegan, she didn’t know how much more tension she could handle.
∞∞∞
After the meal, when the music and singing was underway for the evening’s entertainment, Chief Murray rose from his chair and ambled toward Seona. Her heart vaulted into her throat. Had he seen Keegan staring at her?
“I would have a word with you in my meeting room,” her father said, motioning her impatiently toward the door.
“Aye, Father.” Her stomach felt queasy and she wished she hadn’t eaten a bite. She proceeded into the smaller room, just off the great hall, which contained a table covered in papers, a desk, and all sorts of books. The fire had burned down to embers but the room was still warm. Too bad her father was not. Nay, the look in his dark eyes was cold.
He took a seat behind his imposing oak desk. “So, why is it that you return to me unmarried to the MacKay chief?”
Oh heavens.How was she supposed to respond to that without making Dirk out to be a villain?
“He did not wish to marry me.” ’Twas the only reason she could think of. And the truth.
“Why?” he demanded.
“I explained in the missive I sent—”
“I had an agreement and a written contract with his father, Griff MacKay! Why did they choose to break that oath?”
Seona drew in a deep breath, then released it, forcing herself to remain calm. “As you ken, Chief Griff MacKay passed last fall. There was some dispute as to which of his three sons would be thenew chief. We all thought Aiden was the eldest living son. He, in fact, became chief for about a month. Then Dirk MacKay returned. He is the eldest son, but everyone thought him dead for twelve years. Because he is more suited than Aiden to be a chief and ’twas proven he was indeed the eldest son of Chief Griff, the clan appointed him the new chief.”
“And why did you not marry this Dirk MacKay? Why did he not honor the contract his father sighed five years ago?”
“He was already…” How should she say this? Already in love with Lady Isobel? Nay, that wasn’t good enough. Emotion held no sway for her father.
“Well, come on, lass. Spit it out! Already what?”
“Already betrothed to another lady,” she said. Her chest tightened with the lie. It was the only excuse she could think of at the moment. Dirk had not been betrothed to Isobel at that point, but he was in love with her. That was no doubt a stronger pull for him.
“Already betrothed?” her father thundered.
“Aye.”
“To who?”
“Lady Isobel MacKenzie.”
“You did not mention this in the missive.”
He had a point and she knew not how to counter it. “They married very soon after they arrived.”
That much was true. Though it was a few weeks.
“Anyway, Dirk MacKay knew naught of the contract before he arrived in Durness,” she added. She’d had to tell the fib about Dirk and Isobel being betrothed; otherwise, her father might grow enraged with Chief MacKay and attack. The last thing she wanted was clan war. She wanted Isobel, Dirk and all the MacKays to be safe. They were like family to her… more so than her own clan. Nor did she want her father to take his wrath out on Keegan, who was acting as Dirk’s representative.
