Keegan shrugged. “His words mean naught to me. All I care about is you.” The intensity of his eyes was like blue fire. “What if he were to force us to get married because he found us in a compromising situation?”
She shook her head. “He would not. He already suspects we’ve had a tryst. But if he thought it were really true… or if he caught me here… he would marry me off to someone else. Wentworth or someone with a title.”
“He is a weak dandy. Hell, he’s practically English.”
A pang of nausea struck her, as it did anytime she thought of Wentworth. “Aye, and I sense a vile streak in him.”
“I don’t care what I have to do,” Keegan said. “You’re not marrying him.”
Voices from outside the stall reached them. “Wentworth,” Rebbie said in a loud tone. “I was hoping you would show me your horse.”
“’Slud,” Keegan muttered, wanting to burst out the door and take his sword to Wentworth.
“Shh,” Seona hissed, her eyes wide.
He didn’t want to be caught either, but if they were, it might solve a lot of his problems—Wentworth would probably hightail it back to the Lowlands. But being discovered in a stall with Seona would also create new, deadly problems. Her father would no doubt try to kill him. Not that he would succeed.
Rebbie and Wentworth moved away from the door, their voices fading.
Keegan wanted to spend more time with Seona, but ’twas unsafe for her. Besides that, someone was likely to bring a horse back and lead it into this stall.
He slipped toward the door and peered through the crack where Rebbie had left it ajar. The two men stood near the end of the long, straw-littered corridor. Wentworth opened another stall door, his back toward Keegan. Rebbie inspected the black stallion.
“Come,” he whispered to Seona. “You need to return to the keep.”
They both stepped out into the wide passageway and Keegan tried to keep himself between her and Wentworth. At the entrance, he glanced around, seeing no one about. The rain had diminished to a drizzle.
“I will see you later,” she whispered with a fiercely emotional glance. Before he could say anything, she strode quickly across the barmkin toward the kitchens, her head covered with the plaid. Remaining at the stables, he watched her go, praying ’twas not the last time he would see her.Nay.She was his life, and he could not go back to Durness without her.
Voices approached behind him. He turned to find Wentworth and Rebbie moving toward him.
“That belted plaid must make it greatly convenient when tupping the maids, hmm?” Wentworth asked with a nasty grin. “Almost makes me want to become a Highlander.”
Keegan ground his teeth, his palm itching to feel the horn hilt of his dirk in it.Maids?Had Wentworth seen Seona with him and assumed she was a maid because of her oldarisaid?
“Och! Look at that! The rain has stopped,” Rebbie announced, as if this was something monumental.
“Aye. ’Haps we can go for a ride and you can see how the stallion runs,” Wentworth said.
“Want to join us?” Rebbie asked Keegan.
“Nay. But I thank you for the invitation.”
The two men proceeded into the stables again. “I’ll be right there, Wentworth,” Rebbie said, then returned to Keegan. “Are you well?”
Keegan nodded. “Did he see her with me?”
“He saw someone. He assumes ’twas one of the maids.” Rebbie shrugged. “I’m going to find out all I can about him.”
“Mayhap his stallion will break his fool neck,” Keegan muttered.
Rebbie snorted with suppressed laughter.
“I’m going to stay here and figure out a solution.” At the moment, all Keegan wanted to do was put Seona on his horse and ride as far as they could go.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Seona paced in her room, knowing supper was being served in the great hall. Wentworth was there, waiting toget to know her. Well, she didn’t want to get to know him at all. His unnerving smile made her nauseous.
