After drying off, he dressed in a clean tunic and trews and made his way back to the kitchens.
Maighread, the MacLeod cook, smiled as he entered and waved him into a chair. Within moments, she’d set a tankard of ale and a plate of crusty bread, cheese, and dried meats in front of him. “Eat. Are ye losing weight? Ye look like it.”
He wasn’t. It was just her way to mother him. Something she had done since he’d lost his mother years ago when she was birthing Anna.
Clearing the plate, he thanked the cook and left in search of his father.
“Brother.”
He paused at Anna’s call and spun around. The look she had on her face told him that he wouldn’t like what she was going to say. Being the youngest MacLeod sibling and one that had never had the chance to know their beautiful mother, all the MacLeod men held a soft spot in their hearts for her.
Even Errol, whose heart had long been hardened, had a difficult time refusing his little sister whatever she asked for.
She held her hand up, waving the letter the messenger had delivered.
He frowned. It was because of her circumstances that they even allowed the friendship between she and Moira to continue. They’d met during one of the times of peace and both refused to give up on the other.
“What do ye require?” He asked.
Anna shook her head. “Naught. I only need to speak to ye.”
Errol crossed his arms and looked down at his sister, eyebrows raised in question. “Go on, then.”
She looked around the corridor they were standing in.
“No’ here.” Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward one of the small antechambers they saved for guests. Once inside, Anna closed the door behind them.
“Are ye daft?”
His sister pierced him with an annoyed look. “As ye ken, I received a letter from Moira.”
He kept his face neutral, refusing to let anyone ken the effect the lass had on him. “As ye have had many times afore.”
“Right. But this time she is asking for help.”
“Help how?” He couldn’t keep the interest out of his voice.
“I am no’ sure, exactly. She didnae say. Only that she needs to enlist yer assistance.”
Errol scoffed. “She has her brothers to ask help of.”
“Aye, she does. Though it sounds like this is something that she doesnae want to make them aware of.”
He moved to take the note out of Anna’s hand, but she snapped her hand back. “She doesnae speak of specifics. Only that she needs ye. Specifically, ye,” she reiterated.
Looking over her shoulder, he glared at the wall and clenched his jaw. It could be a trap. Had someone learned of his admiration of the lass? In doing so, were they now trying to use that against him? It was the oldest trick to try to lure a man in with the promise of a beautiful lass.
He wouldn’t be one to fall for it.
“I cannae help her. If, indeed, that is what she is asking.”
It was Anna’s turn to cross her arms. “Why no’?”
“Ye verra weel ken why. Da and I have allowed ye two to continue yer friendship e’en though it goes against e’erything we believe. Yetwo are innocent in the conflict. Howe’er, dinnae push us on this. Whate’er she needs, she can discuss with her brothers and father.”
“Ye are so stubborn. Why can ye no’ help?” She shook the paper in the air. “She wrote asking for ye for a reason. There has to be a reason she isnae involving her siblings.”
Errol sighed, pushing his hands through his hair.
