Page 78 of Bond of a Bewitched Highlander

"He used to work for William but abandoned his post when he heard the earl pays far more on selkie raids. And he's the one who caught me approaching the castle."

"I see." Brodie looked through the spyglass. "I wonder how many guards he left there."

Another one emerged from the exit door. Brodie was glad the curtain wall lay in ruins. An easy target. A few more unsaddled horses ambled into view, picking grass. Appeared to be less than a dozen. Mayhap he and the selkies would outnumber them.

"He may be holding the females there." Brodie lowered the glass and said to his men, "Head to Rònmòrach Isle." He pointed toward the southwest.

His clansmen turned the galleys about by rowing forward on one side and backward on the other. They moved farther out to sea, the oarsmen resuming their song. Elsea hummed along. When he glanced at her, she met his gaze and gave him a wee smile, celestial eyes sparkling exactly as they used to. Strong emotion slamming into his gut, he looked away. Damn her, how could she look so charming?

He tried to turn away from the pain as he forced himself to consider her good qualities. Selflessly, she had saved the lives of several females. And perhaps with her help and information, they would find and rescue the rest. Was she trying to make amends? Was that her motive for going out on a limb so far and risking her own neck?

He wished he could study her at length, look into her mind, and discover the truth, but that was impossible.

Rònmòrach Isle came into view in the distance. Elsea touched his forearm with the tips of her fingers, sending a shock wave through him.

"What should I call them, the selkie elites?" she said in a low, intimate tone, their gazes locking. 'Twas so like she used to speak to him during supper when they were visiting that he could scarce draw breath. He forced himself to ignore the battle of emotions inside him. 'Twas clear she still respected him, still trusted him. He could easily tell when people didn't.

And she wished to honor and respect the selkies, which he appreciated.

"Chief Scarth is the tribe leader," Brodie said. "You may call him chief. I call his wife m'lady or Lady Una. The forms of address are human, but they ken 'tis respectful and it pleases them. I've taught the younger males a few words of English. Most of them understand Modern Gaelic, except for the chief. He stubbornly refuses to learn it, saying he's too old. Though he is nay what I would call old. Their primary language is Old Gaelic, from ancient times."

"That's interesting. The young women I helped on the galley understood what I said."

"The men might have taught them. They've been isolated for many centuries, but they're highly intelligent and quick learners."

After the clansmen leapt off with a splash in the shallows and dragged the galleys ashore, a burly guard carried Finnian. Brodie leapt off, then lifted Elsea into his arms, her light weight a seductive distraction. Again, he attempted to avoid looking at her and inhaling her entrancing heather honey scent, then set her to her feet on the dry sand. He held on to her upper arm, making sure she didn't fall on the uneven sand.

Chief Scarth and Lady Una, along with the rest of the tribe, approached in human form, dressed in their finest. Lady Una looked to be about a decade older than his own mother, with threads of silver running through her black hair. All the women wore intricate shell and sea glass necklaces and bracelets, which they reserved for special occasions.

Standing beside Elsea, Brodie made introductions all around. The selkies appeared intrigued by Finnian and his excellent health at such an advanced age.

Scarth approached with Una on his arm. Together they bowed deeply.

Elsea curtsied.

"A great pleasure to meet you, Lady Elsea. We are most grateful to you for saving the lives of our tribeswomen," Scarth said in Old Gaelic.

Frowning, Elsea focused on his words, then looked to Brodie. He translated into Modern Gaelic.

"Chief Scarth and Lady Una, 'twas an honor. I was more than happy to help."

Brodie interpreted her words to them.

Smiling, Lady Una stepped forward, drew a lovely shell and sea glass necklace from the leather pouch on her belt and held it aloft in a circle as if to put it over Elsea's head.

"Oh, how kind of you." Elsea leaned her head forward, and Una placed the necklace on her. "How beautiful it is," Elsea breathed, taking the beads into her hand. "I thank you so much."

At the slight sheen of moisture in her eyes, Brodie looked away, wanting to curse aloud at how everything about her moved him. He held his tongue and ground his teeth.

The rest of the selkies, both male and female, took Elsea's hand, bowed over it slightly, and thanked her.

She copied their gestures, inclining her head. "You're more than welcome. I'm glad I could help," she murmured to them with a beaming smile that near took his breath away. 'Twas the same smile she used to bestow on him. The smile that had beguiled him and stolen his heart.

What had he done to deserve such punishment? He'd never harmed her. He'd treated her like the most delicate glass.

Arabella approached, the last to greet Elsea.

With a sharp inhale, Brodie tried to drive away his torturous musings. "Arabella was the one who helped you in the sea after you were knocked out."