Page 12 of The Highland Heir

“Do you promise not to tell anothersoul?”

Her smile dropped away as she stepped closer.“This sounds quite serious. Are ye well?”

“Aye. Just . . . unsettled.”

“About what?”

“Recently, I’ve been having dreams aboutsomeone I considered a friend. But these dreams have made me thinkof things I shouldn’t want with . . . thisperson.”

Marnie’s eyes went wide, and a kind smilepulled at her lips.

“I was beginning to think ye weren’tinterested in men. Some women aren’t. They prefer the company ofother women. You’ve been close with Kieran since ye were a weelass. I was waiting for this to happen one day.”

“I didn’t say it was Kieran.”

She sniffed. “Didn’t need to. He’s afine-looking man. And the two of ye are quite close. It’s onlynatural ye would grow an attraction.” She frowned. “Damnedinconvenient it would happen now when he’s to be married.”

“You canna say anything to anyone. Not evenJames.” Her husband was one of the warriors. If he knew, he mighttell the others and soon everyone would know her shame.

“I’ll not say a thing, though I’m sure manyassume there is some interest between ye. If not from you, thenfrom him.”

It was Ella’s turn to look surprised.

“You think Kieran might feel the same wayabout me?”

“He is a man, and you’re a pretty lass. Whywouldn’t he?”

“He’s never said so.”

“Neither have ye.”

That was true enough. But to think thatKieran might be tossing about in his bed, unsettled from dreams hehad about her . . . She found she rather liked the idea andhoped it to be true.

Any excitement she felt over the thought wasquickly replaced by disappointment.

“It doesn’t matter if he does feel the sameway. There’s nothing to be done for it. He’s to be wed.”

Marnie shrugged and looked toward the dooragain before leaning closer to whisper.

“So long as ye are careful, there’d be nobreaking of vows if ye were to do it now.”

“Do you mean . . . ? To lie withKieran when we’re not married?” Ella’s voiced raised in surprise,and Marnie swatted and shushed her.

“It is not uncommon. My James and me had abit of pleasure before we married. But again, one must be careful.Do ye know what I mean by that?”

Ella blinked, feeling quite overwhelmed bythe entire conversation. She suddenly noticed all the sleep she’dmissed the night before as exhaustion set in.

“You mean his seed?” Ella asked, feeling hercheeks go red in the same way they had when the women had spoken onthe subject a few months ago. At the time, Joan had said she didn’twant to get with child until her youngest was a bit older. But herhusband didn’t like having to pull away at the crucial moment.Whatever that was.

“Aye. Babes can still happen even if he takescare with where he spills it, but it’s not as likely.”

She couldn’t imagine speaking to Kieran ofsuch things. But she was curious.

*

Kieran jumped out of the way a second toolate and took a blade across his stomach from Raymond. It was agood thing it was a practice sword with no sharp edge to the steelor he would have been done for.

“What’s wrong? You’re slow as a frozen streamtoday,” Teague said with a glare.