Page 34 of Highland Steel

“Tell him . . . tell him to give me a few days. Then I’ll personally take Rhoswen and her siblin’s back to England and try to find a place for them to live.”

“All right,” said Ethan. “I’ll tell Storm. But make me a promise, Logan.”

“What’s that?” Logan looked up.

“Promise me ye willna let the lass get all confused and end up doin’ somethin’ stupid.”

“Nay, that’ll never happen,” said Logan, thinking about the last time he fell for a lassie that he never should have been with. It ended up putting him in the midst of a blood feud and he’d lost the clan’s prized possession.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” chuckled Ethan, slapping Logan on the back. “Just think with a clear head instead of below yer belt, and there shouldna be any problems.”

“Aye,” said Logan, seeing his wolf coming across the field as Ethan walked away. “What should I do, Jack?” he asked his pet. Jack licked his hand. Then, spying a mouse, the wolf took off at a run. Logan didn’t want to have to ask Rhoswen to leave, but then again, the last thing he wanted to do was to go to the Drummonds trying to get her nephew. Nay, the Drummonds were their enemies and Logan would not be the cause of another battle between them. The right thing to do would be like Ethan said. He’d have to take them back to England and hope to help them find somewhere to live. The only problem was, he was really going to miss them.

He picked up the hunk of wood and started to whittle again. He never should have kissed Rhoswen because, now, he couldn’t stop thinking of doing it again. She needed him to help him save a child. And he needed her – to help him release the love locked inside his heart that he’d never been able to share.

Rhoswen hadn’t seen Logan since the meeting this morning, and it bothered her that he hadn’t sought her out. After all, they’d kissed and she thought it had meant something to him. Mayhap she was wrong.

“Rhoswen, here are our gowns,” said her sister, bringing her from her thoughts. She’d helped Wren and Logan’s mother, Effie, prepare haggis for the nighttime meal, while Blaine spent the afternoon sleeping, and trying not to cry. Rhoswen wasn’t sure how to help her siblings. Newell said he was going down to the water. Rhoswen had been so angry with him for blabbing all their family secrets, that she let him go by himself.

“Oh, the gowns are finally dry?” she asked, wiping off her hands and taking it from her sister.

“You’re welcome to keep wearing the MacKeefe plaid,” said Wren, looking over from the hearth in the kitchen. “You look good in it.” She flashed a smile.

“Blaine, go back to the hospice and get changed,” Rhoswen told her sister. “I’m going to finish helping Wren prepare the meal before I change.”

“Oh, use my hut,” Wren called out. “The hospice is an open area and there might be men in there. Effie is in my hut right now, so she’ll let you in.”

“Go on,” said Rhoswen with a nod, wanting time alone to talk to the chieftain’s wife. The kitchen had been crowded earlier, but now they were the only two there.

“All right,” said Blaine, putting Rhoswen’s gown on the bench and then leaving.

“So,” said Wren, wiping her hands on a towel and taking a seat across the table from Rhoswen. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”

Rhoswen smiled, putting down her cooking knife. “How did you know?”

“I’m a woman. I could tell. And I can also tell you have feelings for Logan.”

Rhoswen’s head snapped up. “Did my brother tell you he saw me kissing Logan?”

“You did?” Wren’s brows arched in surprise.

“Oh. I see I’ve just spilled my own secret,” Rhoswen said with an embarrassed smile.

“It’s all right,” said Wren, reaching out and putting her hand over Rhoswen’s. “I think you would make a fine addition to our clan.”

“What do you mean?” Rhoswen’s heart sped up a beat, thinking she was talking about her marrying Logan for some reason.

“I only mean that I understand you and your siblings have nowhere to go. I’ll try to talk to my husband about you possibly staying with the MacKeefe Clan.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Rhoswen pulled away and stood. “I get the feeling that all I’m going to do is bring trouble to the MacKeefes after what I heard at the clan meeting.”

“What happened between the Drummonds and the MacKeefes had nothing to do with you.”

“What happened?” asked Rhoswen. “Please tell me.” She sat back down.

“Well, it was about five years ago,” said Wren. “The MacKeefes were unstoppable in battle. The men all believed it was because of this sword that was given to the MacKeefes by some old sage decades ago.”

“A sword?” she asked, interested.