Page 31 of Highland Sky

“Nay! I canna sleep in the marriage bed again,” Kellina protested, not wanting to sleep with Nash. It would only remind her of the deception that went on in that bed last night. It was an act that she now regretted wholeheartedly.

“Why no’?” asked her uncle. “If ye have a reason, I’d like to ken it.”

“She means, she canna sleep there, because the marriage bed is broken, my laird,” Nash said before she could even answer. “However, I promise to fix it at once since it was all my fault. It will be repaired by bedtime, I assure ye.”

“Guid,” said the chieftain. “Ye two will want to start makin’ bairns right away, I suppose.”

“Aye, of course,” said Nash, pulling Kellina closer. “Isna that right, Wife?”

She grimaced, but looked up at him, knowing she had to answer. “Aye,” she said softly, using all her will just to push the word from her mouth.

“Say it so everyone can hear ye, my dear.” Nash was goading her and she didn’t like it. “Tell them all how eager ye are to make bairns and raise a family with me.”

If he kept up this nonsense, she swore she was going to belt him in front of everyone and not regret it for one second.

“I could never express what I really feel in my heart, Husband,” she said, flashing him a smile to tell him she’d won this round.

“Reid, it’s safe. Ye can come out now.” Aidan MacKeefe sheathed his sword and opened the large leather pouch hanging at his side. His squirrel poked his head out, looking around and sniffing the air as if he were searching for trouble before he left the safety of Aidan’s pouch.

“Put away yer swords, men,” ordered Tomas, since he was second in charge after the chieftain. Everyone grumbled, but did as they were told. Then they started talking amongst themselves, and heading to the table to get food and ale.

“Aidan, did ye bring Lady Spring back with ye like I asked?” The chieftain scanned the room.

“I am here,” said a woman at the back of the crowd. She’d been so quiet that Kellina hadn’t even seen her standing there.

“Come. Meet Kellina, Lady Spring.” The chieftain smiled and held out his arm, inviting the wife of Shaw Gordon over. Kellina knew of the woman, but had never met her personally.

“Please, just call me Spring,” said the tall, blond woman, making her way forward as the crowd passed and let her through. Her blond hair was in a long braid, trailing down her back. She wore a long tunic with tight breeches that looked like long stockings underneath. Thrown over her shoulder, she carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. Kellina immediately liked her. “Hello,” said Spring. “Ye must be Kellina.”

“I am,” Kellina said with a nod. “Why are ye here?” she asked directly, thinking it odd the woman should show up without her husband, and especially now, of all times. While they weren’t enemies with the Gordons, they had never formed an alliance either.

“Yer faither asked me to come talk with ye,” said Spring.

“My uncle,” she corrected the woman. “And I dinna understand. Uncle, why did ye ask her here? I told ye, I have plenty of lassies to talk to right here in our own clan.”

“I kent ye are havin’ a hard time with the quick marriage,” said the chieftain. “Kellina, I ken ye still hold revenge for the MacKeefes in yer heart. I thought Spring could talk with ye since she was once an enemy of her husband, too.”

“Ye were?” asked Kellina.

“Aye,” said Spring. “It is a long story, but I once wanted to kill my husband, Shaw. The last thing I wanted was to marry him.”

“I see. Well then, I guess we do have somethin’ in common after all.” Kellina looked over to Nash, who quickly excused himself.

“I think I’ll head over to the infirmary to fix the marriage bed,” said Nash, looking very uncomfortable.

“I’ll help him,” said North, seeming more than anxious to get away from there.

“I’ll start a fire to warm the infirmary since some of the clan will be sleepin’ there tonight,” offered Aidan, placing his squirrel on his shoulder as all three of the MacKeefes left.

“I’ll let ye two talk then,” said Ciaran, hobbling away, leaving Spring and Kellina alone.

“It sounds like the rain stopped.” Spring looked up at the roof. “Do ye want to take a little walk and talk?”

“I’d like that,” said Kellina, leading the way. Mayhap now that Lady Spring was here, someone would understand exactly what Kellina was going through. After all, she looked like a warrior the way she dressed and carried a bow and arrows on her back. This was the first time in forever that Kellina felt someone would really understand all the chaotic thoughts crowding her head. Especially where Nash MacKeefe was concerned.