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“May I travel a little, see a bit of our fair country and visit friends from time-to-time?”
“Of course, Yesenda, I dinnae expect you to be a prisoner. Take a guardsman with you at all times.”
***
MacDonald Keep
Yesenda awoke to the sounds of shouting. “Not again,” she groaned and tried to muffle the sound with her pillow. It was no use. Her chamber was on the same floor as Ruadh’s and again he was arguing with their guest.
“I told you I want to go home!” a woman shouted.
“And I told you, I will not allow it!” Ruadh bellowed.
“You cannot keep me here against my will, Ruadh MacDonald.”
“I can if it keeps you out of harm’s way.”
“You are infuriating. Go away then and leave me be.”
“Dinnae tell me what to do. Damn you, I am laird of this clan, and you will cease ordering me about.”
“I will cease ordering you about when you stop yelling at me!” she shouted.
Yesenda went to her door. She yanked it opened and just shook her head at the sight. If her nerves were not so frayed from the amount of noise in the Keep, she would find it humorous to see her big brawny brother getting a blistering earful from a woman half his size. But after being woken several times to the sound of arguing, she found nothing funny about it.
“Would you both stop bellowing? The entire Keep can hear you.”
“Be quiet!” they both yelled.
“Ruadh, leave her be. She clearly does not want to talk to you. And you,” — She pointed at the woman — “Your kin sent you here for safekeeping. My brother is keeping his word to your da. If you dinnae like it, take it up with your da instead.”
Yesenda slammed the door and stormed back to her bed. She did not know what was going on between Ruadh and the Boyd lass. Since she had returned home, Yesenda had not had a single moment of peace with the two of them constantly bickering. The place truly was in complete disarray when she arrived. It had taken Yesenda several days to set things to right. She missed life at the abbey where it was quiet and orderly.
***
Several days later, Ruadh asked Yesenda if he could have a private word with her. When she entered Ruadh’s chambers, she was struck by how much he resembled their late father. Other clan members commented on the fact that she resembled their late mother. How fitting that their parents left their own likeness behind in terms of feature and temperament.
“Yesenda, I am thinking of marrying.”
“Really? Who is the fortunate woman?”
“I have none just yet, but several clans have requested that I consider their daughters and I think tis time I took a wife.”
There was silence between them then Yesenda asked, “And what about miss Boyd, who you’ve now placed in mother’s solar?”
Ruadh glance up at her and said dismissively, “She will remain here under my protection.”
“Even after you marry?”
“Aye, I dinnae mean to cast her out.”
“I doubt your wife would welcome another woman using her solar.”
“My wife will do as I say. If miss Boyd needs to remain here for her own protection, then no one will gainsay me.”
“But who is miss Boyd to you, Ruadh?” Yesenda asked.
“Tis none of your concern.”
