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The sun was beginning its descent, and Keir was grateful that they would not have to spend the night in the village. Though the people were friendly and quite hospitable, he was eager to make his way back home. Squinting his eyes, Keir tried to make out the man standing on the ship’s deck. From this distance, he could not quite make out his face; yet the man’s burly physique made it obvious who it was.
His brother Duncan.
Moments earlier, they had bid Mr. Garner farewell. He would take the carriage back to the Whickertons and do his utmost to hide whatever tracks they might have left behind on their journey north. Katherine seemed particularly anxious about leaving her past life behind and moving forward into the unknown.
The quaint fishing village hardly held more than a few dozen people, but its dock extended far into the sea, so larger ships could make their way to shore. The ship currently approaching was of medium size, just large enough to transport the horses alongside of them. Again, Keir squinted his eyes and then laughed, finally able to make out his brother’s face.
Even from a distance, Duncan looked like a bear of a man. The wind ensured that his wild hair stood on end, billowing around his head, giving him a bit of a savage expression. He was tall, taller than Keir even, with a booming voice that never failed to make people quake in their boots. Still, at heart, Duncan was the kindest man Keir had ever known.
“What is it?” Sarah asked, her hand tightening upon his arm. “What do you see?”
Keir gestured toward the vessel. “Do ye see that man? The one of hulking stature who looks like a bear?”
Sarah gave a slight nod, and Keir felt her tense up beside him. Her lips were slightly parted, and she stared at his brother with a stunned expression upon her face.
“Dunna worry, lass. My brother might look like a bear and growl like one, but he’s truly a good man. I promise ye.”
Sarah let out a heavy sigh and nodded her head, her gaze shifting from the vessel and Duncan back to Keir. Her eyes were a deep shade of blue, wide and almost unblinking, as she gnawed on her lower lip, anxiety reflected in her expression.
Keir grinned at her. “Ye’re about to blush again, lass, are ye not?”
As though on cue, Sarah’s cheeks glowed crimson. “You’re truly impossible!” she chided him with an embarrassed chuckle. Then she elbowed him in the ribs, a playful scowl upon her face.
Keir smiled, watching her gradually become more and more daring, cautiously poking her head out of its shell to explore the world beyond it. Bit by bit, she ventured out into the unknown.Oh, my little wisp is a brave one!
On impulse, Keir tugged her closer, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I can see that ye’re worried, and I know that this is not an easy step for ye. But I am at yer side, lass. Always.” He placed a kiss upon her temple, relieved to do so again without worrying who might see. After all, before long, everyone would know.
And Keir did not mind.
He did not mind in the least.
Arm in arm, Keir and Sarah strolled down the pier, watching the ship arrive. Katherine and her daughters trailed behind them, the girls’ chattering voices echoing through the air.
Two other men, both of whom Keir had known all his life, walked around on deck. He gave them a wave of acknowledgment before refocusing on his brother. He released Sarah’s arm and then swiftly caught the line his brother tossed to him, securing it at the dock. The other two men lowered a gangplank, and yet as Keir knew he would, Duncan ignored it as he was wont to do.
Duncan swung himself over the railing of the ship, and the moment his enormous feet landed heavily upon the dock, Sarah’s eyes widened and Keir heard Katherine draw in a shocked breath. While Keir had never thought of himself as short of stature, he did sometimes feel a bit dwarfed by his brother’s size. More than once, he had seen Duncan inspire fear in those who did not know him—unjustified as it was.
After securing the ship with yet another rope, Duncan stood, and his blue eyes immediately found Keir. A broad smile spread across his bearded face. “Little Brother, I almost didna recognize ye! How long has it been? Five years? Ten?” With open arms, Duncan walked toward him.
Chuckling, Keir strode toward his brother. “It’s not even been one, big Brother.” They embraced one another, and for a brief second, Keir almost felt knocked off his feet. Then, they stood back, one hand upon the other’s shoulder, and looked at one another. “Then again,” Keir remarked with a chuckle, “ye’ve always been rather bad at maths.”
Duncan laughed his usual booming laugh. “I canna fault that observation.” He heaved a deep sigh, then looked Keir up and down from head to toe. “Do ye eat enough, Brother? Ye seem a bit weak upon yer feet.”
Keir smiled warmly, realizing in that moment how deeply he had missed his family, to have people around who knew him, who knew everything there was to know about him, who had walked with him through life for as long as he could remember. “’Twas from yer embrace. It truly knocked the wind out of me.”
Laughing, Duncan grasped Keir’s shoulder. Then his gaze traveled past him. “I see ye’ve brought company, two beautiful lasses and two even more beautiful lassies.” He paused, frowned for a second as his gaze swept over Katherine, noting the babe in her arms, and then added, “Make that three lassies.” A question rested in his eyes as he looked back at Keir.
Keir waved the sisters and the girls forward, offering quick introductions. “This is my occasionally ill-mannered brother, Duncan MacKinnear.” He grinned at Duncan, who regarded him with a scrunched-up expression. “Duncan, these are Miss Sarah Mortensen and her sister Katherine Dunley, Countess of Birchwell, as well as her three daughters, Augusta, Dorothea and wee Frederica.”
A look of amazement flashed across Duncan’s face as he gazed upon Katherine. “An English countess? I canna say we’ve ever had one of those here.” He grinned at her, then offered what undoubtedly was supposed to have been a formal bow. “Welcome to Clan MacKinnear.” His gaze shifted back to Keir. “How do ye come to be here?”
“I shall explain everything later,” Keir told his brother. “We’ve had a long journey and wish to see it end.”
Nodding, Duncan turned to look out to sea. “Aye, the winds are favorable. We ought to head out right away.” He grinned at Keir, something wicked twinkling in his eyes. “Our parents are most eager to see ye, especially as ye were to return long before now.”
Keir smiled back at his brother’s good-natured teasing, then looked over his shoulder at Sarah, locking eyes with her. “Well, what can I say?” He turned back to his brother. “I was detained.”
A knowing twinkle came to Duncan’s eyes. “I know what ye mean,” he remarked, and Keir noticed the way his brother’s gaze seemed to remain fixed upon Sarah’s braids. Aye, everyone would see at first glance that she belonged with him!
