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Contrite, Keir offered her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry.” Carefully, not wishing to have his hand bitten off, Keir reached to pull her closer, slowly enveloping her in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry I didna bid ye farewell, lass. I never expected to leave that night, but the message was urgent, and I asked Eoghan to give ye my best.” He looked down at her face. “Did he not do that?
Kenna’s brows furrowed. “He did, but it wasna the same!” She shoved against his chest, breaking his embrace. “I woke up the next morning, and ye were simply gone.” Shaking her head, she crossed her arms over her chest. “We were having a wonderful time at the spring festival, and then all of a sudden ye were called away to speak to yer grandmother.” Her eyes narrowed, and her nose wrinkled into a disapproving frown. “Ye simply never came back, and the next morning ye were gone! Why didna ye say something? Why didna ye come talk to me?”
Keir heaved a deep sigh as wariness spread through his body. After explaining everything to his family in great detail, he truly did not feel up to doing it again. “I apologize for my rushed departure, lass, but ’tis a rather long story, and I’m too tired right now.” He took a step toward her, trying to look into her down-turned eyes. “Come to the gathering tomorrow night and ye’ll understand.” When she would not look at him, Keir placed a hand upon her shoulder. “Kenna? Are ye truly angry with me?”
Tentatively, her gaze rose to meet his. “I thought we were friends,” she retorted with a pout. “I thought…” She closed her eyes and briefly shook her head, then looked at him once more. “Eoghan said that… ye brought two English ladies back with ye.” Her brows rose in question.
Keir chuckled. “How does Eoghan know they’re English?”
Kenna gave him a bit of an exasperated look. “Ye know as well as I do that there are no secrets on this island, Keir MacKinnear. Dunna pretend otherwise!”
Keir nodded knowingly. “Aye, ’tis true; I can tell ye that. However, if ye wish to know more, then come to the gathering tomorrow night.” He gave her shoulder an affectionate squeeze. “Good night, Kenna.”
Then Keir turned away and hurried outside, reminding himself why he had come downstairs. Still, he knew he would not stay long, feeling fatigue tugging on every weary bone in his body. More than anything, he needed rest; after all, tomorrow would be a trying day.
Chapter Nineteen
IN A FAIRYTALE
When Sarah woke the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky, its light shining in through the windows almost blinding. Her entire chamber seemed to glow golden, and Sarah slipped out of bed feeling lighter than ever before. She quickly dressed, wondering about the routine in this place. How did people have breakfast? Did they all eat together?
Accepting that no answers could be found in her chamber, Sarah went to knock upon her sister’s door. From inside, she could hear Augusta’s and Dorothea’s voices, suggesting they were involved in some sort of role-playing.
Not bothering to wait, Sarah entered, smiling as she found her two nieces upon the floor near the fireplace, playing with the toys Mrs. Murray had provided for them so kindly. “Good morning,” Sarah greeted them, and received only distracted smiles in return as both girls were completely absorbed in their game.
Closing the door, Sarah approached the bed where Kate was just finishing nursing Frederica. The exhausted expression upon her sister’s face spoke to a sleepless night. “How are you this morning?” Sarah inquired, seating herself on the edge of the bed.
Kate gave her a weak smile.
“Is there anything you need?”
“I could do with a spot of breakfast.”
In that moment, a knock came on Kate’s door, and both sisters turned their heads toward it. “Enter,” Sarah called, rising from the bed.
Relief flooded Sarah when she saw Keir enter, a smile coming to his face as he saw the girls playing in front of the fireplace. “Good morning, ladies,” he greeted them with a formal bow, and Augusta and Dorothea dropped into rather adorable-looking curtsies. Then he turned to smile at Sarah, and to her, it felt as though the sun was rising for a second time that day. “I found yer chamber empty and thought ye might be here.” He stepped closer and reached for her hands, then quickly looked beyond her shoulder toward Kate. “Good morning, Katherine. I hope ye slept well. Would ye care for some breakfast?”
Sarah nodded gratefully. “Yes, in fact, we are quite famished.”
Bouncing around the room, the girls ended up by the window, both their little noses pressed to the glass. “Can we go down to the beach?” Augusta asked excitedly before craning her neck to look back at their mother. “The weather looks so nice.”
Kate heaved an exhaustive breath, dark circles still beneath her eyes. “I’m sorry, my dear, but I do not feel up to a walk right now. Perhaps some other time.”
Instantly, the gleeful expressions upon the girls’ faces fell.
“If ye dunna mind,” Keir interfered, his hand squeezing Sarah’s gently as he spoke, “I am more than happy to show the girls around.” He looked at Augusta and Dorothea. “I have to admit, the beach sounds like a marvelous idea.”
The girls squealed in delight, jumping up and down and clapping their hands together. In answer to their racket, Frederica waved her little fists about, her blue eyes wide open as she lay in Kate’s arms, observing her two elder sisters with sudden interest.
Kate nodded in answer to Keir’s question, gratitude in her eyes. “But you will look after them, won’t you?”
Keir smiled at her, honesty in his eyes but a bit of teasing still twitching his lips. “Of course, ye have my word. I shall guard them with my life.”
“But I’m hungry, too,” Dorothea protested, placing a hand on her belly. “I already heard it rumbling in there.”
Keir lowered himself to one knee to meet her eyes. “I’m certain we can find something along the way. Are ye up for a wee bit of an adventure?”
Instantly, Dorothea’s eyes lit up like two beacons, and she nodded her head eagerly. Augusta quickly chimed in.
