Ewan cursed. “We’re in no position to host anyone. We can barely feed our own clan and now we have to host McDonald and his men? We need weeks to prepare for an event such as this, not mere days.”

Alaric grimaced and closed his eyes.

“What?” Ewan asked sharply.

“Not days. Day.”

More curses blistered Ewan’s lips. “Day? When is he arriving?”

Alaric sighed and wiped his forehead wearily. “Why do you think I ran my horse into the ground to get here? McDonald will arrive on the morrow.”

“Ewan?”

Ewan whirled to see Mairin standing a short distance away, her gaze questioning.

“May I have permission to speak?”

He lifted a brow, surprised she’d even ask. But he also saw how nervous she appeared as she stared at his two brothers.

He held out his ha, and she hurried over to take it. “You have need of something, Mairin?”

“I overheard, I mean about Laird McDonald coming. Is there trouble?”

Worry shadowed her blue eyes as she stared up at him.

“Nay, sweeting, no trouble. Laird McDonald and I are in talks. ’Tis nothing for you to worry over.”

“He’ll be here tomorrow?”

“Aye.”

She frowned and then squared her shoulders. “There’s much to be done, Ewan. Are you going to be difficult about my injury and make me stay abed, or are you going to allow me to do my duty so that I’m not shamed beyond measure when we have important guests?”

“Shamed?”

She huffed in exasperation. “The keep is in no condition for visitors. There’s cleaning to do, food to cook, instructions to give. Why, if someone arrived today, they’d think me the most incompetent of any laird’s wife. Not only would I be shamed, but you would be shamed as well.”

She sounded so appalled over the idea that she would bring shame to him that his gaze softened. He squeezed her hand, which he still held between his own.

“As long as you promise to ease off if you start feeling any pain, I have no issue with you working to ready the keep. However, I expect any of the harder tasks to be taken by the other women. I don’t want you doing anything to tear your stitches.”

Her smile lit up the entire room. Her eyes danced and she squeezed his fingers. She looked exuberant, like she wanted to fling her arms around him, but she collected herself and let go of his hand.

“My thanks, Laird. I won’t let you down.”

She bobbed a quick curtsy and hurried off. “Welcome home, Alaric,” she called back. Then she stopped and turned, a frown marring her lips. She hastened back over to Alaric and took his hand. “Your pardon. I didn’t even think to ask you if you’d had refreshment after your journey. Are you well? We are glad to have you home.”

Alaric looked befuddled as Mairin gripped his hand and shook it up and down as she spoke.

“I’m fine, lass.”

“Would you like me to have hot water brought up to your chamber so you can take a bath?”

Alaric looked appalled by the suggestion, and Ewan stifled his laughter.

“Uh, nay, the loch will suffice.”

Mairin frowned again. “Oh, but the loch is so cold. Wouldn’t you prefer hot water?”

Caelen snickered. “Go ahead, Alaric. Have a nice long soak in the tubhe >

Alaric sent Caelen a quelling stare. Then he smiled gently at Mairin, which was good, because Ewan didn’t want to have to admonish his brother for hurting his wife’s feelings.

“ ’Tis very good of you to think of me, but there’s no need to have water brought up. I much prefer a swim in the loch over trying to stuff myself into a tub of water.”

Mairin smiled brilliantly up at him. “Very well then. If I have your leave, Laird, I’ll be on my way. There is much to be done this day.”

Ewan motioned for her to go and she rushed away, her feet barely hitting the floor in her haste.

Alaric turned to Ewan with a frown. “What’s all this about resting and opening her stitches? What the hell did you do to her?”

“Come,” Ewan said. “Let’s eat. I’ll tell you all that has transpired since you left, and you can fill me in on what happened with McDonald.”

Mairin swept through the keep with a purpose, noting what needed to be done and what could be done in twenty-four hours’ time. Half an hour later, she summoned Maddie and Bertha and informed them that she’d need their help if they had any prayer of pulling off a miracle.

Maddie and Bertha assembled the women of the keep and Mairin addressed them from the top of the steps that led outside to the courtyard.

“Tomorrow we have important guests,” she explained to the assembled crowd. “And none of us wants to let our laird down.”

There were murmurs of nay and the women shook their heads.

Mairin divided them into groups and divvied up chores. She even got the children involved. Soon the keep was alive with activity as women rushed to and fro.

Next, Mairin spoke to the men who were assigned to repairs that day. She instructed them to clean the stables and ready stalls for McDonald’s horses.

Finally she went in search of Gertie to tackle the matter of food.

The cook wasn’t pleased to discover she had to prepare a veritable feast for unexpected guests. She blustered and protested, but Mairin stared her down and told her there was little to be gained by complaining. They couldn’t very well starve their guests.

“I’m no miracle worker, my lady,” Gertie grumbled. “There isn’t enough food to feed our clan, much less a horde of McDonalds.”

“What are our options?” Mairin asked tiredly. “What do we have and how can we make it stretch?”

Gertie motioned for Mairin to follow her into the larder. The shelves were frighteningly bare. They were nearly out of staples and the only meat was from the last hunt.

“We’re existing hunt to hunt. If the men fail t bring back food, we go without. We have none stored up. If we don’t replenish our stocks in the coming months, the winter is going to be a hard one indeed.”

Mairin frowned unhappily. Hopefully her dowry would be delivered long before then and the clan wouldn’t ever have to go hungry again. It hurt her to imagine the children going without.

She rubbed her forehead and temples as the ache intensified. “What if we send the men out to hunt? If they bring back something this evening, would you have time to prepare for an evening meal on the morrow?”

Gertie rubbed her chin and thoughtfully perused the storeroom. “If they could bring me back a mess of rabbits, I could make a stew and use the few bits of venison we have left over. ’Twould have a good flavor even if there wasn’t a whole lot of meat. I can use what flour we have left to make bread, and I can have oatcakes for dipping as well.”

“It sounds wonderful, Gertie. I’ll go see the laird at once about sending a few of his men out hunting. With any luck, they’ll bring home enough to make a huge pot that will last us through the McDonalds’ visit.”

Gertie nodded. “You do that, lass. I’ll start on the bread in the meantime.”

Mairin left and went in search of Ewan. She found him in the courtyard overseeing a group of younger men as they went through a series of exercises. Remembering what had happened last time, she waited patiently on the perimeter until Ewan saw her.

She gave a small wave and motioned him over. He spoke a few words to his men and then came over to where she was.

“Ewan, we have need of rabbits. As many as can be gotten. Is there any way you could spare some men for hunting?”

Ewan glanced across the courtyard to where his brothers were engaged in a heated sparring session. Curses rang out from both Caelen and Alaric as they tried valiantly to best the other.

“I’ll go myself,” Ewan said. “I’ll take Caelen and Alaric. We’ll bring back the rabbits you need.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Gertie will be relieved. She was in a panic over how to feed the McDonalds.”

Ewan’s eyes went dark and his lip curled. “I’ll make sure the clan is provided for. I always have.”

Mairin laid a hand on his arm. “I know you will, Ewan. When my dowry arrives, we won’t have to worry about what to eat anymore.”

He touched her face, palming her cheek for a long moment before letting his fingers trail down to her jaw. “You’re a miracle to this clan, lass. We’ll be hale and hearty again thanks to you.”

She flushed to the roots of her hair, warmed by the tenderness in his touch.

“I’ll be going now. Expect us back before sundown.”

She watched as he strode across the courtyard and called for Alaric and Caelen. Then she turned and hurried back to the steps of the keep. There was still much to be done in preparation for the McDonalds. She’d be lucky if she slept any this night.



CHAPTER 24


The result was astonishing. Not that Mairin would ever want to do such a thing again in less than a day, but she was well satisfied with the results.

The inside of the keep sparkled. The floors and walls had been washed. The candles in the ceiling fixtures had been replaced with new ones, and light danced shadows along the ceilings.

Sweet-smelling flowers ridded the musty odor of sweat and dirt, and Mairin had taken furs from the bed chambers to line the floor in front of the great stone fireplaces.