Mairin clumsily got up and enfolded Keeley in a hug, squeezing until Keeley was breathless. “You cannot return there. You’ll stay here with the McCabes. We don’t turn on our own and we’d certainly never cast a young girl out for the sins of a lecherous old man. The laird visited here some months past. I wish I had known then. I would have spit in his eyes.”

Keeley laughed. Once she started she couldn’t stop. Her shoulders shook as she imagined Mairin spitting on the laird. She looked helplessly at the other women and soon they were all laughing uproariously.

They wiped tears from their eyes and gasped for breath, and then they looked at Mairin’s disgruntled features and laughed all over again.

“I cannot tell you how much better that made me feel,” Keeley confessed. “ ’Tis the truth I’ve never told anyone the source of my shame.”

“ ’Tis not your shame,” Mairin said fiercely. “The shame is Laird McDonald’s.”

Maddie nodded her agreement while Christina still looked dumbstruck by Keeley’s tale.

“And ’tis why you simply must stay here,” Maddie announced. “You might not be a McCabe born, but a McCabe you’ll be and stay. Your healing skills are needed here and no one will dare treat you as you were treated on McDonald land. Our laird doesn’t stand for such injustice.”

“I’ve been so angry for so long,” Keeley admitted. “It felt good to tell someone. Thank you for not judging me.”

“Men are pigs,” Christina spit out.

The three women turned to the younger girl in surprise. Christina had remained largely silent through the telling, and now her cheeks were flushed and her eyes glittered with anger.

“I don’t know why any of us tolerate them,” she continued.

Mairin laughed. “They aren’t all pigs. Your Cormac has a good head on his shoulders.”

“If he had such a good head then why hasn’t he tried to kiss me yet?” Christina muttered.

Maddie laughed. “You see, lass, this is why you should take matters into your own hands and kiss him first. The lad is probably scared spitless to make a wrong move and offend or frighten you. Men take on the strangest notions sometimes.”

Mairin groaned. “Don’t get Maddie started about men. She’ll summon Bertha and they’ll scorch your ears with all their knowledge.”

“Aye, but lass, you and the laird benefited well from our advice,” Maddie said smugly.

Mairin blushed furiously and waved a hand in front of her face. “ ’Tis not me we should be discussing. Christina, I agree. You should kiss Cormac and see how he reacts.”

All the talk of kissing and intimacy started an ache in Keeley’s chest. Watching young Christina so in love and alive with joy and curiosity made her yearn for things she couldn’t have.

Christina leaned forward in her chair, her gaze darting cautiously left and right. “But when? I’ll not want anyone seeing us, to be sure. If it got back to my mother, I’d never hear the end of it.”

“Well, if your kiss has the impact you’re hoping, you won’t be your mother’s responsibility any more,” Maddie said with a smile. “Perhaps this will hasten Cormac to ask to wed you.”

A wistful, hopeful smile crept over Christina’s features, softening her eyes until they glowed in the light of the fire.

“Do you think he will?”

Keeley and Mairin exchanged looks and smiled at the younger girl.

“Aye, I do,” Mairin said. “ ’Tis obvious he’s smitten with you. Be bold. And if he rebuffs you, I’ll kick him, and we will convene to mutter all manner of blasphemies against men.”

Keeley grinned broadly as Maddie chortled with laughter. Christina smiled and all but bounced excitedly in her seat.

“I still must know when. It must be a private moment.”

“Tonight when the men have done drinking their ale, I’ll suggest that Cormac walk you back to your cottage,” Mairin said. “ ’Tis up to you to do the kissing as soon as you’ve left the hall but not outside in plain view of the watchmen. In the meantime, I’ll send a message to your mother explaining that you’ll be eating in the hall with me tonight.”

“Oh, I’m so nervous!” Christina exclaimed.

“Don’t be nervous, lass. Cormac will be nervous enough for the both of you once he learns he’s to escort you home,” Maddie teased.

“Wife, my men and I heard your laughter all the way out to the courtyard,” Ewan said from the entrance. “They’re all terrified that you’re plotting against them again.”

Mairin looked up to where her husband stood and grinned mischievously. “ ’Tis a fact we are, husband. You may of course tell them that, if you wish.”

Ewan scowled. “I’m not daft. They’ll all abandon their duties and hide like women if I tell them that.”

Mairin smiled innocently while Maddie and Keeley found something else to focus their attention on.

“I’ll not have you interfering with my men and their duties, Mairin,” Ewan said sternly.

“Of course not,” she soothed.

He cast a suspicious glare in her direction and then turned and left the hall. No sooner had he exited than the women all burst into laughter once more.

CHAPTER 16

Dinner was a lively affair as many of Alaric’s men supped with him in the great hall. A fire roared in the hearth and the furs were all rolled down over the windows with extra bindings to seal the gaps.

Keeley sat on Mairin’s left with Christina on Keeley’s other side. Cormac had been strategically placed across the table from Christina, and watching the two dodge the other’s gaze but take peeks when they thought the other wasn’t looking was amusing.

On either side of Cormac sat Alaric and Caelen, and despite her best efforts, Keeley found her gaze traveling to Alaric. Tonight Ewan discussed Alaric’s upcoming marriage, and it took all of Keeley’s strength to remain in her seat, smile in place, and act as though she hadn’t a care in the world.

Her cheeks ached. Her head throbbed.

Alliances. Bonds. Talk of impending war. Naught mattered but the fact that Alaric would marry another and move to McDonald land to take the position of laird.

The usually flavorful food was dry and unremarkable. She ate because there was naught else to do but eat and smile. Another bite. Another smile. Nod in Christina’s direction. Laugh at a jest from Mairin. Watch Caelen scowl. And then look in Alaric’s direction again.

She sighed and moved the venison around with her cutting knife. She just wished the meal over with so she could retire to her chamber and try to lose herself in a few hours sleep.

She chanced another peek at Alaric and sucked in her breath when she found his gaze resting on her. He didn’t move away or try to pretend he hadn’t been watching her. His eyes like green ice delved past her defenses and threatened to crumble her on the spot.

He didn’t smile. In his eyes she saw all that she felt. And yet she couldn’t make herself look away. Nay, if he could brave allowing her to see his torment, then she could offer her own in return. She wouldn’t pretend to feel naught.

Beside her Mairin cleared her throat, jerking Keeley from her locked gaze. Keeley glanced swiftly around, but all eyes were turned toward the mistress of the keep as she prepared to speak.

“The meal is done and ’tis nigh time for Christina to hasten back to her cottage. Her mother will worry, with the weather so raw out.”

She glanced over at Cormac and gifted him with a sweet smile. “Cormac, would you kindly escort Christina? I’d hate for her to brave the weather by herself.”

For a moment, Cormac looked as though he’d swallowed his tongue. After casting a quick glance in Christina’s direction, he hastily stood.

“Of course, Lady McCabe.”

Ewan shot Mairin a long-suffering look while Caelen just frowned as Cormac walked around to offer his arm to Christina.

The table went quiet and it seemed everyone in the hall watched as Cormac awkwardly guided Christina from the table. As soon as they were gone, Ewan let out a sigh and pinned his wife with his stare.

“What mischief are you up to now, wife?”

Mairin smiled and exchanged a conspiratorial look with Keeley before facing her husband.

“Would you have Christina walk to her cottage alone? Why, she could slip and fall on the ice and then what would we tell her mother? That our laird sent a young girl into the weather unescorted?”

Ewan sent his gaze heavenward. “Why do I even ask?”

“Come now, husband. Have another serving of ale and tell me of your day,” Mairin said with an innocent smile.

“You know well how my day went. I’ve just spent the last half hour with the retelling.”

“Have you yet sent a message to McDonald agreeing to his terms?” Caelen asked.

He looked directly at Keeley, pointedly, as he spoke. Keeley held his gaze, refusing to react to his words.

“Aye, two days past,” Ewan said. “I don’t expect to receive a response until the storm has passed and the snows have stopped.”

“Then we should expect him closer to spring,” Caelen pressed. “He and Rionna.”

“Caelen.”

Alaric said only the one word, but his tone was glacial and as frigid as the winds outside. It was a clear warning to his brother to stop meddling, but it didn’t make Keeley feel any better.

Caelen was warning her. He knew of the attraction between her and Alaric. Keeley wanted to crawl under the table and die of shame.

Instead she nudged her chin up and looked down her nose at Caelen as if he were an annoying insect she was about to squash. That image cheered her considerably. ’Twas the truth she’d enjoy nothing more than giving Caelen a good stomping.

Caelen’s eyebrow went up as if surprised by her daring, and she narrowed her eyes to tell him she knew precisely what he was about.

To her further surprise a slight smile lifted one corner of his mouth. Then he went back to his goblet and promptly ignored her.

Keeley was just about to excuse herself when Cormac returned to the hall, a dazed expression on his face. She arched an eyebrow at Mairin, who looked utterly delighted. Mairin reached under the table and squeezed Keeley’s hand.

Cormac bumped into his chair as he attempted to retake his seat. His color was heightened and his hair … looked decidedly unkempt. Mairin’s smile grew even broader.

Ewan grunted in disgust and Caelen rolled his eyes. Alaric just stared at Keeley until her cheeks warmed under his scrutiny.

“Laird, I have need to speak with you,” Cormac said in a low voice. “ ’Tis of utmost importance.”

Ewan cast a resigned look at his wife and then nodded in Cormac’s direction. “Speak then.”

Cormac cleared his throat and looked nervously around at the people still remaining at the table. Most of the men had gone on to their quarters, but Gannon, Alaric, and his brothers along with Keeley and Mairin yet remained.

“I would ask permission to seek Christina’s hand in marriage,” he blurted out.

Mairin nearly bounced out of her chair and Keeley found herself unable to hold back the smile at the other man’s stunned expression.

“I see. Have you thought this through?” Ewan asked. “Is she truly the one you would marry? And are you sure she wishes to marry you?”

“Aye. ’Tis the truth she said I wouldn’t be kissing her again until we were formally betrothed.”

At that, Keeley and Mairin could hold in their laughter no longer.

“God save us from interfering women,” Ewan muttered. “ ’Twould seem there is much matchmaking afoot in the keep. Aye, Cormac. You have my permission to speak with her father, but I’ll not have your duties disrupted. Your first duty is to see to the safety of my wife. If I find you distracted even once, I’ll dismiss you.”

“Of course, Laird. My loyalty is to you and your lady above all else,” Cormac said.

“Then prepare your speech for her father. We’ll have a priest out as soon as weather permits, and provided, of course, her father is agreeable.”

Cormac fought his grin but the relief and … happiness in his eyes made Keeley go soft all over. She swallowed back her longing and the brief surge of jealousy. She was truly happy for Christina. The young woman would be giddy when Cormac proposed.

She glanced over at Mairin to see that her excitement was mirrored in the other woman. Mairin leaned over and whispered, “We’ll have to query Christina about that kiss on the morrow.”

Keeley put a hand to her mouth to stifle the laughter. “It must have been a kiss for the ages,” she whispered back.