Page 19 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
Once downstairs, he guided Elspeth into the dining area where the rest of the men were already gathered, enjoying a hearty breakfast.
“Get something tae eat. I’ll be right back.”
Elspeth looked a little surprised, but nodded, and moved across to the table where his men sat.
While she walked away from him, Keane caught the eye of John, one of his best men. He then nodded to Elspeth. John nodded back. He understood the assignment, and moving from his chair, he met Elspeth half way across the room, guiding her to the table where the rest of the men were sitting.
As Keane made his way outside, Alisdair hurriedly arrived at his side.
“Where are ye off tae in such a hurry?”
“We need another horse,” Keane said without breaking his stride.
When he noticed Alisdair’s confused frown, he continued. “Fer Elspeth.”
His companion then looked both surprised and slightly amused. “Is she getting under yer skin?”
Keane shook his head and looked confused as they made their way around the back of the tavern where the horses were housed in a small barn. The lad who sat looking after them jumped up at their arrival, and once Keane pointed out the horses they needed, he mounted his beast. He then glanced over at Alisdair.
“Why would ye say that?”
Alisdair shrugged. “Och, I dinnae ken,” he replied, his tone laced with sarcasm. “A day ago, ye had a rope around her waist. Today, she’s getting her own horse.”
“We’ve still a way tae travel,” Keane said, guiding his horse through the village “It’ll be more comfortable fer her. And fer me.”
Alisdair didn’t reply to that, and they continued on out of the village, travelling a mile up the road. A farmhouse loomed to their left, and Keane spotted an old man in the field beside it.
“Are ye Malachy?” he called out.
The old man turned around at the sound of Keane’s voice. “I am. Who wants tae ken?”
“I’ve been told ye might have a horse tae sell.”
“At the right price,” the farmer answered.
A little while later, Keane and Alisdair traveled back into the village with a mare in tow.
“The lass hasnae had the best time o’ it, ye ken,” Alisdair said, as they rode on. “I was speaking tae her yesterday. Apparently, her father’s a fiend. She told me that he’ll nae be worried about her safety. He’ll only be worried about the alliance.”
Strangely, Keane felt angry at that news. A father’s duty was to care for his children, and especially, his daughter. He had known the marriage to Laird Gunn would bring forth an alliance between the clans, but he had not known at what expense. What father would treat his progeny in such a way?
His own father had not only been a strong role-model, he had also been kind, caring, and loving to both himself and Iseabail.
Damn, I will need tae tell her about the wedding.
Iseabail was not going to be pleased. Not because he had snatched Elspeth from a chapel, though he had no intention of telling her that part, but because she hadn’t been invited to the ceremony. Not that, with such a rushed decision, he couldpossibly have done so, but she wouldn’t know that. He had done his best to avoid his sister’s supplications to come and visit her, and now this.
Upon reaching the tavern, Alisdair went inside and organized the men to leave, while Keane fetched Elspeth.
“This is yer horse now,” he said, bringing her over to the mare. “We still have a long journey ahead, and I cannae imagine ye relish riding with me. This will be more comfortable fer ye.”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, and with a sincere expression, something he had not seen from her before, she said, “Are ye nae afraid I will escape?”
Keane helped her onto the horse, and then looked up at her. “We are married now, Elspeth. We both ken ye are bound tae me. Besides, where would ye go?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
While his words had not been said harshly, they cut Elsie to the bone. Indeed, where would she go? Her family would think she was ruined, and thus, to return would bring great shame on the Munro clan. She had already brought enough shame to her father, just by being born.
