Page 26 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
“In prison,” she balked.
Alisdair frowned then. “Ye’ll nae be kept in the dungeons, me lady.”
Elsie snarled, baring her teeth. “Nae. I will just be kept against me will in a castle where I dinnae belong.”
He nodded then, and with a sad smile he said, “I’m afraid that’s yer lot now. And though it wasnae yer choice, ye’re now Lady Mackay. Ye saw the delight o’ the villagers, Elsie. The castle is now yer home and where yedaebelong.”
And whether she wanted it to be true or not, she knew the man beside her spoke the truth. Her new life would begin once they arrived, and as usual, there was not a thing she could do about it.
CHAPTER NINE
After seeing to Jonathan Barnes, whose roof had collapsed before Keane had left, thus impelling him to send men to help fix it, Keane strode across the cobblestone on the main road of the village, and back to the horses. The man’s house was now as secure as it had been before, if not better. Jonathan had been extremely grateful and had thanked him profusely. Keane had inclined his head.
“If there are any more problems, dinnae hesitate tae get word tae the castle.”
“Thank ye, me laird,” Jonathan had replied, holding on to his two sons who stood close by his side.
With a fleeting glance at the boys’ admiring faces as they looked up at him, he had turned and left.
Approaching the group he had left in the village, Keane noticed Elspeth looking more dejected than ever. With his eyebrowspinched together questioningly, he threw a glance to Alisdair. But his friend shrugged and shook his head.
Taking his companion to the side, he hissed. “Did something happen?”
“Aye,” Alisdair replied a little tersely. “Ye ripped the woman from another prison only tae lock her intae yer own.”
Keane was a little stunned at Alisdair’s words, and yet, he supposed he ought not to be. Alisdair had been against this from the beginning, and while they had shared a joke or two on the road, his closest companion had clearly not come around to the circumstances.
He was about to argue when he thought better of it. He was tired, he needed decent food, a change of clothes, and a rest. But before all that, he needed to speak to the council and inform them of what had occurred.
“Let’s get back tae the castle,” he growled.
Approaching Balnagown, the castle he had been raised in, the home he knew and loved, Keane finally felt the tension release from his shoulders. The whole time they had travelled, he had been wary of Gunn’s men tracking them, but now, he was home.
Entering through the gates to the excited delight of the guards who tended to them, the sense of relief increased a hundred-fold. Now behind the castle walls, he and his men were safe. Fornow, at least. The protection was not just that of the stone that surrounded the castle, but also his army of men who would die for their clan and their laird.
The steady clipping sound of the horse’s hooves hit the cobblestone beneath and echoed throughout the courtyard. As usual, it was busy and filled with clan members all working hard, while animals grazed at bales of hay, and children’s laughter filled the air as they played nearby. Those who were working stopped to look at the arrival of their laird and his men, some smiling, some relieved, but all seemingly pleased to see him.
Once dismounted, a stable hand hurried toward his horse, and after greeting him, the lad efficiently led the horse to the stables. While the rest of the weary men dismounted, Keane took determined steps toward Elspeth’s horse. She was looking about her, taking in her surroundings.
“Yer new home, Lady Mackay,” Keane said, once he had carefully lifted her from her beast.
“Aye. So I’ve been told,” she hissed.
Keane was a little surprised at her words, and wondered whom she had been speaking to, but then, he quickly realized that it had likely been Alisdair who had said such a thing.
“Come,” he said, taking her by the elbow.
Behind them, Alisdair followed closely until all three were inside the castle. They passed huge tapestries and large portraits hanging proudly on the wall, as well as looming candelabras holding thick candles that lit the dark stone of the corridor. From his periphery, he caught Elspeth’s eyes roving about her, examining all that she saw, but she did not linger and kept pace with him as they continued.
Seeing the first maid who approached him, Keane called out to her.
“Anna.”
She was a young and industrious lass with a round face. One of the daughters of a maid who had long since retired from service, Anna had been raised inside the stone walls that surrounded them.
“Aye, me laird?”
Nodding to Elspeth, he said, “Take Lady Mackay tae me bedchamber.” Anna flashed a surprised look at Elspeth before swiftly returning her gaze to Keane as he continued. “When she is settled, get a chamber ready fer her. A chamber beside mine.”
