“It’s a small island, and we don’t get many visitors, let alone new members to the clan. They’re curious, buttercup. They don’t mean to be rude.”
“I didn’t think them rude. I worried that they might think me lacking,” she muttered. She tried to keep her eyes straight ahead but failed as more people spilled out to observe them. She focused on the impressive structure that sat along the coast. Lewis was a flat island which made defenses difficult, but the cliffs that wrapped around the northern boundary of the keep limited the means of approach. Maude examined her new home as they passed under the portcullis. The people within the bailey were a little less obvious in their assessment of her, but she felt their eyes nonetheless. She drew in a whistling voice when two elegant women stepped out of the keep. They were mirror images of Madeline, and their clear haughtiness made her stomach sink. She swallowed, took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and set her shoulders back prepared to go into battle as she watched them look down their noses at her. She glanced over at Kieran, who watched her. She offered him one of her half-smiles, and his face took on a pensive expression. Most of the time, she enjoyed when Kieran attempted to decipher what the smile meant, but this time she could tell she worried him.
“All will be well, turtledove,” she reassured him, returning the squeeze he’d offered her hand while they were in the village.
“It should be me who reassures you, mo ghaol.”
“Riding next to me, holding my hand, reassures me.”
Kieran helped Maude from Trioblaid’s back and wrapped his arm around her waist before steering her toward the two women awaiting them. Neither made an effort to greet them in the bailey, preferring to wait on the steps leading to the massive double doors. Kieran chose to think they didn’t want to risk slipping in the muddy bailey, but he knew that wasn’t the case. They refused to dirty themselves on his and Maude’s behalf. He escorted Maude up the slippery steps and slid his hand down her arm until he could once more entwine their fingers. He leaned in to kiss on his mother’s cheek and embrace Abigail with one arm. He felt apprehensive about releasing Maude’s hand, as though she might run for the ferry.
“Can you not do better than that, brother?” Abigail demanded before sending Maude a withering look. Maude made it clear that she let go of Kieran’s hand rather than the other way around. She folded her hands before her as Kieran offered his sister a begrudging embrace. They were not off to a good start.
“Mother, Abigail, I would introduce you to Lady MacLeod.” Kieran was certain Adeline snarled at the sound of her title being offered to someone else for the first time since she’d married his father. Maude gasped, since no one had addressed her that way yet. “This is Maude, my wife.”
“Obviously, she’s your wife,” Adeline muttered as she swept her assessing gaze over Maude. Just as she always did, Maude felt as though she came up short. She curtseyed to the older woman.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Adeline.”
“Lady MacLeod,” Adeline snapped, and Maude forced herself not to flinch.
“Of course, my lady. I beg your pardon.”
“Mother,” Kieran warned. “Maude is now Lady MacLeod. Let us be clear on that before any of us enter the keep. You knew this day would come.”
“And it should have been Lady Laurel who assumed my title, not a Sutherland.”
“Mother!” Kieran was beside himself at his mother’s open hostility to Maude. He’d assumed she’d make some snide remarks in passing until she realized how wonderful Maude was, but this was beyond the pale. Maude’s hand pinched his fingers together in a vice.
“It’ll take me a while to grow accustomed to the title and to become familiar with the duties of chatelaine. I think I’d prefer Lady Maude for the time being.” Maude offered a shy smile as she looked at Abigail, but she snapped her gaze back to Adeline before continuing. “I don’t want to misplace the chatelaine’s keyring this eve, so I will gather it from you tomorrow morning.”
Kieran pulled his lips in tight to keep from laughing as Maude’s conciliatory offer came with a stipulation. He was proud that she didn’t shrivel before his mother’s gimlet glare. He watched as she turned a warm smile on Abigail, even though he’d noticed her discomfort when she discovered his younger sister was a carbon copy of Madeline. Even their voices were alike.
“Lady Abigail, it is lovely to make your acquaintance. I’m sure you’ve been told before, but you bear a striking resemblance to your sister.”
“Of course, I’ve heard it before,” Abigail snapped. Her demeanor shifted to match Adeline’s. “And I know you’re the one responsible for her being imprisoned in a nunnery.”
“Abigail!” Kieran wanted the ground to swallow him, or better yet, the women of his family. They hadn’t even made it inside, and Maude knew already that she was an unwanted addition to the family. Kieran led his bride into the Great Hall and looked around. They had made only a handful of the improvements that he’d ordered. Agatha and Adam awaited him just inside the door.
“Ma laird, ma lady,” Agatha smiled as she dipped into a curtsy for Maude. “Welcome home. The evening meal is aboot to be served. Ye arrived at just the right moment.”
“Thank you, Agatha. May I present Lady Maude MacLeod, my wife?” Kieran spoke, so all in the gathering hall could hear. He would make a proper introduction once they were on the dais, and the clan had gathered. He would be sure the priest blessed their marriage along with the food. He guided Maude toward the laird’s table but caught himself when he saw his mother had already taken her place in the seat of the lady of the keep. She hadn’t sat there in years. He jerked his head, but she responded with an imperious brow raise.
“It’s fine, Kier. This isn’t the hill to die on. Your people will understand what she’s doing, and they can formulate their own opinion. I will look better for being gracious to your mother. Otherwise, some will say that you insisted to protect my dainty feelings, or worse, they will say that I henpecked you into forcing your mother from her seat. I don’t need anyone else’s help to be made the villain tonight.”
Maude eased along the dais until she could sit in the seat to Kieran’s right, smiling apologetically to the man she learned was Kyle, Kieran’s second-in-command and the person whose seat she took. Abigail sat two seats to her right and leaned past Kyle, Kieran, and Maude to speak to her mother as the meal began. Kieran breathed a sigh of relief when the blessing and announcement went smoothly, but it was short-lived as his sister and mother continued their merciless campaign against Maude.
“Kieran, Madeline tells me that Lady Bevan was most disappointed when you ended your courtship.” Kieran’s head jerked up before he glared at Abigail. There had been no doubt that he wasn’t courting Lady Bevan, but to correct Abigail would mean he had to admit in front of Maude that the widow had been his lover. Maude may have already known, but he was angry that his sister tossed the matter in Maude’s face within an hour of arriving at her new home. “Lady Laurel had been so certain you would offer for her. She’d even decided to wait for you to break things off with Lady Bevan, knowing you would realize she was the ideal match for you. From how Madeline describes her, she’s stunning. Slender and graceful. Exactly what a laird should want for a wife.”
Maude tried not to choke on her food when the conversation on the high table ceased as everyone turned to listen and watch. She felt the heat rise in her neck, so she bowed her head over her trencher to keep anyone from seeing her humiliated blush. She nibbled at the food as her stomach clenched and tears threatened. She was tired, dirty, cold, and now mortified.
“Ladies Bevan and Laurel are not the only ones who awaited Kieran’s attention,” Adeline chimed in. “Maggie’s looking forward to you visiting her croft. I’m sure she will be eager to see you this eve.”
When Maude whimpered, Kieran’s hand slammed onto the table, making platters and chalices rattle and wobble. He pushed his chair back so hard that it skidded off the back of the raised platform. He thrust his hand out to Maude, who tentatively placed hers into his. He practically yanked her from her seat before glaring at his mother and sister. He moved Maude’s seat aside so she could step around it. He looked at the confused faces of his people who had sensed the animosity at the laird’s table but hadn’t been able to hear the conversation. He looked at Kyle, who sat in stunned silence along with other senior members of his guard who didn’t know where to look. He raised Maude’s hand to his lips and pressed an obvious kiss to her frigid hand.
“Come, mo chridhe. I’m exhausted, and I imagine you are, too. Besides, we’ve had too many nights sleeping on the ground. I would show you our chamber.” Kieran looked out to the people who watched the spectacle unravelling on the dais. “I am a lucky mon to have a beautiful wife to love. Please excuse us.”
Kieran led Maude with such purpose that she feared he might separate her arm from her shoulder. He steered her through the tables until they reached the stairs, where he came close to lifting her off her feet as he rushed them to the second floor. They walked in silence until Kieran locked and barred his chamber door. He turned to find Maude standing before the fire. He doubted she had even looked around the chamber that would now be hers, too. His approach was tentative as this night reminded him of how they met, and from the crushed look on Maude’s face, he knew she thought the same.
