But he hadn’t. He’d endured more than any man should have. And though the expression on his face was grim, holding years of fatigue, there was also determination.
He loved his brother and wouldn’t fail him. She understood that sort of loyalty and respected it.
But would he hold the same loyalty toward their marriage when he discovered her childlessness? It already bothered him to no end that she was not a virgin. She could see the tension in his body, the hidden jealousy in his eyes.
And Bram was nothing like Iver. He tempted her, breaking down her resolves with his mind-stealing kisses and his rough hands. Even last night when she’d slept beside him, the warmth of his body was not unwelcome. She’d felt him holding her close, his face buried against her hair.
Iver had never bothered with affection. He’d simply taken her body beneath his and accomplished his duty. With Bram, she sensed there would be far more.
She tried to shake off the tremulous feelings that prickled inside. Today, she had to learn more about the MacKinloch clan and decide how she could best help them.
She walked around Glen Arrin, surveying the grounds. The fortress showed clear signs of neglect and it bothered her that no one had lifted a hand to tidy up the mess or rebuild the rotted timbers. It was as if no one cared or had any pride remaining. Even the men had a sense of weariness about them.
As she continued back to the keep, she felt the eyes of the others boring into her skin, as though she were an oddity. Though they had been polite to her, it made her uncomfortable.
Something was wrong at Glen Arrin, but she couldn’t quite determine what it was. Something beyond the poverty. Her eyes narrowed, searching for the source of her discontent.
As her gaze fell upon the different clansmen working at their tasks, tending their plots of land and going about their duties, the problem suddenly crystallized in her mind.
There were no women and children. Not anywhere.
Shock numbed Nairna from inside, though she tried to remain calm. Where could they be? Were they staying somewhere else, perhaps within a different fortress not far from here?
Or had something happened to them?
Chapter Seven
After settling the matter of where he and Nairna would live, Bram sat with Alex and Ross, listening to them discuss how they would break Callum free of the English prison. They’d debated for the past hour about whether to use stealth or force.
He didn’t care. As long as they got Callum out, it didn’t matter. Their words mingled together, strategies blurring, until Bram heard nothing more of what they said.
Instead, he watched Nairna. From the entrance, he could see her wandering the courtyard. There was dismay upon her face, as though she couldn’t understand what had happened to Glen Arrin. With every step she took, he saw her setting things aright. Picking up a fallen pot, finding a broom to sweep the entrance.
Over the next hour, she worked within the Hall, removing the refuse. She even located fresh rushes from God only knew where, spreading them over the floor to mask the odors.
Her head was covered, but he could see her dark braid hanging over one shoulder. She moved with a silent grace, her face tense with worry about something.
Once she’d finished straightening the Hall, she strode forward, as though she’d come to a sudden decision. When she reached Alex and the others, she didn’t hesitate to interrupt their conversation.
“Where are all the women and children?” she blurted out.
Bram’s gaze sharpened, and he realized she was right. He’d been so preoccupied with worry over Callum, he’d hardly noticed the other MacKinlochs. But there were no women to be seen anywhere. He’d presumed they were in their homes or with Alex’s wife somewhere.
He sent a questioning look to his brother, but Ross interrupted. “Lady Laren’s gone with her girls out walking. She does that each morn.”
“And the others?” Bram asked. From his brother’s defensive expression, Alex appeared embarrassed, rather than worried.
“They are with our mother. She coerced them into seeking refuge with Kameron MacKinnon, Baron Locharr.” From the annoyance in Alex’s tone, it was clear that their mother hadn’t changed at all.
Brisk and steel-minded, Grizel MacKinloch had been like an unmerciful war lord when he and his brothers were growing up. With four sons, she’d had to be. While other women might have consoled their young boys with a kiss when their sons scraped their knees, Grizel had told them that they should have minded where they were going. There was no sympathy from the matriarch, no weaknesses accepted.
And once she got an idea into her head, no one could convince her otherwise. Bram didn’t doubt that she’d decided to punish the men by leading the exodus of women.
“Have you gone to visit them?” Bram ventured.
Alex’s face showed his discontent. “Once. They’re safe enough, and it’s only been a fortnight. They’ll come back.”
Bram wasn’t so certain. Their mother had never been the sort to admit when she was wrong.
