“I don’t suppose she’s forgiven me.” Bram came up beside his brother, wanting to make amends. “And I doubt that you have, either.” He rested his hand on Dougal’s shoulder. “I know you’re angry that I ordered you tied up when we left. But I didn’t want you hurt.”
“I’m old enough to fight,” his younger brother insisted. In his eyes, Bram saw the frustration of being left behind. Dougal leaned his cheek against the stallion’s face and the animal gave a light nicker.
It was like looking at a younger version of himself when he’d claimed to his father that he was old enough to defend the clan. Nothing Bram said would make any difference to Dougal. The only thing that would help his brother was the right preparation.
“Train with me,” he suggested, “and when we’ve located Callum, we’ll make the decision then. If you’re strong enough.”
The light of determination blazed across the boy’s face, but he gave a silent nod.
“You’ll have to prove yourself,” Bram warned. “But if you’re not ready to travel with us, there’s no shame in defending our home.”
His brother’s brown eyes met his own. Though it was clear Dougal was itching to voice all the protests rising inside, he held his tongue.
“Shall we go inside?” Nairna ventured, nodding toward the castle walls. His wife appeared anxious, despite her outward eagerness.
“If you want to visit the other women, I’ll take you to the gates.” And perhaps, once she’d met Grizel, she would be satisfied to leave his mother where she was.
“I want to bring them home,” Nairna said. “It’s not right for them to be living within these walls, not when they could be home with their husbands.”
Dougal and Bram exchanged looks. “One night,” Bram said, meeting his brother’s gaze. “No more.”
“Even that might be too long.” Dougal winced.
His wife eyed them as though she thought they were being unreasonable. “No one could be that bad, Bram.” She let him assist her onto her mare and he rested his hand upon her calf. Her bare skin was warm and when she held still, he envisioned sliding his palm up her leg. He wanted to take her off the horse, pulling her to him, to show her how much he’d missed her.
Her hand touched his and she leaned down. “Thank you for the flower,” she said, raising her gloved hand. There was a softness in her face, as if he’d done something right.
Bram mounted his own horse and took the lead. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter Eleven
Grizel MacKinloch awaited them inside the inner bailey. Tall and slender, she held herself as though she expected the world to grovel at her feet. Her dark brown hair was tightly braided, pulling the wrinkles taut from her face. As soon as she saw Bram, her expression slid through an array of emotions—shock, sadness and fury.
Dougal took the horses, not even bothering with a greeting before he retreated to the stables.
Nairna took Bram’s hand in hers. Though she’d wanted to believe that his mother would be glad to see him, there was no love on the woman’s face. The atmosphere around them felt cooler, and Nairna was beginning to sense what Dougal and Bram had tried to tell her.
“My lady mother,” Bram greeted Grizel, bowing slightly.
She stared at him, as though he’d crawled out of a grave. “Bram.” There was no embrace of welcome, no tears shed over his return. Instead, there was an air of impatience, as if she had somewhere else she wanted to be.
He’s your son, Nairna wanted to point out. Hadn’t Grizel missed him at all? Was there no warmth in her heart?
An indignant feeling started to gather in Nairna’s chest as Bram turned to introduce her. “You might remember my wife Nairna, of the MacPherson clan. You met her once when we were betrothed.”
His mother hadn’t attended their wedding, though Nairna didn’t recall why. She’d been so caught up in her happiness of marrying Bram, she’d hardly noticed anyone or anything else.
Grizel’s glance was cool. “I see.” Her eyes flicked over Nairna in disdain.
Even so, Nairna remembered her own manners, dropping into a light curtsy. “I am glad to see you again, my lady.”
The woman gave a slight nod, then turned to Bram. “Why did you come here?”
“It wasn’t my idea,” he replied.
The bluntness of his tone made Nairna interrupt. “Would it not be better to speak inside? I would like to meet Lord Locharr and we can rest from our journey while we talk.”
If Lady Grizel and Bram began fighting before she had the chance to smooth things over with the others, there was little hope of convincing the women to return.
