“Well then, me portion has just diminished greatly.” Dougall watched his friend make a comically sad face as his brothers laughed. Brenna on the other hand had little patience for Logan’s antics and she let them all know with a scowl.
Brenna sat next to Helene and did nothing to cover the fact that she was examining her from head to toe. For her part, Helene self-consciously fixed her hair and her dress.
“How long have ye known me brother?” Brenna asked.
“Brenna mayhap ye should save yer questions fer later,” Dougall suggested, receiving an angry glare from his wee sister.
“’Tis fine, Dougall. I dinnae mind,” Helene sweetly replied. “We’ve known each other for a many, many years.”
“Do ye love him?”
“Brenna!” Dougall wasn’t sure what she was up to, but he thought her questions rude.
“I do,” Helene answered. “Verra much.”
Brenna nodded her head, then narrowed her eyes and aimed her comments at her brother. “Why have ye nae told us of this? Why did ye nae send word?” She seemed angry with him and he wasn’t sure what to attribute it to.
“Me relationship with Helene is none of yer business. Do ye ken? Enough of yer bothersome questions, lass. Eat, so we can be on our way.” Dougall’s blood was boiling. If they could expect more of the same upon their arrival at Castle Treun, then he’d made a grievous error in bringing Helene along with him.
Liam, Nab and Logan sat silently eating their fish. It was apparent they wished no part of this conversation. His sister, however, continued to stare daggers at him.
Chapter 4
“Ye shouldnae be so hardon yer poor sister, Dougall,” Helene said. “She’s just concerned fer ye.”
“She’s always been a little spitfire. Age hasnae changed a thing,” Dougall noted. “She seems to like ye though.”
“Aye, and I like her as well. She’s been verra sweet to me. We’ve talked much today as we’ve ridden.”
“What have ye told her?” Dougall seemed concerned.
“Dinnae fear, I’ve nae spoken much of our love, if that’s what worries ye.” She examined his face, looking for a clue as to what might be concerning him. He was good at masking his feelings. Something he’d mastered as a warrior, where it was most important.
“We’ll camp two more nights before arriving at Castle Treun,” Dougall said as he scouted their surroundings. “Logan, I think we’ll make camp here tonight.” He drew his horse to a halt and the others followed his lead.
Liam and Nab were off their horses in a split second. Logan reached up to help Brenna, but she was having none of it as she slapped his hands away and hopped off on her own, causing Helene to stifle a giggle. Dougall lifted Helene from her saddle and gently placed her on the ground, taking a moment to quickly kiss her, before he left her standing there wondering what was wrong. His kiss made Helene’s heart sing, but she was worried he may have been embarrassed by her in front of his family. He’d not touched her at all since they’d woken that morning. She couldn’t imagine what it was about his family’s arrival that had put him in such a bad mood, but this was a side to him she’d never seen before.
The men made camp while Helene and Brenna found a comfortable spot to sit. “Are ye excited to see Castle Treun, Helene?” Brenna asked.
She wasn’t sure how to answer that. She was excited to see Dougall’s boyhood home, and not necessarily excited to meet his father, so instead she said, “It will be good to see yer home.”
The men had the fire blazing, unpacked the saddle bags and laid out the plaids for sleeping. A simple meal was prepared from the items they’d each brought, leaving enough for breaking their fast in the morning.
After the meal, Dougall continued to keep his distance, so Helene and Brenna sat quietly together. Helene wasn’t sure if she was sleeping with Dougall or if she’d be on her own. She could see why he wouldn’t wish to have his brothers and sisters know they’d been intimate before being wed, and if that was the case, she would be fine.
“Helene, yer hair is so pretty. Could ye help me with mine?” Brenna asked.
Happy to have something to occupy herself, Helene eagerly obliged. She retrieved her comb and brush from her things and took down Brenna’s hair, brushing it to a lustrous shine as had been her habit each night with Ashley and Jenna. She relaxed as she worked. “In the morning I’ll braid it fer ye. ’Twill be lovely.”
“Brenna, how dare ye force Helene to brush yer hair. She’s nae yer lady’s maid.” Dougall interrupted the serenity Helene was feeling as he reprimanded his sister.
“I ken she isnae. Her hair is so pretty I asked if she’d help with mine. I dinnae understand why yer making such a fuss.” Brenna yelled back.
“Dougall, yer sister didnae force me to do anything. I did it because I wished to, please dinnae be angry with her.” Helene was confused. “I am a lady’s maid. If yer embarrassed by that, then ye shouldnae have asked me to wed ye.” She turned away, anger causing her eyes to tear.
“Helene, I am nae embarrassed that yer a lady’s maid. I love ye. I dinnae wish me family to take advantage of ye tis all. Ye’ll be Lady MacRae someday, I promise ye. When ye are, ye’ll be the one having her hair brushed.”
She couldn’t help but think that despite his words, hewasembarrassed that she was a lady’s maid. There was no denying she was overstepping her bounds. She could never truly be a Lady and it had been foolish of her to think she could. She’d been treated with great kindness at Breaghacraig, but she understood the MacKenzies were unusual in their treatment of the servants. Irene, Ashley and Jenna were put on a pedestal and treated with great respect by everyone, but as a lady’s maid, Helene knew her place in the castle to be very different. She wasn’t one of them and she didn’t deserve the same respect they garnered. The people at Castle Treun would never accept her as the Lady she wished to be and it would only be a matter of time before Dougall realized he’d made a mistake by marrying her.
