“Aye, are ye ready?”
Was he up to something? She eyed him suspiciously, and he sighed as he turned toward the door and said something under his breath that she didn’t hear.
“Come on then, lass. We will be in the paddock, in broad daylight, with many other people around. Ye will be safe enough. For now.”It’s later I’m not so certain about…
Faith walked out from behind the table, looking back at the other women working in the kitchen that morning. They all wore identical foolish grins, as if witnessing some tenderly romantic scene between two lovers. For goodness sake, did they act like this every time the laird took an interest in a woman? Because she had already heard from more than one source about the castle that he was a man of prodigious sexual appetite, well known for it, in fact, and she could believe every word of the rumors with no problem. They must stand about grinning like idiots most of the time.
She followed him out to the stables, nearly running to keep up with his much longer stride. He already had the same bay mare that she had ridden to the hunt brought out and tacked for her. She smiled and went to greet the horse, whom she had learned from the groom was called Rose. He lifted her easily into the saddle, and led the horse into an empty paddock. After just a little instruction, he had her walk the mare around the fence, then trot, and before long she had mastered the canter as well.
He smiled at her as she came to a halt at the gate. “Ye are a natural, lass. Are ye sure ye’ve not ridden before?”
“Quite sure. I think I would remember”, she said pertly. “But it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.”
“No, ye only have to feel the horse beneath ye, and it will listen to what ye tell it with yer body. A good horse will come to anticipate its master’s every command.” He grabbed the halter,leading the horse back to the stables. “This mare will be yers, until ye feel ready for a faster mount.”
Until… Faith choked back a small sound of disbelief that threatened to escape her lips. The way he said that, it was as if she would be here for a long time. Would she live and die here, then? Would she ever be going home? With every day that passed, it seemed less likely that she would. And… less likely that she wanted to. Bren’s next comment drew her abruptly back to the present, and she nearly fell off the little mare.
“Perhaps one day ye will have a stallion to ride. A lass such as ye needs a beast between her thighs as will give her the ride of her life and yet make her want more again.” He was looking at her with the very devil in his eyes, and the corner of his mouth turned up wickedly.
She threw him an admonishing look. “I will keep the mare, thank you. I doubt such a hot-blooded stallion is worth the trouble he will cause.”
Bren threw back his head and laughed. But true to his word, he returned her to the keep. “Stay out of the kitchens lass, and away from the laundry and god help me if I find ye scrubbing anything I’ll take a switch to yer behind.”
“Then I’ll take a strap to yours!” she fired back without thinking.
She saw his eyes grow dark, and a wicked smile touch his lips. “Anytime lass, anytime.”
Bren glanced out the window of the study and saw the messenger riding through the gates, one of the guards escorting him towards the keep. “Aw damn it all.”
Colm looked up from the ledger he was studying, raising a questioning eyebrow at the sudden curse.
“Messenger”, Bren told him in terse explanation. “I hate messengers. They never bring good news. I dinna think I’veeverhad a messenger bring me good news.”
“Canna be that bad”, Colm mumbled absently, returning his attention to scrutinizing the rows of numbers on the page of the thick book.
“Canna be that good, either.”
A few minutes later the knock at the door came, and Bren opened it to let in a lad of not more than seventeen, along with a guard, and his brother Eian, who always had to be in on everything.
Bren crossed his arms over his chest irritably. “Well?”
The boy looked rather panicked by the sight of him, which only irritated Bren further. For God’s sake, he wasn’t thatfrightening. Most of it was purely reputation and tall tales. He had never actually killed ten men with one blow, or set the woods ablaze with a sweep of his hand. Though that he could actually do, if he was ever so inclined, which he wasn’t.
“The… the Laird MacDonald of Sleat is passing through Mac Coinnach lands with twenty of his men and begs yer hospitality this night, my laird.” The boy backed up several steps immediately after he finished speaking.
Bren sighed.Bloody hell.Company?Tonight?“When will he arrive?”
“Within the hour, my laird.”
“Tell him he and his men are welcome at Creagmor; we will be awaiting their arrival.” He waved a hand, resigning himself to providing hospitality to the MacDonalds, though he was in no mood. “Ye are dismissed”, he told the boy, who was hovering nervously in the doorway.
The boy all but ran out of the room, followed closely by the guard, and Bren swore again under his breath. MacDonalds in his hall tonight. He supposed it could have been worse. He excused Colm so the steward could see to the meal and rooms for their guests, as well as the evening entertainment that would be expected for such a high-ranking guest. Then he sat down at his desk and stared at the ledger, not really seeing it. The MacDonalds were upsetting the plans he had made for tonight, and it was making him quite ill-tempered. He had wanted to spend more time with Faith, maybe ask her to walk in the garden again with him, or if she refused to be alone with him, at least sit with her by the fire and talk. Sit by the fire and talk with a woman? Now that was something he’d never even considered before. What was happening to him? Was he going soft? No, he refused to believe that. But he wanted Faith near him, and the want was beginning to feel very much like a need, as much aneed as his next breath. But his needs had to be pushed aside for tonight, because now he had to entertain guests instead.
***
“Come, Faith, we need to get ready!” Fiona rushed by in a swirl of fabric and the scent of rose water, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her towards the stairs.
“Get ready for what?” Faith laughed, wondering what on earth was happening now. Life in the castle was never dull, she’d give it that. Especially now that she was beginning to make friends. They climbed the stairs to their tower room, where Mathilde and another of her roommates, Sorcha, were sifting through two trunks that sat against the wall. “What’s going on?”
