Brian grimaced. “The old oak. Caiti, please, you have to help me get the kitten down before Una finds out. She’ll cry.” He kicked at the wooden floor uncomfortably. “I hate it when she cries.”
Caitrina met Mor’s gaze. Una was her granddaughter, and Mor had a soft spot for the little girl.
“I’ll see if I can keep her occupied while you,” Mor said, stabbing her finger at Brian’s lanky chest, “get that kitten out of the tree.”
“Come, Caiti, hurry,” he said, dragging her by the hand from her solar.
It wasn’t until they’d stepped outside the keep and started toward the gate in thebarmkinwall that the curious stares of her clansmen reminded her that she was still wearing her new gown—and no shoes. Though the skies were blue, the ground was damp from this morning’s rain, and mud squished between her toes. Knowing there was nothing she could do about it now, she lifted her skirts as best she could to keep from soiling the hem.
“You might have given me a moment to change my gown,” she grumbled.
Brian spared her a hurried glance. “Why? You look fine.”
She rolled her eyes.Brothers.She could be wearing a sackcloth and they wouldn’t notice.
After passing through the gate, they headed down the path, taking the right fork that led toward the woodlands—the left led down to Loch Ascog. On the eve of the games, the outbuildings along the banks of the loch were bustling with activity, but as she and Brian hurried toward the trees it was surprisingly quiet, except for Boru’s barking, which grew louder as they neared the great old oak. The Lamonts descended from the great kings of Éire, and Brian had named the dog after his namesake—Brian Boru, the famed high king of centuries past.
“You left the dog here?”
Her brother reddened. “I told him to go home, but he wouldn’t listen. Since the silly cat was already stuck in the tree, I figured it wouldn’t matter.”
“He’s probably scared the poor thing half to death.” She turned to the dog and said sharply, “Boru!” He stopped barking and looked at her, head cocked at an inquisitive angle. She pointed in the direction of the castle, no longer visible through the trees. “Home.”
With a soft whimper, Boru nuzzled her skirts and gave her an apologetic look with his soulful brown eyes. She shook her head, refusing to be moved. The dog certainly had a gift for the dramatics. “Home, Boru.” Whimpering again, this one even more pathetic, the great deerhound hung his head low and trotted back toward the castle.
“I don’t know how you do that,” Brian said, amazed. “You’re the only one he listens to.”
Caitrina pursed her lips, biting back the quick retort that sprang to mind: Because she was the only one who gave him commands. Without her, the dogs would be as wild as wolves. Though she supposed much the same could be said about her brothers.
Gazing up through the maze of branches, she gasped, just able to make out the tiny bundle of orange-and-white fur. “How did he get way up there?”
“When I tried to climb up after him, he just kept going higher, which is why I ran to get you. He’s scared of me.”
She turned to her brother with a start. “You can’t expect me to climb up there?”
“Why did you think I brought you out here?” He appeared genuinely perplexed. “The cat won’t come to me. He likes you, and you’ve climbed this tree a hundred times.”
“Years ago,” she said with exasperation. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m long past the age for tree climbing.”
“Why? You’re not allthatold.”
Caitrina was going to have to work on his flattery skills if Brian was going to have any hope of ever wooing a lass. Although with his face, it probably wouldn’t matter. What her brothers lacked in gallantry and manners, they made up for in countenance. They were rogues, the lot of them, but she loved them beyond measure. How could her father think she would ever want to leave them? Theyneededher . . . and she them. Whatever it took, she intended to stay right here.
Attempting to reason with Brian was getting her nowhere. “I’m not going up there. I’ll help boost you up or you’ll have to find someone else.”
He wore an expression of dejection that rivaled Boru’s moments earlier. “But why?”
“This dress, for one.”
“Please, Caiti, there’s no one else. Father, Malcolm, and Niall are hunting with the men, and the others are busy with the preparations for the feast.”
That’s strange.“I thought they finished hunting.”
Brian frowned. “I did, too, but they all ran out of here in a hurry this morning. Father looked worried, and when I asked him where they were going he said hunting. So you see, there is no one else. Please, Caiti. . . .”
As if on cue, the kitten began to mewl. The frightened plea tugged at her heartstrings.God save her from man and beast.Furious, she turned her back to her brother. “Oh, very well, but help me out of this thing.” Even if the fates appeared to be conspiring against her, she had no intention of ruining her new dress.
He threw his long, gangly arms around her. “You’re the best sister in the whole world! I knew I could count on you.”
