When no answer came, he knocked again.
“Who is at my door?” Keely finally called out. She pretended not to know who stood outside her chamber.
“Alexander.”
“Go away.”
He clenched his teeth. How long could he endure this torture? How long was he expected to swallow his pride while his inferiors took advantage of him? Aye, he’d been gone for too long and understood it would take time for the clan to respect his authority. But this woman—this she-devil, this hellion, she wasna part of his plan. In no way had he agreed to deal with Keely.
“Open the door, Keely.”
Footsteps sounded. “Ye commanded me to stay in this chamber, Alex. And that’s what I intend to do.”
“Ye’ll come when ye’re called, woman.”
“Like one of yer beasts? Perhaps ye would have more success with the hounds who lie underneath yer table.”
“God so help me, Keely…”
“Ye’re beyond redemption, Alexander. Remember? Doona call upon the Almighty for patience.”
Unable to abide her sharp tongue any longer, Alex forced his way inside, causing Keely to stumble back as he entered the chamber. “What are ye trying to hide?” he asked, gazing about the generous space. “There will be no more secrets between us, Keely.”
She tilted her head back defiantly, her blue eyes blazing like the fire in the hearth. “I demand my freedom. Send me home.”
“Yearehome. Or did ye forget those vows in the kirk? Where ye pledged yer heart and body to John. And absolute obedience to this clan.”
“In name only,” she shot back.
“Tis that name that binds ye to me. To this keep. To these lands. By law, ye are a MacKay. Not an Oliphant.”
She swallowed hard, carefully contemplating her retort. “I am more Sutherland than MacKay. For I’ve lived at the earl’s pleasure much longer than I ever lived by yers.”
He growled as he launched himself at her. Hearing those words come out of her lovely mouth made him crazy. A slap in the face or a punch in the gut would have been less painful. He backed her into the nearest wall, then took hold of her chin. “Are ye a Sutherland whore?”
Her eyes grew wide. “Never.”
“Are ye a Sutherland spy?”
“Nay.”
“Are ye betrothed to one of the earl’s sons?”
“How could I be? Until today, I was married to John.”
“Then ye are a MacKay.” He released her chin, but didn’t back away. “I forbid ye from ever speaking that name in my presence. Under this roof, even. For no lady promised to a MacKay will ever claim to be connected to the Sutherlands.”
She nodded in acquiescence, thinking better of challenging him again. “What did ye mean by, ‘I am promised to a MacKay’?”
“The council agreed unanimously that ye must wed a MacKay in order to maintain clan honor. Ye left John, Keely, but ye’ll not do it again. Whatever man is chosen, he won’t be an inexperienced lad or a monk like my departed brother. He’ll be a man. And ye better believe he’ll demand his marital rights—even if a room full of maids have to hold ye down for it.”
A garbled sound came out of her mouth as she pushed him away. “Get out!” she screamed.
“Aye,” he said, almost regretting he’d caused the agony on her beautiful face. “Take the night to come to terms with yer fate, lady. Come tomorrow, after my brother is buried, we shall revisit this conversation.”
*
Keely would prayfervently that Alex had the sense to see how wrong he was about everything. That he’d change his mind and send word to her father. She’d rather face her sire’s wrath than spend another day inside the MacKay keep. Sadness had been heaped upon her since the moment she’d crossed their border.
