“Ye always have.”
“Until a sennight ago,” Helen confessed. “Even I, the biddable, quiet daughter, have a breaking point.”
“Ye are safe here.”
“Perhaps not. One of the men on the council doesna wish me to stay.”
“Who?” Keely asked.
“I doona know his name.”
“How did ye hear of this?”
Helen shrugged. “Rumors.”
Keely drained her cup of wine and stood. “We must go and find out.”
“What?” Helen said, horrified by the prospect of interfering with men’s business.
“Doona faint, Helen,” Keely chastised her softly. “Things are done differently with Clan MacKay. I, too, have a voice in affairs so closely linked to my heart.”
“But…”
Keely grabbed her friend’s hand and dragged her from the chamber and down the stone stairs. “Be brave, lass.”
If Helen wanted to faint, it would be now, the moment she and Keely burst into the great hall where she could hear the men talking heatedly. As soon as Laird Alex saw his wife, he stood up, as did the other men.
“Keely? What are ye doing out of bed?”
“Laird Alex.” Keely curtsied. “It has come to my attention that the council may deny sanctuary to my friend and sister.”
“Nay.” Alex rounded the high table and stepped off the dais. “Who said such a thing?”
“Wait, milord. Please doona come any closer. I would have an answer first.” Keely eyed the men at the high table. “Are one of ye guilty?”
“Keely…” Alex tried to soothe her with his soft voice. “Whoever ye received this information from has misspoken.” He gazed at Helen. “Are ye well, Lady Helen? Ye look pale.”
“I-I…”
“She is unaccustomed to speaking her mind with so many people, so I have chosen to be her voice of reason, her champion if I must.”
“There is no need for that.” Jamie appeared at Helen’s side. “Keely.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek with genuine affection. “Rest assured I will fight for the lady and keep her safe.”
Keely smiled at her cousin-by-marriage. “I am grateful and pleased ye have taken an interest in Lady Helen.” She encouraged Helen to say something. “Ye are safe here, Helen.”
“Thank ye, Master Jamie, Laird Alex. I am…” A thick fog settled in Helen’s head and her legs suddenly felt unnaturally heavy… shaky. The last face Helen saw before she collapsed was Jamie’s.
Chapter Nine
Jamie caught LadyHelen before she tumbled to the floor. Cradled in his arms, he carried her to the main hearth and lowered her into one of the padded chairs, the very place he first set eyes on her. Kneeling beside her, he felt her cheek and forehead for fever. She felt unusually cool instead of hot to the touch. Worried, he looked to Keely for answers.
“I doona know,” Keely said, as worried about Helen as he. “I visited her chamber briefly and urged her to come belowstairs with me. Perhaps I acted too hastily—she has always been soft-spoken.”
Alex hugged his wife from behind, pulling her into his chest, and resting his chin on the top of her head. “Doona blame yerself, Keely. Yer heart was in the right place. Mathe is the only man that voiced any concern about Lady Helen staying here. His concerns are valid, but as ye know, I have the right to overrule the council if I see fit to do so. In this case, the vote was nearly unanimous—Lady Helen is welcome for as long as she wishes to stay.”
Keely turned in her husband’s arms. “Aye?”
“Aye,” Alex said.
