Home. Mary pursed her lips. Rose wasn’t really her home any longer. She belonged with Cameron, wherever he chose to take them. At least with him, she had a say in those decisions.
They were greeted at the door to the keep by Seona, now much more visibly pregnant than when they’d left. What had happened to her confinement?
“I wonder that ye dare show yer face here,” Seona challenged. “Leaving yer poor, ill da the way ye did and running off with a man.” She wore an expression Mary had seen on Lady Grant. Seona had not only grown in girth, she’d grown in arrogance while they were gone.
“A man? Ah, ye mean my husband. Ye have met, I believe, though ye mostly ignored him before we left. This is Cameron Sutherland. Ye do ken the Sutherlands, aye?”
Her gaze dropped. “I do.”
“So, we are on our way to our chamber, then I will see my father.”
For a moment, Mary thought she would actually attempt to deny her access to the keep, but as Mary mounted the last step, Seona backed away and turned aside so they could enter.
The serving girls, when they saw Mary, brightened, but turned sullen and returned to their work as quickly as they noticed Seona pacing behind Cameron’s broad form.
“Let’s go up,” Cameron murmured, also frowning.
He must know the sooner he got her away from Seona, the better.
“Aye,” Mary agreed and headed for the stairs. Their chamber smelled of must and old dust. She doubted the window or door had been opened the entire time they were gone. Once they were safely behind a closed door, she rounded on Cameron. “What is she doing out of her chamber? Did ye see the way the lasses acted in the hall? Once they spotted her behind ye? She’s been horrible to them, I can tell. How can I ever leave?” Tears pricked hereyes. Even married to Cameron, she could not escape wanting to take care of Rose.
Cameron gripped her arms, and his gaze bored into hers. “All that is secondary. Ye must see to yer father. Find out why he’s allowing his wife the freedom of the keep. And also whether he’s freed the Grant guardsmen.”
“Perhaps she’s been ill with the bairn.” Mary kicked herself for making excuses for the lazy chit.
“Did she look ill to ye?”
She shook her head. “Nay. She looked like her mother—arrogant and irritated with the world. I’m sure she’s eager for the bairn to come, to cement her place in the clan, but she has nay grounds and nay excuse for her arrogance.”
“Except ye say her mother is the same. No doubt she learned it there.”
“No doubt.”
Mary found the healer, who said her father’s condition was slowly improving, but he still had some paralysis on one side. And he had, indeed, released Seona from her confinement, but not the guards. “He took pity on her pleas and gave her the run of the keep. She spends little time with him, though I’ve asked her many times to help him move about. Instead, she spends her time visiting the dungeon.”
“Yet she hasna dared release the man.”
“Nay. Yer da’s master of arms keeps the keys. He will only take orders from the laird.”
“I fear…”
“I ken what ye fear, as do I. She will never be good for yer da, be the bairn a lad or a lass.”
Mary grimaced. “I must go speak to him. Though Iwrote to him while we were away, he never answered. He must learn I’ve returned—with my husband, Cameron Sutherland. We did marry in the kirk at Brodie.”
“Ach, lass, what wonderful news!”
“If Da read my letters, he already kens it. But if no’…”
“I’ll go with ye. If he didna read yer letters, this could come as another shock.”
“Thank ye. I’ll be glad of yer presence if he needs help.”
The healer nodded.
“Ye will have mine, too.” Cameron’s deep voice at her shoulder startled her, then sent a frisson of pleasure coursing through her.
Mary whirled. “Ye really have to stop that.”
