In the kitchen, no one seemed to notice her entry, so she grabbed a hand pie from a serving tray and went across the great hall. As she reached the stairs up to her chamber, her father entered from the bailey. She paused, then sank into a seat at the nearest table, hoping he would not notice her among the others scattered around the hall. But his gaze cut right to her, and he beckoned her.
At least he didn’t shout her name across the chamber. He had some small semblance of decorum left to him.
With a sigh, she rose and crossed to him. “Da.”
“Pack whatever ye brought, and ready yer hawk. We leave at first light.”
A chill ran down her spine. “With Alber among the guards? Nay, I willna.”
“Ye will do as ye are told, Daughter. Dinna argue with me in another clan’s hall. I willna stand for it.”
So he was still cross from his argument with the Sutherland laird. “And I willna stand for what Alber has threatened to do to Valkyrie, and to me.”
“Ye will have my men around ye at all times.”
Why did he think that would reassure her? “I have that at home and yet he’s gotten to me thrice.”
“I will assign him duty to keep him far from ye.”
“Where? Here? The Sutherlands willna welcome him.”
“Leave that to me.”
She felt her temper rising as her belly clenched. She fought to remain calm. “And on the way home? There will be times I must have privacy, yet he will follow me. He has done so already.”
“Mariota, I will keep him away from ye. That is all ye need to ken. Now go to yer chamber and ready yerself.”
Could she trust her father with her safety? He hadn’t done a very good job of it so far. But what alternative did she have? The sound of a bench scraping on the flagstone floor distracted her as someone stood up from a table. Despite her determination to confront her father, he was correct. The Sutherland great hall was not the place to do it.
“I will comply,” she said, relenting for the sake of peace, or at least decorum, “but I have a demand as well. Seamus will travel with me. And three other MacKay men I choose. And several Sutherlands will come as observers to ensure I remain safe.”
“Nay. Ye go too far.”
“’Tis my life, my future, I bargain for. Why can ye no’ see that?”
“They are in my hands. I am yer laird as well as yer da.”
Mariota shook her head, resigned to angering him but determined to keep her voice down. “I meant what I said about remaining here. Or I will travel elsewhere and ye will never see me again.”
“Dinna threaten me, lass,” he warned her, though he matched the volume of her voice. “Better than ye have tried and failed.”
“I dinna wish to fight ye, Da. I’m fighting for myself.” Did she see a glint of respect appear in his eyes? It was gone too quickly for her to be certain, but it gave her hope.
He heaved out a sigh and ran a hand through his graying hair. “How many Sutherlands?”
“That will be up to them. I will request an escort.”
“Nay. I will.”
Mariota nodded. She’d won this round. It was time to stop. “Very well. I will go ready myself and my hawk.”
CHAPTER 9
After the evening meal, Stellan joined his father in his solar. “Ye asked to see me, Da?” None of the MacKays had attended the meal, and Mariota had sent word that she would remain in her chamber. He expected his father knew what was going on. Given the confrontation earlier in the day, and despite how it had ended, he didn’t expect the news to be anything good. On the other hand, MacKay might simply have taken his men and gone across the glen to have the meal where the rest of his men were camped.
Sutherland gestured him to a seat. “MacKay informed me that he and his men are leaving with Mariota in the morning. At her request, he has asked for Sutherlands to accompany them. Since she has agreed to go, I see no way to prevent him. Have ye seen any further sign of her attacker? If he’s going to try to cause trouble for us between the clans, tonight is his last chance.”
Stellan’s heart dropped into his belly. He wasn’t ready for her to leave, nor was he ready to accept the idea that he go as his twin, and Anders remain here as the heir. But his father had asked a question. At least it was one he could answer. “Naught, Da. Our men are keeping him in their sights. So far, they report that he has remained in the camp across the glen.”
