“And what stops you?”
“He does. He’ll no’ let me leave here alone.”
William’s eyes widened. “You are a prisoner, then?”
Sheena wrung her hands, wondering how to explain. “’Tis…most complicated, Sir William. The MacKinnion would take me to Aberdeen himself. But he’ll no’ let anyone else take me. So if I want to go I must go with him, and I fear being alone with him. Do you ken? I fear him, and I loathe being here.”
“And you want to get away?”
“I want to return to Aberdeen, where I’ve kin. He’s asked me to handfast, and I’ve refused, but still he keeps me here. Will you help me, Sir William?”
“Handfasting, eh?” William said thoughtfully,and then he laughed mirthlessly. “Aye, I’ll help you, lass. ’Twill be a pleasure.”
She didn’t like the sound of his laughter, but she pushed the feeling aside. She had to go with Jameson…or else stay where she was.
Chapter 21
Colen pounded on the door to Jamie’s bedchamber, then burst inside. He was livid with the rage that had been building all day. Finding the south tower empty just now had sent him running to his brother. There was just so much he would stand for.
“I warned you, Jamie…”
Colen stopped, seeing Jamie stretched out on top his bed alone, fully clothed. A quick glance around the room told him it was otherwise empty.
“You had best be explaining yourself, brother.” Jamie sat up.
“I…I thought to find Sheena here,” Colen said meekly.
“Much as I’d like to be finding her here myself, lad, you can see she’s not here. What made you think she would be?” Jamie demanded.
“Today…at the pool, when I saw you.”
“Ah, so you saw more than you let on,” Jamie said thoughtfully. “Well, had you no’ come along when you did, she’d be mine now.”
“You swore you’d deal with her honorably!”
“And so I have every intention of doing. Have I no’ asked her to handfast? And as soon as I’ve tried her and know for certain she’s no’ like my first wife, then I’ll wed her.”
“If she’ll have you.”
“Well, she wasna fighting me off today, lad.”
Colen felt his chest constrict. No, she hadn’t fought his brother off, and that was why he had been so furious all day. Jealousy was new to him. Jamie was winning, despite Sheena’s fear of him. Colen had been so certain Jamie wouldn’t have a chance.
“Where is she then, Jamie?” Colen asked with all the dejection he was feeling.
“What do you mean?” Jamie demanded. “’Tis late. She’s in the south tower.”
“Nay, I went there, but she wasna there.”
“Still in the hall?”
Colen shook his head. “I looked everywhere else ’afore coming here. She’s no’ in the castle, Jamie. That can only mean…”
“Jameson,” Jamie finished, his intuition honing in on the culprit.
But he continued to sit, staring at the floor, a blank look coming over him. Colen didn’t know what to make of him.
“Well?” Colen asked sharply. “Are you just going to let him take her?”
