Page 14 of The Laird’s Wrong Wife

Ceana moved carefully to keep from waking the boy and looked outside as the road climbed toward MacKane Castle.

Oh.

The castle stood on a rocky rise behind thick stone walls. Occupied towers guarded the approach, and smoke rose from several working chimneys. Men watched from the gatehouse as Oscar’s party crossed the final stretch of the road. They recognized the riders before the carriage stopped, and the gates opened without delay.

Inside the walls, stablehands waited in the busy courtyard while servants gathered near the entrance. The order of their movements told Ceana more about Oscar’s authority than another threat could have. No one shouted for instructions. They appeared to know where the horses belonged and which men required attention.

Tommy stirred when the carriage turned into the yard. He sat upright and pushed the curtain aside. “Paisley will want to see Ness. She will pretend she doesnae, but she will.”

Ness bleated as if agreeing.

A stable boy hurried toward the carriage before it stopped and called the goat by name. Tommy opened the door too soon, forcing the boy outside to catch it before it struck him.

Oscar reached them before the boy could offer Ceana his assistance. He opened the door fully and held out his hand.

Ceana looked at it. Accepting help from the man who had abducted her seemed an unnecessary surrender. The carriage step sat further below than she remembered, however, and her legs had stiffened during the night. So she placed her hand in his.

A pale scar crossed the back of his hand and disappeared near his wrist. His grip closed around hers with steady warmth as she moved toward the step. When her foot touched the ground, her tired leg buckled.

Oscar caught her at the waist. Her free hand landed against his chest. Solid muscle beneath dark wool stopped her fall, and his other hand remained firm around hers. For one breath, she stood close enough to see the faint lines at the corners of his eyes and feel the warmth of his body beneath her palm.

He released her once her feet were steady.

Ceana stepped away and smoothed down her damaged gown. The quick retreat pulled at the stiffness in her back, though she refused to acknowledge it beneath his attention.

“Prepare a warm bath and bring food to the east chamber,” Oscar told the nearest maid. “She is to rest before comin’ to me study.”

The maid immediately scurried away to carry out his order.

Several servants glanced at Ceana before lowering their eyes. Their interest made it clear that Oscar rarely returned with an unfamiliar woman wearing a muddy, torn gown.

“We will speak once ye have rested,” he told her.

Ceana adjusted the cloak over her ruined sleeve. “I was afraid ye might forget.”

His gaze paused on her face before he turned toward the castle entrance. Ceana followed, with Tommy and Ness beside her. It was eerie to think of what awaited her somewhere inside the castle.

A blonde-haired girl stood near the doors with her hands folded at her waist. She looked to be about twelve and wore a neat blue gown. Her careful posture reminded Ceana of someone waiting to be examined.

“Welcome home, Faither,” she said as Oscar approached.

“Paisley.” He stopped in front of her. “Have ye been well?”

“Aye, Faither.”

“And yer lessons?”

“I finished them.”

He gave a brief nod.

The greeting contained no easy embrace, and Paisley made no move to ask for one. She looked toward Ceana instead, her warm brown eyes passing quietly over the torn cuff and scraped hand.

Tommy rushed forward and ran one hand over Paisley’s carefully arranged hair. Several blonde strands fell across her face.

“Tommy!” she protested.

He laughed and tried to retreat behind Ness. Ceana caught his shoulder before he escaped. She lowered herself to his height, though her knees objected to the movement. “Was that polite?”