Page 30 of In Bed with her Highland Foe

“It hardly matters.” Shay released the basin and turned away. “What matters now is that he is here, and that Lady Kyven is showing far too much interest in him. Did ye see that he sat beside her at dinner? There was the two of us and her captain, as if he belonged there.”

“He is her chief soldier –”

“He is practically her servant,” Shay spat.

“Yer soldiers sit with ye at dinner.”

“Larry.” Shay was so sharp that Larry shifted in his seat. He held up his hands in innocence.

“Aye, aye, whatever ye say, Shay.”

It was usually not difficult to get Larry to do what he wanted. Ever since they were young, Larry had cowed behind Shay, the weaker man who knew it was safer to stand behind the stronger one. Yet Shay had found use for him over the years, and he could certainly see how useful Larry would be in the coming days.

Toying with the dirk at his belt, he pulled it out and ran it across the back of his hand where the bandage was, not pressing hard enough to tear the linen, but thinking about the way Michael’s knife had cut his skin earlier that day.

“I want him out of the picture completely.”

“Exile again?” Larry said, leaning forward once more. “We’d have tae find another reason tae persuade him tae go.”

“Nay, nae exile. Nae this time.” Shay stepped forward in thought. He returned to the mirror and stared at his pink nose once again. Michael had certainly damaged his handsome features with the blow. If Shay was going to persuade Kyven into his bed now, he was going to have to turn on the charm and even more pity. “What if Kyven believed that Michael or her precious Captain Gilchrist, as she kens him, had run out on her? Had left her and her clan behind without a second thought? The anger would surely curdle any… affection that she had fer him.” He emphasized the word with disgust.

“How dae we dae that?” Larry asked.

“Use yer brain, Larry. I ken ye have one up there,” Shay said tiredly, shaking his head in Larry’s direction. “We need tae make sure Michael vanishes. That he cannae come back tae talk tae Lady Kyen ever again.” Shay raised the dirk in the air. As all fell silent in the chamber, he threw the dirk across the room.

It landed in the wall a short distance from Larry’s head, making the wood paneling on the castle wall splinter and fracture. Larry nearly fell out of his chair, his face paling to sour milk.

“Aye, that’s what we’ll dae, Larry. We’ll make sure he will never be seen by anyone again, nae just Kyven.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Why would they call this meeting? Why so early?” Kyven huffed as she hurried down the corridor, the skirt of her vast gown whipping in the wind she created. “Helen, why have ye given me such a ridiculous gown to wear this morning?” She brushed the skirt aside as best she could.

“Tae give ye some feeling of power in that room.”

Behind her stood Helen on one side, and Aaden on the other, both walking with haste to try and keep up with her.

“Thank ye,” Kyven said in a calmer tone. She did appreciate what Helen was doing. The first day after Imogen had died and the council had told her that the future of the clan rested on her shoulders, Kyven had wept in her chamber. Helen had found her and in that weak moment between her tears, Kyven had confessed she did not feel like the lady of the clan. It seemed to have been Helen’s mission ever since to convince her otherwise. “Aaden, did ye ken anything about this meeting?”

“Nay.” He shook his head vehemently, practically having to run to keep up with her. “It’s curious though. There can be nay attack, nay battle, or Captain Gilchrist would ken about it.”

She jerked her head around at the mention of Gilchrist’s name, thinking of the evening before in the library. To her shame, she had barely seemed able not to touch him, for she was so worried about his wound.

“They would have insisted the captain come tae this meeting too,” Aaden whispered. “And yet, they have only asked fer me.”

“Ye’re the man at arms,” Helen reminded him. “Ye go where she does.”

“I still feel another man should be in me place.”

Kyven jerked her head around, fidgeting even more with the rich red gown inlaid with gold damask thread.

What did Aaden mean by that?

She found her tongue tied in her mouth, and she said nothing. She could not deny she would have rather had another man standing behind her. Strangely, if Gilchrist had been there, she would have felt a little more comforted going into such a sudden call of the council.

When she reached the council chamber, she pushed both doors open at once, marching into the room with Aaden behind her.

The council abruptly fell silent. The din paling to silence so fast alarmed her. Even councilor Barnaby had the decency to go pink in the face, as if he knew they should not have been talking so seriously without her. The kindly faced council at Barnaby’s side stood and inclined his head to her in greeting.