Lass' Valor (The Pith Trilogy) (9 page)

“Mayhap
I do, at least I hope Romy is there when I return.” Gil leaned forward on his
knees, watching the loch, and Brendan punched his arm.

Gil
had spoken of the woman he’d met at the asylum where Douglas’ wife, Isabel, had
been sent by her father. They’d gone to aid Douglas in rescuing her when he
promised to retrieve his sister Candace’s friend, namely Isabel. They had
married and his cousin seemed content with his wife.

Brendan
grinned, remembering the weeks that followed with Gil talking excessively about
Romy. He had claimed he’d fallen in love and Brendan thought him as mad as his
brothers. Still, Gil hadn’t returned to his clan, and didn’t seem to be in a
rush to do so. Brendan sobered, recalling having a similar conversation about
women with his cousin, Douglas, that he’d just had with Gil about Katie.

He
disregarded Gil and relaxed, letting the loch ease him. It felt good being home
and he’d missed the solitude. He had searched for Bonnie for months, never
considering that he’d actually find her. He’d hoped to hear news of her
abduction then send word to Colin in Londontown, but he was glad it was over.
His sweet niece was safe and sound and Colin would be happy, when he returned.

Brendan
had come to the realization that he’d never be a family man as his brother had
become. Mayhap he’d spent too much time training as a warrior, or maybe he just
wasn’t the type to marry and have a family. He had to admit though, that Lady
Kate was beautiful enough, sweet enough, and courageous enough to make him
change his mind.

They
reached the MacKinnon holding the next day just before late afternoon. Kate
held Bonnie and covered her with the plaid her uncle had given her to keep the
sun from burning her tender skin. The guardsman at the portcullis frowned
profoundly while the warrior spoke to him rapidly in another language, probably
stating whom he had with him. The man’s face lit with a smile, he then shouted
unknown words to the men who stood behind them, and walked away. The warrior
turned to help Kate from his horse, careful not to rouse his niece.

“I
see you’ve returned, lad.”

Kate
turned at the sound of another man’s approach. She saw a dark-haired man with
gray eyes, who had the look of the warrior in her vision. Perhaps this was the
man with the heart that didn’t want anyone to know about it. He appeared older
than he had in her vision.

“Walt,
it’s good to be home. How goes it?”

The
man, Walt, clapped the warrior on the back. “I’m doing well. Who is this?”

“This
is Lady Kaitlin Stanhope.” The warrior turned to her. “This is Walt, our good
friend and commander-in-arms.”

“My
lady.” Walt bowed, and then placed a hand on the warrior’s shoulder. “Come by
later, lad. I’d like to talk to ye, and haven’t seen you in months. Have you
heard word of Bonnie?”

The
warrior nodded. “Aye, I found her, she’s beneath the cover. Her mother will
raise the keep with her crying when she sees her.”

Walt
smiled broadly. “God Almighty, ‘tis good news, lad. Best go then and see to
Julianna.” He walked away, whistling.

“Keep
Bonnie covered until we tell Julianna about her. I don’t want her to die from
shock.” He motioned to her to enter the keep.

Kate
did as she was told and kept Bonnie covered. She entered a large hall, which
was clean and adorned with banners. The castle had a homey feel to it. A fire
in the hearth lent its warmth to the coziness. The warrior gestured at her to
sit and he left. She sat alone in the hall and idly looked around the hall. She
noticed the floor reflected a shine and the furnishings gleamed. Kate
readjusted Bonnie on her lap, but the child slept like a baby, drooling on her
bodice. If Bonnie knew where she was, Kate thought, she’d be yelling down the
keep.

The
warrior returned with a beautiful lady whose long hair was pulled back with a
tie, but Kate could see its length swing behind her. She started to stand, but
he motioned for her to remain seated. Kate did as he requested, and the lady
sat next to her. Her face reflected an odd look, as though she tried to reason
why Kate was there.

“Welcome
to our home, I’m Julianna MacKinnon. Brendan tells me you brought a gift.”

Kate’s
eyes widened hearing the warrior’s name. She’d been with Bonnie’s uncle,
Brendan, all the while, the man with a heart who didn’t want anyone to know
about it. He was standing right next to her and she turned a frown at him.
“You’re the man with a … oh, good Goddess, save me.”

“Pardon
me, what did you say?” Julianna’s brows furrowed at Kate’s rude remark.

If
this warrior had a heart beneath that hard-looking body, she’d be stewed for
supper. She smacked her forehead, realizing she was judging again. So the man
painted his body like a heathen, but wasn’t it similar to her praying to her
ancestor’s spirits, the Goddess and Gods? Nay, he was definitely not of the
same gentle manner as she. Besides, he raided her country, and he looked
arduous. Why did she feel attracted to him? Was she attracted to him? “Good
Goddess, I am.”

“Lady
Kaitlin?”

Kate
blushed at her affront. She hadn’t realized that she’d prayed and spoken aloud,
or that she had become immersed in her thoughts.

“Oh,
um … I do apologize, Lady MacKinnon. Please forgive me for my lack of manners.
I am happy to meet you finally. I’m Kaitlin Stanhope of Cheshire, England. I do
have something for you.”

“Kaitlin,
what a bonny name. So what have you there?” Julianna leaned closer, with a look
of dismay on her pretty face.

The
lady seemed in shock at having an Englishwoman sitting at her table, probably
because her brother in-law, Brendan, had brought her home. She likely
considered her to be a lady of vulgar manners or ill repute. Lady Julianna kept
looking from her to Brendan.

Brendan
took the seat next to her. She grimaced at the way he sat too closely on the
bench, and it made her feel awkward. His body pressed against hers, causing her
to move aside.

“Julianna,
God sent this lass to Bonnie and—”

“Bonnie?
Oh, my … is she … she … dead?” Julianna began weeping into her hands.

“Nay,
nay, my lady, she’s well, truly. In fact—”

“You’ve
seen her? Where is she?”

“Julianna,
let the lass finish and she’ll tell you all.” Brendan’s voice rose with
impatience.

Kate
gave him a hard glance for speaking to Lady Julianna that way.

“Oh,
I do apologize, Lady Kaitlin, please continue.”

Kate
smiled. “I have brought your daughter home.”

“You
have? Where is she then?” Julianna stood, looking toward the door. “Is she
outside?”

“Nay,
she’s right here, beneath the plaid.” She pulled back the woolen cover to
reveal the sleeping child. Lady Julianna’s eyes widened when she viewed her
daughter. Kate placed Bonnie in her mother’s arms, who looked at her lovingly,
then wept.

“She
looks thin and frail. Oh, her wee face is so sweet. It’s hard to believe I am
actually holding her, seeing her.” Julianna whispered, trying not to wake her
daughter. “It has been months since she went missing and I never thought to see
her again.” She cried harder, and her shaking woke Bonnie.

Bonnie
opened her eyes and started crying. “Mama.”

They
hugged and bawled, oblivious to Brendan and Kate.

“Darling,
I’ve missed ye. You don’t know how happy I am to see you,” Julianna whispered
against her daughter’s head.

“Mama,
I missed ye, too. I’m sorry I didn’t listen and stay in the tent. Is Papa
angry?”

Julianna
smiled, hugging her tightly. “Nay, love, he’s not angry with you. In fact,
you’re going to make him very happy.” Her eyes rose to Kate’s, holding a look
of love.

“Where
is he?” Bonnie shouted as loud as she could. “Papa, Papa, I’m home.”

“He’s
still in England searching for you, Button. Brendan will you send someone—”

“I
all ready have, several days ago, when I found these two in the woods. I met
Burk at the gate and told him to expect Colin’s arrival.” Brendan remained
stone-faced.

Kate
couldn’t believe that he wasn’t affected by the mother and daughter’s reunion,
she was about to cry buckets over the joy of it. Nay, she definitely shouldn’t
be attracted to a man like him. Why would she even consider such?

“How
did you find her, Lady Kaitlin?”

“I’m
sorry, Lady MacKinnon, but I should like to await your husband’s return before
I reveal all that happened. It’s a long story. Do you mind if we await him?”

Julianna’s
gaze went to Brendan’s before she answered. “Nay, I have my daughter back,
that’s all that matters. Just look at you, you both need tender care. I’ll have
a bath and food sent up. Bonnie, let’s show Kaitlin your chamber.” Bonnie
shuffled off her mama’s lap, taking Kate’s hand. They left without a word to
Brendan.

*****

Kate
stood in the hall, waiting for Lady MacKinnon’s return. She admired the
beautifully sewn banners that hung on the walls and thought about her plan.
Calling them by different names would aid her in not having to reveal Lord
Richard’s name. She wanted to reach King Henry first and gain his promise to
look into her father’s death. If she told the MacKinnons, Lord Richard’s name,
she would never know if he had actually killed her father. Desperation to find
the truth outweighed her sensibility. If the Highlanders found out his name,
they would search him out and kill him before she had a chance to prove
Richard’s guilt. The truth would die with him. Always having a keen sense, she
knew Richard had to be responsible, and somehow she would verify it. She owed
that to her father, didn’t she?

She
was so deep in thought that she hadn’t noticed Brendan standing by the door
watching her. When she turned, she saw him. Kate stared at him attentively and
realized she was looking at her vision. Her vision stood before her very eyes,
the gray-eyed, dark-haired warrior. Why hadn’t she realized it before? This
morn when she’d awakened, she was so preoccupied with arriving at the MacKinnon
keep, she hadn’t noticed he’d washed the war-paint from his body, and she
hadn’t dared to pay attention to his form. Even his body resembled that of her
vision. With the door opened wide, and what with the way he stood there with
his arms folded over his chest, and the sun shining behind him, he looked
exactly like her vision.

Goddess
help her, she would swoon. Kate swayed on her feet and was about to fall to the
floor. How he reached her side before she did so, she’d never know.

“Are
you unwell, Lady Kaitlin?”

She
felt his strong hands supporting her, and she looked at his face, shaking her
head. Lord, he was a tall, well-built man. His muscles bulged against his
tunic. His hair dark was nearly black. With his hair and body cleaned of its
paint, she took him in. She realized her mouth was agape and closed it. He made
her knees weak and her pulse race. Was it fear or something else which caused
her intense reaction? Unfamiliar emotions stirred a mixture of havoc within
her.

“Good
Goddess, my vision in the flesh.” Had she said that aloud?

Brendan
threw back his head and laughed. She blushed in her embarrassment. When he
ceased laughing, he released her and moved back a step. She would be all right
once she got over the shock of seeing him. As she watched him, she tried to see
kindness in his eyes, but only saw coldness in them. Several people entered the
hall, but none disturbed the two of them surmising each other. The cool color
of his eyes bespoke sadness and she almost empathized with him.

Kate
heard voices behind her, but she couldn’t take her eyes from him.

“Uncle,
please don’t let Papa make me sit in his chair.” Bonnie pleaded, coming down
the stairs. She tugged on his tartan, and he snapped out of his trance to
answer her.

“Nay,
bean-sith, I won’t.”

Kate
moved to sit at the table. Brendan sat across from her and resumed his staring.
She stared back. The feeling of serenity overcame her as she stared at her
living, breathing vision. Even though his cold gray eyes watched her, all those
years of seeing him through her mind overrode his boorish manner. She swore he
wouldn’t intimidate her, but he was more menacing now without his war-paint.
She wanted to be courageous and appear so to him. Well, she was brave. Hadn’t
she saved his niece?

“You’re
taller than most ladies I know, Lady Kate,” he said suddenly.

She
was taller than most ladies, but his comment irritated her. Nay, she certainly
wasn’t a dainty lady, well as dainty as some. As if he knew many ladies, she
almost snorted at that. He didn’t appear to be the type many ladies would get
close enough to, since his frowns probably sent them running. Bonnie had
mentioned something about him frowning on their journey.

Kate
didn’t know why she shivered; mayhap it was the icy glare Brendan gave her. She
rubbed the chill on her bared arms. Her light-brown gown barely covered her,
and showed too much skin. Lady Juliana insisted she wear it, and she even
arranged her hair atop her head. But Brendan didn’t appear to notice her
appearance, because he continued to scowl. She became bold, watching him, and
wanted to smile. She wasn’t one to cower. Courage, she kept reminding herself.
She cleared her throat, because it had gone dry. Had she lost her voice, as
well as her nerve?

Julianna
entered and saw them engrossed in a staring match. She smiled, and broke the
silence. “Brendan, she brought my bairn home, you be nice.”

“Aye,
I am being nice,” was all he said.

Gil
approached the table and sat on the other side of her. He grinned at Brendan,
and then let out a bellowing laugh.

“Well,
hell.” Brendan cursed, giving Gil a formidable look.

Kate
heard Lady Julianna laugh.

“What
did you say, Brendan? Did you blaspheme in front of the ladies?” Gil asked.

“Aye,
so I did.” He tapped his finger against his cup. As if he were lordly, the
servant hurried to refill his cup. His manner struck a chord of admiration in
her, mayhap he could be considered highborn if he didn’t look so mean.

“He
said,
well, hell
,” Bonnie repeated happily. “
Well, hell
, he
swore, Mama.”

Everyone
ignored her, and Julianna didn’t seem to have the heart to reprimand her when
she’d only returned from her mysterious disappearance. Instead, she asked, “Did
the men leave yet to get Colin?”