Page 11

Chapter

Eleven

B y the time they reached Tannochbrae Manor, their riding party had grown quiet. It had been a long day, and yet, Lina had not once asked to stop more than they had for very brief respites for their mounts. She rode as well as any of them, and Niall could not help but be impressed by her.

The chieftain of Clan Tannochbrae was an old man who had managed to remain allies with both Duncraig and MacKinlay. As they were escorted into the hall, though the chieftain had clearly been abed already, wall torches lighting their way, he greeted them personally.

“If King Alexander had been at my door, I’d have been less surprised than to learn the Duncraig second and the MacKinlay chief had arrived here together.”

Their small party was an odd one, indeed, and since they’d come into the gates they had caused a stir, even at this late hour. There were at least ten or so retainers now gathered, listening.

“Many thanks for receiving us at this late hour,” he began. “You know my brother Kieran,” Niall said.

“Aye, and good den to you,” the chieftain said.

“And to you.” Kieran inclined his head.

“And how, pray tell, do you find yourself among them?” Tannochbrae asked.

“A tale best told privately,” MacKinlay said. “You’ve met my sister, Lady Avelina, aye?”

Lina approached the old man, a widower of many years.

His age did not diminish his ability to appreciate her beauty.

Taking her hand and kissing it at Lina’s slight bow, the chieftain smiled kindly at her.

Niall understood easily the man’s rapture with her.

Lina brought those around her into a spell that was not at all cunning. It simply. . .was.

“Are you hungry, my lady?” he asked her.

“Indeed,” she said.

The chieftain’s hearty laugh at her honest answer was followed by directives to the steward.

This time, however, they were not to be seated separately since one trestle table was hastily prepared for them.

The chieftain himself sat with their odd group, ordering everyone, with the exception of the two maids who served them ale and stew, from the hall.

Niall attempted to ignore her, but Lina sat directly across from him, so there was no hope for that. Instead, he would simply endure her brother’s glares and even Kieran’s own annoyed ones. He and his brother rarely disagreed on matters of import, but Lina was clearly an exception.

He told the chieftain of their discovery, the journey to MacKinlay, and finding the cattle just as he and his brother had left them. It did not take long for Tannochbrae to understand why they visited his hall.

“I will make inquiries on the morrow,” he said. “That many cattle do not find their way across my land without notice. And ’tis certain they came this way.”

“Aye,” MacKinlay agreed. “If any of your people saw their movement. . . or who could have led them there. . .”

“Do you have suspects?” he asked.

Niall and MacKinlay’s eyes met. The chief was revealing little, but surely he must have someone in mind.

“’Tis too soon to discern,” the chief said finally. “But ’tis someone who wishes for our feud to begin anew.”

“You can think of none,” Kieran asked, “who would wish such a thing?”

As usual, the MacKinlay chief appeared less than pleased to be forced to converse with them. He would be cordial to his brother, though. Niall would ensure it.

“I can think of none who would be pleased to sit at this table as I do—”

“Ewan,” Lina admonished.

Their host chuckled.

“But neither does one person come to my mind as an obvious suspect. Our clan has grown these past years, and I cannae pretend to know the motives of all its people.”

Round and round they went until, finally, the meal was consumed. Enough ale to fill Niall for two evenings had been drunk, and Lina appeared as tired as he’d expect her to be.

“Perhaps we should reconvene on the morrow.”

Niall must have been looking at Lina, because her brother did the same. Her eyes widened, as if proving she was indeed awake and aware, but ’twas too late. When the MacKinlay chief then gave Niall a look as if to say, She is not yours to concern yourself about , Niall ignored him.

“Come.” Their host stood. “I will have you shown to your chambers, which are already prepared for you. On the morrow, I will make inquiries. In the meantime, you are my guests. If ’tis possible for your clans to make peace in this keep, then I shall gladly be the host to such an occasion.”

The look MacKinlay gave Niall refuted their host’s words.

Neither was Niall inclined to make peace with the man, even if his feelings for the sister had become something of a problem.

Thoughts of her occupied him when she was not in his direct line of vision.

And when she was? Little was left for him to imagine as the woman made even the slightest movement.

A lick of the lips. A peek at him, something she did often, though not as often as he’d like.

When she shifted on her mount or adjusted her gown, Niall noticed all of it.

His promise of kissing her was never far from his mind.

“This way, my lady,” a maid said, guiding Lina away. By luck or fate, she did so directly his way. On a whim, as she passed him, Niall took advantage of the others’ distraction and whispered, “Leave it open a crack.”

Her head whipped toward him as Lina continued to be led away. Her eyes were wide, questioning. But Niall could say no more. Did she understand? Would she do it?

He would find out soon enough.