“You must not reveal to Keegan what I’ve told you,” Seona said. “Promise me.”
“If you will tell him,” Isobel said. “He deserves to know everything you’ve told me.”
Seona shook her head. “If he knows what kind of man my father is, that he is abusive and violent and probably even a murderer, Keegan may not allow me to go back. You ken as well as I do that could have terrible consequences. It could mean a clan war. My sister could be in danger. And Keegan, most of all, would be in danger.”
Chapter Seventeen
Two nights later, Keegan and the other men dragged into the great hall of Teasairg Castle just as supper was ending. They had searched endlessly for Haldane and his outlaws over much of MacKenzie territory for miles around. Keegan was hellishly annoyed none of them could be found.
His gaze scanning the great hall for Lady Seona but not locating her, Keegan strode toward high table, then slumped into a straight wooden chair beside Dirk. Keegan wanted to immediately ask where Seona was, but didn’t want the others to ken how much he thought about her. The servants rushed to bring the newcomers food, which Keegan appreciated greatly for he was near starved.
“Let me guess—you saw neither hide nor hair of Haldane,” Dirk said.
“You have the right of it. We climbed mountains on foot and searched more glens than I can count,” Keegan said. “We took a galley to the end of Loch Duich and searched part of Glen Shiel, while some of the MacKenzies took another galley up Loch Long. The bastards have vanished.”
“Hell,” Dirk muttered. “McMurdo has taught them to be as cunning and illusive as he is. They could be lying in the bracken somewhere and ’twould be easy to walk right past them.”
“Aye.” Keegan sighed. “Or they may have left the area. ’Haps they went east to await us at the edge of Murray’s holdings.”
“That’s a good possibility,” Dirk said. “Damnation, I want to be out there searching with you lads.”
“Not until you’re recovered. How’s your leg?” Keegan asked, digging into the trencher of venison stew the servant placed before him.
“Improving.”
Isobel, sitting on Dirk’s other side, leaned forward. “What he neglected to tell you is that he still has fevers sometimes, especially at night. And look how swollen it is, Keegan.”
“Och. I’m getting better,” Dirk muttered.
“Aye, you are better than you were,” Isobel agreed.
Keegan drank a long swallow of heather ale. “You must take care of yourself, cousin.”
“I am. And I have the best healer in the world.” Dirk put his arm around Isobel and drew her closer.
She smiled and kissed his cheek.
Saints. Keegan missed Seona. He could use a kiss from her right now. Though he’d need a bath and a change of clothes first. And some privacy, away from her aunt, who sat further down the table, talking to MacMillan.
“Where is Lady Seona?” Keegan asked in a low tone, making sure her aunt couldn’t hear. With all the noise in the great hall, ’twas doubtful she would hear him even if he asked in a loud voice, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
Both Dirk and Isobel merely looked at him for a long moment. Finally, Isobel said, “In her bedchamber.”
Alarm rushed through Keegan, not because of Isobel’s words but because of the somber look in her eyes. “Is something wrong?”
“Nay,” Isobel said, glancing away.
She was lying or being evasive. What was she hiding?
“’Tis only that Lady Seona has not been to any meals since the one we had outside,” Dirk said.
What?
Isobel poked Dirk in the ribs and gave him a severe frown.
Dirk caught her hand. “Well, ’tis true.”
“Has anyone seen her?” Keegan demanded, imagining the worst. Had she slipped out and run away?
“Aye, Keegan. Calm yourself,” Isobel said. “I’ve talked to her several times in her chamber.”
“And?” He waited, anticipation near consuming him.
“She is not ill. She simply doesn’t want to be around a lot of people. She is a private person who prefers spending time alone, sometimes.” Isobel shrugged.
Keegan frowned, knowing full well Isobel was behaving strangely. Aye, Seona was a quiet lass who didn’t mind being alone, but he’d never noticed her avoiding meals. Was it simply because he hadn’t been there? Or something else?
Isobel was keeping a secret, and he intended to find out what it was. “Are you saying she hasn’t been out of her room for two days?”
“I don’t know if she has or not,” Isobel said with a neutral expression.
Irritation welled up inside Keegan’s chest. “Is she eating?”
“Aye. The maids take her food.”
“Isobel said she was worried about you going after Haldane.” The look in Dirk’s eyes said he understood the turmoil and worry Keegan felt.
The idea that Seona was worried about him eased Keegan’s mind a bit. Maybe the anxiety had gotten the best of her and that was why she wanted to be alone.
He had to see Seona. Would Isobel help him with that as she’d done in the past? Something had changed, and he didn’t like it.
After the meal, he asked the servants to bring him a bath, then proceeded to his small bedchamber in the same wing as the MacKenzie brothers’. Once Keegan had bathed and put on clean clothing, he proceeded through the castle, trying to think of a place where he and Seona might talk in private. Though it was late, the castle was still abuzz with activity.
He proceeded up the steps to the corridor where Seona’s chamber was. If he ran into anyone, his excuse would be that he was going to talk to Dirk, whose chamber was a couple doors down. But luckily, no one was about in this part of the castle. He hurried to Seona’s door and knocked lightly.
As the silence extended, the foreboding inside him grew darker.
Isobel had told him Seona wasn’t ill. She simply wished to be alone. But he knew something was wrong. Had he offended her in some way? Angered her?
He knocked again, a bit harder.
“Who is it?” Seona asked from the other side of the door.
He released his held breath. The sound of her voice both calmed him and excited him at the same time.
“’Tis me. Keegan,” he said, low, then glanced back along the empty corridor.
Staring at the door again, he waited for her to open it. But it remained closed.
“Seona?” he asked “Are you ill?”
“Nay.”
“Why won’t you leave your bedchamber?” He had not considered it might be that time of the month for her. But surely if this was the case, she would at least pretend to be ill.
“I cannot see you again,” she said, her voice strained and barely audible.
“What?” Surely, he’d misheard, but still… her words sent a shock of confusion and denial through him. “Why would you say such a thing?” he asked, trying to keep his voice down.
“’Tis dangerous, Keegan. My father is a cruel man.”
Hell. She had been crying. He heard it in her voice.
“I do not fear your father,” he said.
The silence on the other side of the door frayed his nerves and sliced at his composure.
He leaned closer to the door. “I want to see you, Seona. I need to see you.” He had thought of naught but her during the past few days. ’Twas why he’d spent two days searching for Haldane… to keep her safe from the knave.
“Seona?” He didn’t want to try the knob and enter without an invitation, but she sore tempted him to do just that. With his luck, she’d barred the door.