“Och. Well, you’re not as much of a rogue as I thought.” Dirk gave a slight grin.
“I wanted to,” Keegan confessed. “Damned badly. But that would’ve been madness. She’s a lady and her father will never approve of me.”
Dirk frowned, considering Keegan closely for a long moment. “You want… to marry her?” he asked as if realization was suddenly dawning.
“Of course. ’Twould be my fondest dream.”
Dirk raised a brow. “When did you decide this?”
Keegan shrugged. “Months ago. I know it seems daft, considering I hadn’t actually talked to her much until today. But when you meet the perfect woman for you, you just know somehow. Am I right?”
“Indeed. I respect your honesty. I was not quite so honest with myself when I was falling for Isobel. I thought I was going mad having such feelings for her. But, in truth, ’tis normal. I have never been so happy in my life as I am now.” Dirk grinned and glanced back toward camp, most likely hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife.
“I greatly admire what you and Isobel have. ’Tis what I want to share with Seona but…” Keegan shook his head, knowing he was wishing for something he could never attain.
“You never know. Why don’t you ask for her hand?”
“Hmph. Everyone has said her father insists she marry a chief or someone with a title and property.”
Dirk observed him, his expression serious. “If you truly want her, don’t let her go. Isobel was betrothed when I met her, and I was certain she was beyond my reach, too. But ’twas not the case. Sometimes you must take a chance.”
Keegan nodded, though he didn’t know how he could marry Seona if her father wouldn’t permit him to. What would happen if Keegan stole her away? Although kidnapping a bride was common practice among some clans, surely her father and his men would hunt Keegan down like an outlaw if he dared such a thing. Once he met Chief Murray, he’d know more about how to deal with him.
“I thank you for your advice, cousin.”
Dirk nodded and slapped him on the shoulder. “’Tis time to eat.”
They headed back toward the center of the camp.
Keegan had been hungry earlier, but after almost kissing Seona, a different sort of hunger gnawed at him. He craved a taste of her beautiful lips. She would be as sweet as flower nectar. He had no doubt of it. She certainly smelled sweet, he’d noticed as he’d strapped the knife sheath on her arm. He’d had a wild impulse to bury his nose in her hair and breathe her in.
As they all sat or stood around the camp, eating roasted rabbit, grouse and bannocks, he tried not to stare at Seona. Suspecting that anyone who caught him observing her would see his desires written clearly on his face, he only slipped a glance her way now and then.
Because she sat by her aunt, she seemed equally determined to avoid eye contact with him.
A quarter hour later, darkness descended a bit more and Dirk approached him. “We’ll stay here while ’tis dark and allow the ladies to sleep and the horses to rest. Half the men will guard the first part of the night, then the rest will guard the second half. We’ll leave early in the morn, just after daybreak. I’m concerned Haldane and his band of outlaws will attack again.”
“As am I,” Keegan said, watching Seona and her aunt disappear inside the tent with the maids. At the last second, Seona cast a quick glance his way and gifted him with a wee smile. Joy burst through his chest.
Saints! He was tempted to crawl in after her. To hades with her aunt.
“Are you too distracted to guard?” Dirk asked.
“Nay,” Keegan said, perhaps a bit too loudly. He wanted to kick his own arse for allowing Dirk to see he’d been distracted for a few seconds. No one had ever questioned his ability to perform his duty.
“If you are, ’tis naught to worry over.” Dirk gave an almost imperceptible grin. “I ken how that can be. Take the night off.”
“I’ll guard the ladies’ tent.”
Dirk nodded. “I’m certain you will protect Lady Seona better than anyone else.”
Keegan was a bit ashamed he’d allowed a lass to ensnare his attention so completely that it was obvious to the chief, and likely everyone else. But what could he do about it? He’d already tried banishing her from his mind. It didn’t work. The more he told himself not to think of her, the more he thought of her.
The men allowed the fire to burn down to coals. With several lanterns around the perimeter of the camp, the guards could see if anyone approached.
Dirk disappeared inside his tent with Lady Isobel. Keegan couldn’t deny he was envious they got to sleep together when he could not… ever… sleep with Seona. How could he live never knowing what it would be like to hold her close and sleep with her the whole night through?
***
In the darkness inside the tent, Seona pulled back the sleeve of her smock and placed her hand around the knife and sheath on her forearm. She’d been careful to hide it from Aunt Patience.
The leather sheath still held Keegan’s distinctive and entrancing male scent. The knife was like the man himself, sharp and lethal but also protective and comforting. He wanted to provide a way for her to protect herself when he wasn’t there. Her heart warmed.
But she didn’t want to think about him no longer being there, nor did she truly want to go home. Who would brighten her days with a single glance? No one had Keegan’s smiling blue eyes. Every time she looked at the summer sky, she would see his face. How would she survive? She couldn’t imagine life without him.
He had been within close proximity for many months. How could he not know how important he was to her? Of course, she didn’t have the courage to tell him. It would mislead him into thinking there could be something more between them than was actually possible. She would give anything not to be a lady at the moment… or the daughter of Chief Murray. Of course, the position came with certain privileges, but also heavy restrictions.
She pulled the sleeve of her smock over the knife sheath again. Her aunt could never see it. She would not approve of Seona carrying a weapon. Nor would she approve of Keegan teaching her how to use it, especially in private. Seona smiled, imagining Keegan giving her another knife-wielding on the morrow.
***
Haldane MacKay crouched behind gorse bushes next to Donald McMurdo and watched the lanterns flickering in the distance around the MacKay camp. “You kill Dirk and I’ll snatch Lady Seona,” Haldane whispered.
He could easily see the four tents and eight or nine guards patrolling the area. Half of them were obviously sleeping now so they could take a later watch. Dirk was canny to bring so many guards, but Haldane could be equally shrewd.
He glanced at the dark blue sky, seeing a scattering of wispy clouds, a full moon and a few faint stars. Summer evenings had a long period of gloaming and it would not be full dark for a while. Although Haldane was not known for his patience, he’d had to learn the virtue over the past several months since his infuriating older brother had taken over Castle Dunnakeil.
Once Dirk was dead and Haldane had Lady Seona in his possession, he would have everything he wished for—he would be chief of Clan MacKay and Seona would be his wife, as she was always meant to be.
“I like your plan,” McMurdo said, his voice raspy. His black eyes intensified in the dimness. “When I kill him, you will give me what I asked for, aye? What your father promised me.”
“Indeed. The tomb in the church will be yours.” Haldane still didn’t understand why McMurdo was so obsessed with being buried in Balnakeil Church. Sane or not, the man was a devious assassin. His long gray hair and pock-marked, wrinkled skin said nothing about his lethal cunning. The man was like a well-used, ancient sword—scarred and worn but he could still easily get the job done. At least, Haldane hoped he could. McMurdo had not yet succeeded at killing Dirk, despite a couple of attempts. The first time, everyone had thought Dirk was dead, but then he’d surfaced twelve years later. Haldane didn’t want that happening again.
“I want to see his dead body.”