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
“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
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