Page 93 of The Highlander Who Loved Me

“Those are my linens on the mattress!”

Davina’s lips grew tighter. “I’ll make certain they are washed.”

Annoyance flickered across Joan’s features and she did little to hide it. “Clearly, I am to be given no choice in the matter,” she said tartly.

“None at all,” James responded cheerfully, the effects of the ale finally catching up to him. “Of course, if ye are displeased with the accommodations, I can provide an escort to yer husband’s castle.”

James did not imagine the sudden fear that shone in Joan’s eyes. Davina must have seen it also. She came to her cousin’s side and placed a comforting arm on her shoulder.

“Ye must forgive James. We are all tired and out of sorts,” she said, shooting him a reprimanding look.

“No matter. I am well used to the cruelty of men,” Joan hissed. “I must gather some things from my chamber. Am I free to leave?”

“Good night,” James said dismissively.

Lips thin with displeasure, Joan cast him a final glance of disdain as she made her way out of the hall.

Davina sighed. “I fear she will spend the next few days sulking.”

“Mayhap that will prompt her to leave,” James grumbled.

Malcolm’s mouth drew into a conspiratorial line. “Ye could always send a message to her husband.”

“Nay!” Davina’s eyes widened in distress. “I agree that Joan is difficult and occasionally unpleasant. But I’ve seen the bruises she tries to hide. Her husband’s brutality cannae be excused, no matter what her behavior. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I deliberately placed her in harm’s way.”

“Dinnae worry, love. We’ll not be putting Joan out.” James stretched out his wounded arm and let out an exaggerated groan. “My arm is starting to pain me. Do ye have any more of that dram ye and Colleen concocted?”

“I’ll get some.” With a worried look, Davina hurried from the great hall.

James turned to his brother the moment they were alone. “If we died, who would inherit Torridon Keep?” James asked.

Malcolm shrugged. “I dinnae know the legalities. When ye married Davina, ye gained an equal claim on the property. If she died before birthing an heir, it would be harder fer ye to keep the land, but not impossible.”

“But if we both perished?”

Malcolm shook his head. “I suppose the land would revert to the Armstrongs.”

“That has to be at the root of all this,” James insisted.

“A part of me agrees with ye, but then I look around.” Malcolm lifted his arm, swinging it in a wide, encompassing circle. “This keep has been neglected fer decades. It will take far more coin to put it to rights than can ever be earned back from working this land or raising sheep.”

Frustration swirled in James’s gut. Malcolm was right—there was nothing of obvious value here. Yet someone was prepared to kill for it.

He needed to find out why before they succeeded.

Chapter Twenty

As he stood alone in his bedchamber dressing for a morning ride on the southern borders, James pondered all that had happened in the two weeks since the fire. Or rather, all that hadn’t happened. There had been no further mishaps; all had been quiet—almost too quiet.

Then again, he and Malcolm had been constantly vigilant, shoring up the keep’s defenses, riding the borders daily, training with the McKenna guard. Davina went nowhere without an escort, even inside the keep, though it was usually Colleen or Colin who trailed her steps while she was within the walls of the keep.

James belted his tunic, added two dirks, picked up his sword, and left the bedchamber. The smell of burnt wood lingered in his nostrils as he hurried down the newly built wooden staircase, knowing his plans to replace it with stone would have to wait until he could scrape together the coin to pay a stonemason.

There was so much that needed his attention; ’twas daunting at times to think of how long and how costly it would be to set the keep to rights. It was also yet another reason why he could not understand how anyone would be eager to possess this dwelling and these lands.

The one bright spot—aside from having Davina at his side day and night—was the people. He had expected resistance, suspicion, possibly outright defiance to his rule, but they had bowed to his command with good humor and hard work. He believed a large part of that was due to their affection for Davina, yet also surmised they were astute enough to realize that the improvements being made would benefit them all.

The handful of soldiers at the keep were eager to prove their worth and earn a place among his guard. James was even more cautious with them, making certain his own men outnumbered them three to one whenever they were on the practice field.

---