Page 39 of Kilted Hate

He sighed heavily, and said, “I had tae act quickly. There were five o’ them. I had tae stop the threat.”

“Ye think she saw ye using yer power,” Enya said.

“She’s seen it ‘afore.” He shrugged. “I’m still nae the best at controlling me emotions.”

For a long moment, Enya didn’t say anything. The fact was, Domhnall didn’t know what he wanted his sister to say. It had been his mistake, and even if she tried to appease or comfort him, it would make no difference.

“How are ye going tae hide it from her if she’s going tae be yer wife?” his sister said. “She’s going tae be family soon, Domhnall, whether ye like it or nae. Maybe, instead o’ hiding it, ye should just tell her.”

Raising his eyebrows, he stared at Enya. “She’s been here less than a week.”

“Aye, but she’s nae going anywhere, is she? Soon enough, she’ll be Lady Katherine MacLeod. She’ll be family.”

Domhnall frowned. “I dinnae quite see it like that.”

“How ye see it has naething tae dae with it. It’s fact. A fact ye have tae start getting used tae, braither.”

Enya departed a little later, leaving Domhnall to consider her words. He hadn’t really thought about the situation in that light, but even though Enya might be right, he still struggled to just open his arms and welcome Katherine in. For a start, she was English. How, after years of battle, betrayal, murder and pain, was he supposed to just treat her and trust her like she was family? Granted, she had never been involved in the implementation of any of it, but her kinsmen had.

When one had years of ingrained hatred and resentment against another, it was difficult to just sweep that all under the carpet and forget it had ever happened. It was one thing to make things more civil between them, but quite another to treat her like one of their own.

And yet, her safety was all ye could think about earlier.

Surely, that was just a natural reaction.

At supper, the family gathered in the great hall. Their table was elevated and situated at the front of the hall, overlooking all those who joined them. Only, there was still someone missing.

It was as the food was being served that Thora leaned forward and caught Domhnall’s eye.

“Should I go and wake her?”

Domhnall shook his head. “Let her rest. She clearly needs it.”

But later, when supper was over, he made certain to instruct a maid to make up a tray and take it to Katherine’s room. She was bound to be famished when she woke.

As he left the great hall, Magnus fell in step beside him. “How about some chess tae tak’ yer mind off everything?”

“Maybe later, Magnus. I have something else I need tae dae.”

“All right,” his brother said as they parted in the corridor.

Katherine’s list had been on his mind earlier that afternoon, and while they had struck one item off, Domhnall wanted to keep the momentum going. Once in his study, he made his way to his desk, opened a drawer, and retrieved a key. Moving across the room, he knelt at a huge chest that had stood in the corner for as long as he could remember.

Five years before, the chest had contained only his father’s possessions, but over the last few years, Domhnall had added some of his own. He was certain what he was looking for was in there, and after much rummaging, and having to empty half the contents on the floor beside him, he finally found it. Replacing everything else, he locked the chest again, and returned to his desk. He wrote a small note, just a single sentence, and then made his way out of the study.

Being quiet and stealthy was never easy, given his size, and yet he made every effort to move across Katherine’s bedchamber floor making as little noise as possible. Upon reaching the bed, however, he wondered whether him making noise would have made any difference, for she truly looked out of it.

What did Brianna give her?

Lifting the brown bottle on the bedside table, he read the contents written in Gaelic. His eyebrows lifted when he noted a few of the ingredients, and while not a medicinally minded man, he was not ignorant either. He placed the bottle down where he found it, and digging into his pocket, he lifted the book he had found in the chest. Carefully, he placed it beside the bottle, where she would find it when she woke.

Standing by her bedside, Domhnall looked down at her for a long moment. Her lips were slightly parted, her hair splayed on the pillow, like a halo surrounding her head, and her bosom rose and fell in easy rhythm as she slept. She truly was a beautiful woman. A woman, he had discovered, with far more qualities than just her temper and stubbornness.

A few hours later, Domhnall and Magnus sat in his study, drinking whisky, talking about the upcoming festivities, while at the same time, playing chess.

“Yer wedding is on the horizon, dear braither.” Magnus grinned. “Are ye ready fer it?”

“Ready tae be tied down tae an English wench who will mak’ me life a living hell?” Domhnall replied sarcastically.

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