Page 20 of Scot of Desire
I think it’s those eyes. Aye, they look as black as coal.
“Stay a minute more,” Cillian pleaded. “I wish tae talk tae ye alone fer a minute.”
She tried to clamp down on her fear. She forced a smile, though her cheek twitched with irritation in the effort to maintain it.
“Who are Catreena and Bran tae ye?”
“Me friends.”
“Aye, but they are certainly close friends for ye tae ask them tae come here with ye.”
“Aye, they are.” She gave up trying to keep the smile in place as it was just too hard. “As I mentioned afore, Catreena, Bran and I have been close since we were very young and me braither also practically treats Bran and his braithers like they are our own kin.” Her words made Cillian nod slowly. “I really think we should return tae the feast now, sir.” She tried to walk around him again. As he moved in the way and parted his lips, she expected to hear him say something, but someone else beat him to it.
“Ilyssa? There ye are!” Catreena’s voice emanated from the darkness.
Ilyssa did her best to hide the sigh of relief that escaped her.
“Ye took a while,” Catreena said and walked around Cillian, pointedly looping her arm through Ilyssa’s. “Shall we return tae the feast together? Yer braither may enjoy a trudge through the snow, but it isnae tae me liking.”
Ilyssa smiled at her friend, so glad for the distraction of her presence.
“If ye would excuse me,” Cillian said, bowing to the pair of them. “I will visit the privy and join ye both at the table again.” As heswept away, leaving hurriedly, the smile Catreena had pinned in place faded away as they watched him go.
“Ye need tae be more careful,” Catreena hissed under her breath.
“I hardly thought he would follow me from dinner, did I?” Ilyssa asked. “I thought it was a chance tae be alone, tae be away from the two of them.”
“Well, ye did look rather amusing sat between Bran and Cillian.”
“What dae ye mean?” Ilyssa stopped walking, bringing Catreena up shot beside her.
“Oh, what dae ye take me fer?” Catreena cast her eyes to the ceiling as if pleading with the heavens for patience, then she tugged Ilyssa on so they walked fast down the corridor. “Something has changed between ye and Bran since yer supposed betrothal, even if I am struggling tae make sense of it.”
Ye and me both.
“I dinnae ken what ye mean.”
“Aye, sure ye dinnae. And that pig on the dinner table was about tae jump alive and play the lute fer our amusement.” She eyed Ilyssa with a mischievous smile. “Or are we nae both speaking of ridiculous things? Something is happening between ye and Bran, even if ye dinnae want tae talk about it.”
“He’s protective, that’s all,” Ilyssa insisted as they reached the door of the great hall but didn’t quite enter. They faced one another instead, their words hurried and quiet. “Ye ken him better than anyone. He treats us all like we are his children.”
“Aye, me and me braithers, most definitely, and he’s always been protective of ye too, but nothing can deny how mad he was at dinner. Did ye nae see the way he glared at Cillian as he was trying tae charm ye?”
“He did?” Ilyssa’s gut tightened.
What is this feeling? What does it mean?
“Oh, ye are blinder than I have ever given ye credit fer. Now, come. Let’s return tae this room and pretend like everything is normal. Clearly it is yer braither’s prerogative tae create an air that suggests we’re all very happy tae be here indeed. He’ll have ye and me embracing Laird Gilroy and his son before ye ken it.”
Ilyssa shuddered at the thought of embracing either man.
“Catreena, wait!”
Yet Catreena did not wait. She opened the door and they both walked inside again.
“Here they are,” Laird Gilroy said with delight, gesturing toward the two of them and pouring out two glasses of mead as he did so. “We have been quite missing yer company.”
When Ilyssa said nothing, Catreena thanked him for his kindness. Ilyssa was too busy looking at Bran and Tad across the room, for the two men seemed to be having a very hushed and quiet argument that they were trying not to let anyone else in on. Bran took a hefty gulp of his whisky as Tad shrugged his shoulders. It was rare to see Bran go toe-to-toe with Tad over anything, but whatever he said to Ilyssa’s brother in that moment caused consternation indeed. Tad didn’t answer and stood, turning his back on Bran.
