Page 13 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai
“Aye.I was told.”She clenched her teeth, and her hands balled into fists.
“And do you think that reivers might be as capable of scenting smoke as I am?”
Her jaw went slack.“I did not think of that,” she mumbled.
“Did you think at all?”He snarled and loomed over her, arms akimbo.
“Of course, I thought.I reasoned that you and the men would be hungry and appreciate a hot meal after this long day of riding.Obviously, you had a different idea.Did it occur to you to leave an order not to have a fire started?Such a simple precaution might have prevented this entire incident.”
It was Rhuad’s turn to go slack jawed.“I did not think of that,” he mumbled.
She giggled.She actually giggled, before folding her hands together in front of her and primly said, “Did you think at all?
Rhuad laughed so hard he lost his balance and fell at Seona’s feet.
Guffaws bent his wife double, bringing her face very close to his.
A hand on her shoulder and he could tumble her to the ground.She would lie beneath him in a terce.Only the presence of the men prevented him from acting on the idea.
Their audience stared as if their lord and lady were a pair of addlepates.
When the hysteria subsided, Rhuad stood and grinned.“Of course, I thought.I thought of safety for you, your cook and all involved in this journey.”
Seona straightened and held out her hand.“Pax, Laird MacFearann.”
He took her hand in a light clasp, bowed low and kissed the air just above her knuckles.“If you will but call me Rhuad, pax.Lady Seona MacFearann.I promise to do a better job of informing you as to my wishes.”
Reluctantly he released her hand.It wasn’t as soft as a lady’s hand should have been.However, the callouses on her palm and strength in her grip gave him confidence that she could truly wield weapons well enough to protect herself.He admired her for placing safety over vanity.
“I make the same promise to you, sirrah.”She smiled at him.“Now if you will excuse me, I will discover what Mistress Auchmuty can provide for our cold supper.”
Rhuad watched her walk away.He was still watching when Dougal placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Ahem, did I mention that a MacKai woman can be a danger to a man’s sanity?”
Still grinning, Rhuad turned to his friend.“Perhaps, but I’ll take Lady Seona’s variety of insanity over that of more gentile ladies.”
Dougal regarded him with a narrow-eyed stare.“Laird MacKai would be greatly displeased should you use his sister ill.”
“Do you accuse me of dishonorable thoughts, Dougal?”
“Thoughts are one thing.Just be certain not to act on them.”
“As his seneschal, Lady Seona stands in the place of Laird MacKai.He is my ally, and I would not so dishonor an ally.”
Dougal’s mouth thinned, and he nodded.“See that you don’t.”
With that the knight pivoted and walked away to where his bedroll lay.
Rhuad was left to contemplate exactly what the man meant by the wordsuse ill?
***
AS LUCK WOULD HAVEit, they crossed Scotland without encountering a single reiver.However, the weather did not treat them kindly.
“We should arrive at Castle MacFearann before dusk,” remarked Rhuad.He pushed back his sodden hood.
Seona followed his example.The soggy material did more to obscure her vision than the pelting water.
