Page 25 of Highlander's Caged Rose
They moved as quietly as they could towards the horses, then they led them away instead of riding them. Neither said a word the whole time for fear of being overheard,but when they were a safe distance away, Ritchie turned to Glenn and said anxiously, “Do you think Moira will tell him we’re here?”
After the intense look, Glenn gave him, he sighed, shaking his head. “Ye know her better than I dae, I guess,” he told her.
They mounted up and rode back to Baltyre, where Ritchie went into the stables first and signalled Glennie to come in a little while later. Glennie knew that as long as she had any say in the matter, he would not lose his job at the castle because shewould not permit it. However, she wanted him to be comfortable and not have to look over his shoulder all the time because he feared Niall’s wrath.
She also knew that they would have to marry without Niall’s consent, but she was resigned to that fact; she was old enough not to need his consent, although she would have liked his blessing. However, at that moment, she was more worried about Moira. She had come to like and admire her, and wanted her to stay beside her so that they could develop their friendship.
Glennie smiled as she thought that Moira could be the sister she never had. She had always longed for a female friend because although she loved her brother, he could never understand her needs. Only another woman could do that, and she hoped that that woman could be Moira.
Moreover, Niall needed to have someone to support, and love him, too…
She felt a certain amount of trepidation as she thought of McNicholl’s niece. Having met her on one occasion at the wedding of a mutual friend, Glennie had been struck by her aloofness. She stuck to her family and two close friends the whole evening, shunning everyone else.
She had given Glennie a polite greeting then ignored her for the rest of the night, and she had a foreboding that Beitris Maxwell was not the kind of woman who would keep Niall happy. Niall needed a wife who would be warm and companionable, who would make intelligent conversation and laugh with him. Someone like Moira?
When she had safely made her way into the castle, Glennie went to her chamber and spent the afternoon trying to concentrate on a book, with no success at all. She would have loved to go to find Ritchie and sneak him up to her chamber so that they could enjoy each other for a while. However, there was too much chance of them being found out, since the castlewas stuffed full of members of the McPhee Clan, who were all present for the council meeting.
Glennie had no intention of speaking to any of them. They were all old, boring, and had nothing in common with her. Niall was with them, so it was just she and Moira who would be eating together. Glennie smiled at the thought, and decided to give Moira a little treat. As well as that, she owed Moira an apology for almost dropping her in a very deep puddle of trouble!
Accordingly, she sent one of the maidservants to invite Moira to dine with her in her bedchamber, and had a bottle of wine brought up for them to enjoy with their meal. It was a very special bottle of a fine vintage that Niall had given to her on her last birthday, and she had been waiting for an occasion to taste it.
Moira arrived a short time after being summoned, and Glennie noticed that she looked a little distracted, as if something was troubling her. As soon as she was inside the room, Glennie surprised Moira by embracing her tightly and kissing her cheek.
“I almost got you into trouble with Niall this morning,” she said regretfully. “I am truly sorry, Moira. It was the last thing I wanted to do.”
“Oh, Glennie.” Moira smiled and shook her head. “I know that.”
“Did Niall find out we were there?” Glennie asked nervously.
“No,” Moira answered. “I think I distracted him long enough for you to get away. We walked away in the other direction.”
Glennie sighed with relief. “What a treasure you are, Moira!” she said, smiling widely. “Now, I have sent for a very special feast for us tonight, with all the food I know you like best.”
Moira felt a warm glow of gratitude wash over her. Glennie would make a fine friend, but there were so many obstacles preventing her from staying here, the biggest one being Niall.Yet, why should she worry? It was not as though she were in love with him.
At the thought, Moira’s heart skipped a beat, and she pasted on a smile then looked at Glennie again.
Glennie poured her a glass of wine, but Moira felt like recoiling from it. She always drank ale, since she associated wine with her husband and father, but she took a sip out of politeness.
“Are you all right, Moira?” Glennie asked, frowning. “I sense something is bothering you.”
Moira took another sip of her wine to delay the moment when she would have to look at Glennie again, but when she looked up, she found Glennie’s green eyes—so like her brother’s—waiting for her. Glennie reached over to take Moira’s hand, but Moira drew back before they touched.
Glennie looked a little hurt, then said, “I will understand if this is too difficult for you to talk about, Moira. I was just trying to help.”
Moira sighed in frustration. “It’s I who should be sorry, Glennie,” she answered. “I have been worrying about something for days, and—” She clenched her fists on top of the table and screwed up her face in an expression of agitation. “I have a problem I cannot solve.”
Glennie looked at her with sympathy for a moment, then asked gently: “Is that problem called Niall?”
Moira’s eyes widened in surprise, giving her secret away at once. “Yes,” she answered. “How did you know?”
“I sensed it.” Glennie smiled. “I have known Niall all my life, and I have never known him to act the way he does now, except when you are there. My brother has been intimate with more than a few women, Moira, as I’m sure you have guessed, but he is different with you. I sense something when you look at each other that I have never seen or felt before.
Niall and I have always been very close, and I can usually read him like a book, but when he is around you, he is completely absorbed by you, although he never makes it obvious. I can tell that something is amiss, although I have no idea if that is good or bad. All I know is that it has never happened before.” She frowned. “I get the feeling that there is something between you. Am I right?”
They paused while the food was delivered, giving Moira a chance to think of what to say next. When the maidservant had gone, Glennie started to dish food for herself, but Moira merely sat looking at the delicious meat and savoury pies, her mind a jumble of thoughts, none of which made sense.
Finally, she said, “I am so confused, Glennie. You are right, there is something between us, but up until this morning I thought it was only from my side.”
