Page 9 of The Iron Highlander
Chapter 5
“I’m just goingto say it. Food from the McDonalds is simply amazing. Ye ever had somethin’ like this in the McGowan kitchen? Must be feeding the bird wine or somethin’,” Willow began, rubbing her belly.
The girls had retreated to their bedroom after breakfast and were having a moment to themselves before they would head out to see the peacocks. Kate watched her sisters from her bed, seeing them smiling to themselves.
“Yer right, Willow,” said Freya. “Kate, what do you think? I mean, ye barely touched yer plate, so I guess ye got the bottom of the pot, aye?”
Kate laughed and shook her head. “Food was fine, cannae argue with that.”
“We should really get to exploring the castle soon. I hear they have a larger wine cellar, was listening to one of the servantsas they brought up the food. Must be really something to see.” Willow rubbed her hair with her hands and pulled out a piece of wood. Lily and Freya looked at her with amusement for a moment as they wondered how she had something so large in her hair for so long without even noticing. The three girls burst out laughing, and Kate joined them as well.
“Yer all just jealous of my thick locks, I ken ye are!” said Willow, rubbing the hair to see if there were any more.
“Nay, if there is hair I’d be jealous of, it’ll be the Laird McDonalds. Ye see his curls? Could be natural since he was a wee little bairn,” said Freya.
“Aye, nae lies there,” said Lily. Willow nodded in agreement as well.
“When I have kids, they ought to look like that, my sons,” Freya replied. “Laird McDonald looks amazing.”
“Never heard about him from back home, but now I see him in person. Yer right about his looks. He does dazzle the eyes,” Lily added with a laugh.
Kate raised an eyebrow, listening to her sisters talk. Even Willow, who was least interested in men, had something to chip in. She flung the piece of wood at the door and it fell to the floor noiselessly. “I ken there are two good-looking people in all of the land. I thought it was just me, but now I ken the Laird to be one of them. Aye, he’s the bonniest, I’ll tell ye.”
“Alright, enough swooning over the Laird, girls,” said Kate, trying to pull them to something else.
“Why? So ye can do it all on yer own?” asked Willow.
“Nae, he’s as ugly as a day-old rat,” Kate replied.
Freya and Willow exchanged glances, and they all turned to their eldest sister at once. “Ye never say anythin’ bad about people unless ye like them.”
Kate shook her head at Freya, “I daenae.”
“Well, what do ye think about him?” Lily asked.
“I daenae think about him, because there isn’t anythin’ to think about. He’s the Laird, we respect him for what he’s given us, and when we find that we can leave, we leave.”
“Nay, nay. Kate,” Willow got up from where she sat and walked over to her sister, grabbing her shoulders. “I ken ye’re supposed to be the adult, but can ye relax for a moment and just talk to us? I mean, ye’ve been on edge since we got here, so take a moment and relax, aye? Uncle Max isn’t coming here to get us, so we are safe for now.”
Kate sighed and shook her head. They were right, but that was not why she was so uptight. There was a slight chance that Max would realize that they were there, but it was a thin one. Even if he found out, he would not be crazy enough to march on theestate of another Laird. That would be calling for a bloodbath which she was sure that he would not want.
Even if the Laird had any ill intentions for them, Kate felt as though he would hold off on them. She had seen Grear, and after watching the woman carefully, Kate was sure that Grear would be looking out for them. She understood what they were running from, and wanted the best for them.
But she would not allow herself to relax. Despite it all, they were in the home of the same house which was responsible for the death of their parents, and there was no telling when they would switch up and take out their aggression for the McGowan house on the girls.
Kate knew they would have to leave soon, but finding a place which would be suitable would be a problem as every other home within riding distance did not belong to a Laird, and so Max would easily be able to break in and find them, and take them back.
In the end, Kate and her sisters would have to stay at the McDonald’s until she came up with a plan which would allow them to go free from both enemies. In the meantime, she would do her best to take care of her sisters, and if it meant talking about the Laird, then so be it. Kate smiled at them, “I think his jawline is amazing, and he has pretty eyes.”
“So ye’ve been looking into his eyes, aye?” asked Lily.
“Nay,” Kate replied instinctively.
“So, who came up to the door last night, talking to ye?” Willow asked.
“None of yer business.” Kate replied.
Willow’s eyes went wide. “Aye, lassies! Guess who was out with the Laird while we slept?”
