Page 5 of The Highlander's Virgin Widow
“How did it go with the councilmen, M’Lady?”
“I am certain they’re all very angry with me right now. But this is the way. I cannae surrender that easily, Stella.”
Stella nodded. “I agree, M’Lady.”
“I willnae let a brute take away me home,” Keira asserted, walking down the hall with renewed determination.
2
Keira looked out her window into the courtyard. It had rained a little that morning, and the air around the castle was cold and relaxing—something she could barely ascribe to herself these days.
It had been just two days since she had that meeting with the councilmen and had asked them to invite Laird Kincaid for truce negotiations. She had hoped that whatever letter they had sent to him would have gotten to him by now, and he would have responded. He was only on the border. It was not like they had to send messages straight into England.
She yawned and stepped into the bath, ready to face the day with the strength and vigor that had carried her through the past few months.
Sometimes she was grateful that she never really got to know her husband before she died. She had gained control of the castle forquite a long time, and she knew that would never have happened if Fletcher were still alive.
Now, people reported to her. Issues concerning the castle, the clan, and the villages. Folk expressed their grievances in front of her, and the men also respected her.
The chill in the air seeped into her as she sank into the tub, the water coming right up to her neck.
The respect was not bound to last. At the end of the day, this was their clan, and she was the stranger. She knew they would do anything to ensure the survival of the clan. And if that meant throwing out the stranger, they would not hesitate. It was completely up to her to think fast. And think fast she would.
She splashed water on her face, and then fully submerged herself before eventually stepping out of the tub. Water dripped down her body as she wrapped herself in a towel and headed to her room. She got ready in less than thirty minutes and stepped out, feeling refreshed and ready to face whatever the day threw at her.
And sure enough, the day’s hands were full.
Stella ran toward her, a nervous smile on her face.
The young girl had grown used to her over the past few months and even confessed to her one night that she would rather diethan remain in the castle without her. It made Keira wonder what Stella had gone through before arriving here.
“The apothecary is out of Laudanum. They intend to go fetch some more this morning,” Stella announced, her voice soft as she walked beside her mistress.
“Well, they should. The last thing we need is to run out of Laudanum. Why are ye telling me this?”
Keira was indeed in charge of the day-to-day running of the castle. But she was rarely informed about shortages of food or medicine. The people in charge would always take the initiative to get the missing items themselves. However, she could tell from Stella’s tone that whatever was happening was about more than just Laudanum.
“The market is near the border. The women dinnae want to go,” Stella added.
“Why nae?” Keira asked, even though she already knew the answer.
“They’re afraid that Laird Kincaid’s men might murder them.”
Keira drew to a halt outside the dining hall and turned to look at her maid. “They are afraid?”
“The councilmen havenae exactly been kind with their words. They have terrified these women into keeping still.”
Keira nodded and stepped into the dining hall. The tables were already laden with all sorts of food, from bread to cheese to edible wild berries.
“And what about ye, Stella? Are ye afraid of Lord Kincaid’s men?”
“I am nae.”
Keira turned around and gave her maid a piercing look, one that commanded her to speak the truth and nothing but the truth.
“Maybe a little,” Stella mumbled.
“’Tis normal for ye to be afraid. He killed thirty of our men in a week. I willnae underestimate him as well. But dinnae worry, we’re planning to negotiate with him.”
