Page 34 of How a Scot Surrenders to a Lady

“I’ll go,” Alex immediately offered.

Cameron raised an eyebrow at his friend. Alex was definitely an extremely skilled fighter who could move unseen, but he also was laird of the MacLean clan and had already risked his life many times to help not only Cameron but the whole MacLeod clan. Cameron shook his head. “I kinnae ask ye to risk yer life for me yet again.”

“Ye did nae ask,” he said matter-of-factly. “I offered. Besides,” he added in a rush as Cameron opened his mouth to protest, “I dunnae do it simply for ye. I offered because a betrayal of the king is a betrayal of all those who support him, including my clan.”

Nods of agreement came from Iain and Lachlan.

Alex’s words were true enough. Though King David had done several things lately that made Cameron and his brothers question if they would be able to continue to support David in the future, he was still their king. If the day came that they could not offer fealty any longer, they would tell David, as was honorable, before breaking away.

Cameron clapped Alex on the shoulder. “I welcome ye by my side.”

“Ye should take Broch, too,” Lachlan said. “The man moves through the shadows with the ease of a blind man.”

Cameron’s first instinct was to say no, but it was jealousy from earlier, and he well knew it. “Aye. I’ll take Broch. I wish Rory Mac were well, though. I’d take him if I could,” Cameron said, feeling the weight of guilt that his friend had been injured at all.

“Aye,” Lachlan agreed. “Thanks be to God that the fool is nae dead,” he added, smiling briefly, as they all did now that their friend’s fever had broken.

“What about Grant Macaulay?” Cameron suggested. “If he agreed to go it would be a great help. He was held prisoner at March’s castle and kens it well.”

“Not to mention it was March’s own servants who helped Grant escape,” Alex added.

“Aye, Grant would be an asset,” Lachlan said.

“It would mean a delay in leaving here in order to get word to Grant and await his reply,” Cameron said, “but I believe it would be worth the delay. The men who ambushed us had one intent—to kill Katherine, so that the king might bend to their wills. They will wait now, I believe, and see what the king will do. Do ye all feel the same?”

“Aye,” came a chorus of replies.

“Then ’tis agreed,” Cameron said, filled with relief. Here, it would be easier to avoid her, until he could build up a better resistance.

“If ye’ll all pardon me,” Iain said, “I need to attend to a tenant who was attacked by a wolf. I’ll likely be gone the night.”

“I’ll go with ye,” Cameron offered, glad for an excuse to put distance between himself and Serene.

Iain arched his eyebrows. “Ye need to train with Alex, Broch, and even Serene. Ye must all work as a smooth unit, and ye need to teach the lass to defend herself. Like it or nae, she’ll be with ye and will be either an asset or liability.”

“Lachlan can train her,” Cameron said, feeling uneasy about being with her.

Iain’s eyes narrowed. “Do ye feel ye kinnae control yerself around her?”

He knew his brother asked only out of concern, but the question made Cameron feel weak, lesser than his brothers. “Nay. I’ll stay and train her.” He would maintain iron control over his feelings even if it killed him to do so.

Sorcha entered the healing room, looking warily around for Bridgette and Lena, who she knew well distrusted and disliked her.

Marion emerged from a smaller inner room and smiled at first Sorcha and then Broch. She waved a hand to Broch. “You can leave.”

“My lady, Cameron ordered me to stay with her at all times.”

“I’m well aware,” Marion said with a sweet smile, “but I vow I’ll not let her out of my sight.”

When Broch did not move, she scowled at him. “Oh, fine! At least wait outside, if you will.”

Broch looked immediately to Sorcha, giving her an unmistakable questioning look. His concern warmed and worried her at the same time. She had tried to dissuade him, but she was not sure she’d done very well. When she gave a slight nod of the head, he immediately left. She watched him go, thinking upon how he was indeed a fine-looking man, but he did not stir her blood in the least. That was a relief, because the way Cameron had made her feel with his kisses had left her a little fearful that she had the heart of a wanton woman. Now she was sure her body seemed to want to be wanton for only one man.

When the door closed she faced Marion, surprised to find the woman carefully watching her. Marion set down the herbs she had been holding, wiped her hands, and then motioned to a chair. Sorcha sat, and Marion did the same, her steady probing gaze never moving away from Sorcha.

“It seems,” Marion said, “that ye have an admirer in Broch.”

The slowness of Marion’s words reminded Sorcha of the care one might take in testing water to see if it were too cold to swim in. Did Marion think there was something more there? Surely not! Hot embarrassment swept over Sorcha’s face and neck. She cleared her throat. “I tried to make clear to him that I did nae wish for his attention.”

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