True to the Highlander(64)

“Mayhap.” Galen shrugged. “She’s a woman. What do I ken about how a woman reasons?”

Liam grunted. “What do any of us ken about how a woman reasons?” He’d been charged with keeping her safe, and he would. How to do so had been left up to him. “Galen, mayhap ’twould be best to let her continue to hunt. Malcolm wants her to remain on the island behind the curtain wall, but I see no harm being done here. Being occupied thus will keep her mind off worrying about him.”

“Malcolm will be displeased.”

“Aye.” He grinned. “He will. Certainly he would prefer she hunt than to make herself ill pining away for him in her chamber.” Besides, Liam admired her skill, and he enjoyed a good coney stew. ’Twas good she kept busy. He’d been concerned when she’d taken to her bed for two days and nights. This seemed the perfect solution.

With a constant guard in the hills surrounding their village, they would have fair warning if an enemy approached. It would be a simple matter to get True back to her boat and to the island now that he knew her exact location. Curiosity overwhelmed him. “What will she hunt next, do you think? Wild boar?” He laughed aloud at the picture in his mind.

“I hope not.” Galen shot him a look of alarm. “Malcolm will have our testicles for it if we let her risk such a thing.”

“Yours maybe.” He grinned at Galen. “I’ve always been able to outrun him. We’ll post a guard, only men we trust. See to it, Galen, and instruct them to keep their distance. We canna have any of them see her disrobe. Form a perimeter of safety unobtrusively. I’ll take a turn when I can get away from my duties.” He looked around the neat, efficient hunting camp one more time, bid Galen follow and walked back into the shadows of the forest. Shaking his head again, he wondered how Malcolm would react to all of this. Liam looked forward to finding out.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN



In the fortnight since he’d discovered True’s hunting camp, Liam had been surprised to learn that everyone working in the keep knew what she was up to. They also knew Malcolm had forbidden her to leave the confines of the curtain wall. And yet, not one of them had come forward to tell him of her daily forays to the mainland.

She had their loyalty.

Their cook, Molly, even went so far as to leave breakfast out each morn for her and Hunter. Even more amusing, they all blamed Malcolm, referring to True as the “puir lass,” whom he’d left without first providing for her needs. Putting the last tally down on his inventory, he shook his head and smiled as he left the buttery. The whole situation had become ludicrous.

Entering the great hall from the rear of the keep, Liam heard True’s name mentioned. He recognized the voice of Angus’s wife, Alice, and stopped to listen.

“You ken what we must do, Margaret,” Alice said.

“Aye. There’s nothing for it but to find our Lady True a proper husband. I had thought Malcolm would claim her. Though she has no dowry, he certainly seemed inclined.”

“Margaret,” Alice scolded. “He’s the one who caused her to labor as she has in the first place. Nay, to my way o’ thinkin’, young Robley’s our man. My Angus told me he declared for her the day our clan found her.”

“Humph, he’s a womanizing rapscallion, that one. I say Liam is the best choice for our Lady True. He’s always been the more responsible of Robert’s two lads. A finer man you couldna find. And comely as well.”

“Mayhap, but Robley is willing.”

“Ye’ve a point there,” Margaret conceded.

Liam ran his hand over his face and backed away. His amusement turned to dismay. No doubt his little brother would embrace their plan with fervent enthusiasm. Even if he wasn’t serious, he’d go along with it to goad Malcolm.

For certes, Liam was in a bind. If he procured furs and hides for True, putting an end to her need to hunt, the keep would be rife with speculation he wanted her for himself. And it would make no difference that he claimed to do so on Malcolm’s behalf. His people loved to gossip. In their minds, such a scenario would surely lead to an entertaining confrontation between him and Malcolm for True’s hand—more fodder for their wagging tongues.

Pretending that he didn’t know where True went every morning put him under an enormous strain. No one said a word about the fresh venison and coneys they ate each night for supper. Even his Aunt Lydia turned a blind eye.

Liam left the keep through the kitchen, avoiding the curious looks sent his way by Molly and her assistants. He hoped Malcolm would return soon. He hadn’t seen his own Lady Mairen in over a month, and he longed to lose himself in her sweet embrace.