Chapter 4
Great Hall, Henderson Land, Glencoe
Two days later, Kieranwas called to the Keep again on an urgent matter.
“I need a word in private,” Bram said.
“What is it, laird?” Kieran asked.
“I received a missive from an Abbess Murdina at Sadell Abbey.”
“What was it about?”
“Tis about Naomi, Yesenda’s friend from the abbey. Do you remember her?”
Kieran could already feel his hackles rising at the memory of the woman who annoyed the hell out of him the last time she visited. Still, he stayed calm when he replied, “Aye. How could I forget?”
“Well, it seems she will pass throughGlencoeand needs an escort to a nunnery or priory of some kind in Perthshire and then to Dunsinane.”
Kieran felt a strange emotion running through him at the thought of seeing her again. “She’ll be coming here?”
“Aye, and she needs protection.”
“Granted, she should not travel alone. But why does she need to go to Dunsinane?”
“I dinnae ken the why of it. Still, with our connection to the abbey through Yesenda, I think tis our duty to aid where we can.”
“Then you best find someone because the last time that infuriating woman left without a word,” Kieran replied.
Bram remained silent, watching Kieran. After several moments passed, Kieran stilled, giving him a wary expression until it sunk in. “Wait. Why are you telling me this?”
Bram cleared his throat. “Kieran, I ken how much you cannot stand the lass, but I dinnae trust anyone else to see to her safety, and seeing as you seek an audience with Macbeth in Dunsinane, tis logical that you travel together.”
Kieran shook his head and practically bellowed, “For the love of all things holy, no! I’ll not be escorting Nao—”
Bram slammed his palm over Kieran’s mouth and hissed, “Haud yer wheesht!I want to keep it quiet.” He looked around, ensuring no one overheard them, then removed his palm. “Kieran, if you dinnae agree to it now, Yesenda will insist she escort her friend. Iain will be hard pressed to stop her, then he will go as well. Tyra will invite herself along and Lachlan will go to keep Tyra safe. Then Sorcha will demand she go as well, because Lachlan is her favorite guardsman ... no offence. So that leaves me short two healers, two guards and my own bloody wife.”
Kieran glowered and folded his arms across his chest, but he already knew resistance was futile. There was no way Bram Henderson was allowing his beloved wife, Sorcha, to leave the Keep. That was the real reason for the subterfuge.
“Come on, Kieran. Surely it will not be too much of a task to protect one wee, harmless lass?”
Kieran snarled, resigned to his fate because he had seen it too many times in the past. Love did strange things to a man and his laird was no exception. Kieran vowed he would never succumb to the vile emotion because it made perfectly rational men stupid.
“All right, you dinnae need to blather on. I thought MacGregor lasses were a troublesome lot, but it seems these abbey wenches are theworst! I will take care of that infuriating banshee for the sake of the clan.”
