Page 60 of Highland Guard
“Seeing the lad looking so lost. He needs a man in his life, and with his father dead, I just feel like I led her and the lad on.”
“I can tell you now, you did no such thing. So, what do you do when you visit her cottage?”
“Well, I eat the meals she prepares for me, and I spend time with the lad. Tis nothing harmful or untoward about it.”
Rory scoffed at him. “Are you daft? Itisharmful. You’re now a married man, Kieran. You should not be eating at another woman’s table, enjoying her smiles and hospitality while your wife sits at home wondering where you are.”
“Haud yer wheesht,tis not like that. Besides, I plan on explaining everything to Naomi once I’ve had time to do it. I love my wife; I would never play her false, but with this, I need to tread carefully. There’s a young lad involved.”
“Mark my words, Kieran, Clara means to steal you away from your wife and you’re falling right into that trap you, daft prick.”
“Rory, shut up and drink your ale, you stupid asshole.”
***
FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, it was Naomi’s turn to avoid her husband completely. She stopped cooking him meals, stopped engaging in conversation and kept her distance in return. If he was in one part of the Keep, she would make herself scarce in another. If he came home during the day, she made an excuse to leave. She needed to process her thoughts and decide what to do in the future.
Kieran walked home late in the evening, and he knew Naomi was avoiding him. He felt a widening gap growing between them. Worst of all, he knew it was his fault. He was hoping to talk to Naomi and explain things about Clara, but lately he was busy with constant repairs that Clara or Timothy needed done around their cottage. Every time he tried to refuse, she would just burst into tears about how hard life was for them and he would feel guilty.
Kieran entered his cottage and was at once hit with a gnawing feeling in his gut. There was no smell of delicious food cooking, no fire burning, no lamps lit and no sign of his wife. He gritted his teeth in frustration because the least the woman could do was to be home when he needed to apologize. Several more days went on in this manner, and Kieran was done. He was livid and hell bent on hunting down his wife and having a major talk.
***
NAOMI WOKE UP ALONEin a small room within the Keep. Once she washed and dressed, she was ready to help the seamstress for the day. She hated being idle and if she was not training with the clanswomen and their bairns; she was helping around the Keep.
It was while she was bent over her sewing that she felt a presence in the doorway.
“Naomi?”
She raised her head to see Kieran’s imposing presence. “Why are you here? I thought you were working at the Keep wall.”
Kieran noticed the light had gone out of her eyes. She had dark smudges under them, and she looked so distant.
“I have the day off. I wanted to take you for a picnic by the loch,” he replied.
“Mayhap you should take Clara. I am busy.”
Kieran gritted his teeth at her response. He didn’t want Clara; he wanted his own damned wife with a passion, and she was sitting there treating him like a total stranger. Instead of trying to placate her, his temper got the better of him and he lashed out.
“She is a helpless widow with a son who needs the guidance of a man. Dinnae be so mean spirited you would not allow me some time to spend with a fatherless boy.”
Naomi slammed down her sewing on the table and replied, “I would never be so heartless as to deny a young lad your time. I ken you courted his mother, and mayhap if you had not needed to move to Henderson Keep, you would still be together and possibly married by now. I ken it Kieran MacKenzie, I do. But as yourwife,it would have been good to hear all this information from you first,” she shouted.
“I did not want to marry her; I did not love her, and we parted ways before I left. All of which I would have told you had you not been avoiding me for several days,” he roared.
“Oh, I see. So tis all right for you to remain distant with me but not the other way around, is it?”
Their eyes clashed and Kieran saw it then, hurt and dismay shining right back at him and even a flash of jealousy. For the first time in several days, he smiled. “Are you jealous?” he asked.
“Dinnae be daft. Why would I be jealous? I dinnae even like you. You forced me into this marriage, and I sorely regret it now.” Naomi spoke out of turn, wanting to lash out. But too late, she noted Kieran’s expression. It was shuttered and his smile vanished.
“Kieran, I dinnae mean it I’m sor—”
“No, you’ve said enough. I think tis best I go before I say something I’ll regret.”
Naomi watched him slam the door on his way out.
***
