Mairin frowned and stared over at Alaric. “If he tries to fight, ’twill take more than one man to hold him. Perhaps I should call for Ewan and Caelen both.”
Keeley’s lips twisted in distaste. Mairin laughed softly. “Caelen is truly a good sort. I used to swear the man did nothing but frown. He’s really not so terrible once you’ve grown accustomed to his manner.”
“Manners? He has none,” Keeley muttered.
Mairin’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “I like you, Keeley …” Then she frowned. “By what family name are you called?”
Keeley froze and refused to meet Mairin’s gaze. She could feel the other woman assessing her, probing her with her stare. She glanced down at her hands and twisted them in her lap.
“McDonald,” she whispered. “I used to be, but no more. Now I just call myself Keeley.”
“McDonald?” Mairin echoed. “Oh dear. I wonder, does Ewan know he’s stolen the healer from the clan Alaric was to be laird over?”
Keeley’s head snapped up. “Laird? But the McDonalds have a laird.” She should know. The bastard was directly responsible for her banishment. If something had happened to the worm, shouldn’t she know? Was she forever doomed to live on the outside of her family? Never welcomed to their hearth and into their fold?
Tears burned her lids and she’d be damned before she’d let a single one fall. The lot of them could rot, Gregor McDonald included. Especially Gregor McDonald.
“ ’Tis a long story,” Mairin said with a sigh. “Alaric’s marriage to Rionna McDonald has been arranged. He was traveling to McDonald keep to make it official and formally ask for Rionna’s hand. Laird McDonald has no male heir and he wants the man Rionna marries to take the mantle of leadership.”
Married to Rionna. Her childhood friend. Her only friend. But she, like everyone else, had turned their back on Keeley. It shouldn’t still hurt her, but it did. Keeley had dearly loved her cousin and friend. She still occupied a special place in Keeley’s heart, and she missed her sorely.
She glanced over at her sleeping warrior. Her warrior. Nay. He belonged to Rionna. How fitting that a man she’d allowed herself to spin girlish fantasies about was forbidden to her. If any of the McDonalds knew that Keeley had given sanctuary to Alaric, the accusations would abound once more.
“Did I say something wrong?” Mairin asked softly.
Keeley shook her head. “So he is to be married to Rionna.”
“Aye. Come spring. ’Tis a fact I hate the idea of Alaric leaving our lands, but ’tis a good opportunity for him to have something of his own. A clan to lead. Lands to own. Children to pass on his legacy to.”
It was silly, the sadness that crept into her chest. She had naught but ridiculous fantasies of a strong, fit warrior riding into her life and sweeping her away.
“I better tell Ewan what he has done,” Mairin said in a worried voice. “He must set this to rights.”
“Nay!” Keeley said as she shot to her feet. “I am not claimed by the McDonald clan. Truly. No one will miss me. ’Tis true I have healing skills and I am sought out regularly by some of the McDonald clan, but I don’t live within their walls. I am free to go where I please.”
Mairin regarded her with open curiosity. “If you have such a gift, they would be fools not to keep you. Why do you no longer call yourself McDonald?”
“ ’Twas not my choice,” Keeley said in a low voice. “I didn’t turn my back on my clan. They turned their back on me.”
They were interrupted when Maddie swept back into the room bearing a trencher of food. She set it on the small table a mere foot from where Keeley stood.
“There now, eat up, lass. You must keep your strength up as well if you are to tend to Alaric through the night.”
As hungry as she’d been, Keeley found she no longer had an appetite after learning of Alaric’s impending marriage. Still, she forced herself to eat and found that the fragrant stew and fresh-baked bread was the best meal she’d had in longer than she could remember.
“I’ll go summon Ewan and Caelen,” Mairin said. “Come, Maddie. Leave Keeley to her meal. She has an arduous task ahead of her.”
The two women traipsed out the door, leaving Keeley alone with Alaric. Keeley’s gaze traveled over the lean, hard lines of the sleeping warrior.
“Why couldn’t you have belonged to another?” she whispered. “Rionna is the sister of my heart, no matter that she betrayed me. It shouldn’t hurt me that you are betrothed, but I find the disappointment almost too keen to bear. I know you not, but you have fast found a place in my heart.”
Alaric stirred and opened his eyes, the green startling her with its brilliance. For a long moment he stared as if he had no understanding of who she was or where he was.
Then his lips moved and he whispered, so soft she almost didn’t hear. “Angel. My angel.”
Chapter 9
It seemed that Keeley had no sooner laid her head on her pillow than a knock sounded loudly at her door. She opened her eyes and blinked to try and orient herself.
It had to be near to dawn. She’d spent two hours meticulously cleaning and restitching Alaric’s wound with the aid of his two brothers. She’d been bleary-eyed and near unconscious by the time she’d stumbled to her chamber.
She was tempted to pull the pillow over her head and ignore the summons at the door, but before she could do anything, it burst open.
She yanked the covers to her chin despite the fact she was fully clothed and stared in irritation at her intruder—or intruders, she should amend.