"Is the bottom dirt or slippery stone?" she asked abruptly, peering at the dark surface of the lake.
"Dirt with small pebbles," he answered, his voice moving closer again. "It is no' slippery at all."
"Does the water drop off of a sudden or gradually deepen?"
"There are no sudden drops that I ha'e yet found," he responded and then asked, "Thinking o' swimming here?"
Saidh considered the possibility. It wasn't why she'd asked her questions, but the idea of stripping off her clothes and sinking into that cool, embracing water did sound tempting.
"Or trying to sort out if Allen drowned accidentally or was killed?"
That question made her whirl with dismay. "I'm quite sure Fenella did no' drown Allen."
"So am I."
Saidh blinked in surprise and then tilted her head. "Really?"
"Aye. There were no signs o' damage to the body. He was no' hit over the head or any such thing, and she is no' strong enough to have held him under. Besides, she was at the castle when it happened. Allen had ordered a bath fer her ere taking himself here. Several servants were needed to carry up the tub and water and then to take it away, and they all swear she was in their room. And just as many swear that she was at the table in the great hall after that. She could no' ha'e killed him."
Saidh let out a little breath of relief. While she'd said she was quite sure Fenella had not killed Allen, and while she'd been telling herself the same thing, she was almost ashamed to admit even to herself that some small part of her had still wondered. It was all because of Hammish. She kept seeing Fenella in the clearing, the man's blood on her hands. Of course, the deaths of her other two husbands between Hammish and Allen had not helped either.
"So you think Allen's death was just a tragic accident?" she asked solemnly
"I did no' say that," the MacDonnell said quietly and she peered at him wide-eyed.
"You do no' think 'twas an accident?"
"She could ha'e hired someone to do the deed," he pointed out solemnly.
Saidh began shaking her head at once. Her thinking that the abuse her cousin had suffered on her first wedding night had driven Fenella insane and turned her into some kind of husband-killing madwoman was one thing, but what he was suggesting was cold-blooded and preplanned. "Nay. I think she truly loved Allen."
"Do ye?" he asked curiously, and then admitted, "She claims to me that she did, but what else would she say?"
"I think she's being honest when she says it," she assured him, her voice firm.
"Why?" he asked.
Saidh briefly debated what she should tell him. She'd already confessed several of her own secrets to this man. For some reason, she trusted him, although she had no idea why. Perhaps he reminded her of her brothers. Still, she turned to peer out at the water before saying, "Fenella's first husband was quite rough with her on their wedding night. It left her terrified o' the marriage bed. Allen seemed to sense that about her and was verra kind. He did no' insist on consummating their marriage on their wedding night or any night afterward. He apparently told her that she need ne'er fear that he would touch her if she did no' want it."
"He ne'er claimed his marital rights?" the MacDonnell asked with disbelief. "I find that hard to believe. She is an attractive woman."
Saidh turned to face him and said firmly, "I believe her when she says he did no' claim them. She was too grateful fer it to be a lie."
He frowned and shook his head. "What about an heir? She would be expected to produce the next laird."
Saidh shrugged. "He apparently said that should she desire a child eventually, they would manage it in any way she chose. Perhaps he was giving her time to adjust to marriage and to learn to trust him."
The MacDonnell grunted at this, not looking convinced.
Saidh sighed. "I believe her, and I'm quite sure Fenella loved him fer it."
"She loved him fer not bedding her?" he asked dubiously.
Saidh nodded. "She also loved him because he was kind and considerate to her. She says he had the servants cut flowers and set them in water in their room fer her because he knew she liked them. That if he knew she wanted a bath, he would order it fer her at once rather than leave the task to her. That he bought her expensive fabrics fer gowns and lovely jewels. That he ordered cook ne'er to make the things she did no' like." She shrugged. "It sounds as if he--"
"Was too good to be true," the MacDonnell said grimly. "No man is that considerate. He sounds more a woman than--"
"What?" Saidh asked when he suddenly paused, his expression closing.
The MacDonnell hesitated and then shook his head. "Nothing."
Saidh frowned. He'd obviously thought of something, but while she trusted him enough to tell him her secrets, he apparently did not trust her with whatever he'd thought of.
"Can ye use that pig sticker?" he asked abruptly.
Saidh blinked and then glanced down to the sword at her waist when he gestured to it. A scowl immediately claimed her lips and she withdrew the sword from its sheath to show it to him. "It is no' a pig sticker. 'Tis a fine sword."
" 'Tis short," he said with amusement, taking the sword from her to run his finger along the blade and test its sharpness. His finger came away with a fine line of blood on it and his eyebrows rose in what she guessed was surprise.
"I am short," she snapped, snatching back the sword when he held it out. " 'Twas made to suit me."
"Aye, but can ye wield it or is it just a pretty bauble like the necklaces ye ladies like to wear?" he asked in a taunting voice.
Saidh narrowed her eyes on the man. "If ye had yer own sword here I'd show ye how well I wield it, MacDonnell."
"Hmmm." He considered her briefly and then walked over to collect a large, heavy-looking sword from a large boulder at the water's edge. He didn't raise it in battle, however, but merely smiled and suggested, "Meet me here after we break our fast and ye can show me then."
"Why not now?" she asked. Her blood was up and she was ready to battle right then.
"Because people shall wonder if we do no' soon return to break our fast," he pointed out, moving to mount a horse tethered to a tree several feet to the left of them.
Saidh stared at the large, dark animal with surprise. The beast had blended into the shadows cast by the trees and stood so silently she hadn't even noticed that it was there.
"Besides, I am hungry," he said with amusement as he turned the beast to face her. Tilting his head, he asked, "Can ye mount on yer own, or do I need to help ye?"
Saidh scowled at the arrogant man and slid her sword back into its sheath with a quick snap, then walked to her horse and hauled herself onto the saddle.
"I can see yer braies, me lady," the MacDonnell taunted as she settled astride her mare, her skirts rising to reveal her braies from the knees down.
"And I can see yer tarse," Saidh responded sweetly, and urged her mare out of the clearing as the man glanced down at himself with alarm. She'd been lying of course, his plaid had covered him properly, but his expression when he'd thought his penis was hanging out had been priceless.
A gusty laugh reached her through the trees as he realized her joke. It was followed by the drum of hooves as he set his stallion charging after her. Saidh promptly urged her mare to a gallop. She was determined to get back to the castle before him, but of course, that was impossible. She had a fine mare, but the MacDonnell's beast was absolutely huge. Its legs outstripped her mare's by almost double. She suspected her horse would look like a pony next to his stallion. Most horses would, she thought grimly as she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and realized he had not only caught up, but was about to pass her.
Saidh almost tried to gain more speed out of her mare to prevent that, but then eased up on the reins instead. She was not going to win this race anyway and would never abuse an animal in an effort to do so. Instead, she slowed down to a cant and let him charge past. Still, she was surprised when he slowed his own beast and fell back besid
e her.
"Ye ride well." He complimented her.
"I do," she agreed. "I fight well too. Ye'll be sorry fer yer challenge after we break our fast. I shall trounce ye."
"I shall look forward to yer trying," he said with a grin that made him ridiculously attractive.
Saidh scowled at the man, and then turned her face forward, determined to ignore him.
"Do ye like to dance?" he asked suddenly.
"Nay," she said succinctly, but wondered why he'd ask such a fool question.
"Do ye sing like a canary?"
"A canary with a broken neck," she responded.
"Can ye sew a stitch?"
"I sewed me brother up once, but then I was the one who cut him while we were practicing so it seemed only fair," she informed him with a wolfish smile. The truth was she could sew. She didn't even mind doing it. Sewing was a soothing activity, a good way to pass the time on a cold winter evening when ye were stuck inside with naught to do.
"Can ye . . ."
"Me laird," Saidh interrupted dryly.
"Aye?"
"I win," she announced and urged her mare to a gallop to charge over the drawbridge and through the gate into the bailey first. She heard another burst of laughter from behind her as she steered her mare toward the stables, and found herself smiling at the sound. But then was distracted when the stable master approached her as she reached the stables.
The man took the reins and grinned widely at Saidh as she slid from her mount. "Ye go on in and break yer fast, me lady. I'll take care o' yer beast."
Saidh hesitated, but when she glanced around to see Laird MacDonnell riding into the bailey at a canter, she nodded, murmured her thanks and started across the bailey at a quick clip, eager to get inside and seated before he could. She'd only taken half a dozen steps, however, when she was suddenly caught about the waist and hauled up into the air. Saidh squawked in surprise, and glanced around with amazement at the MacDonnell. She hadn't even been aware that he'd changed direction and come after her.
"Allow me to escort the winner to the castle door," he said smoothly against her ear as he settled her in his lap.
Saidh wanted to roar at him to put her down, but didn't want to draw attention in the busy bailey so almost swallowed her tongue in her determination to still it. She sat unmoving and silent, very aware that his arm clasped her just below her breasts, the top of it rubbing against the bottom of those sensitive globes with every shift of the horse's hooves. She was also excruciatingly aware of the heat of his chest against her back, and that she seemed enveloped in the clean, male scent of him. She was slower to realize though, that the hardness against her bottom appeared to be growing larger and harder by the moment.
"Me laird?" she asked sweetly.
"Aye?" he growled by her ear, his lips brushing the tender skin and sending a shiver up her back that just annoyed her.
"I think ye might be enjoying this just a tad too much," she informed him. "That, or I'm sitting on yer sword."
He chuckled, his breath brushing her ear again. "Yer just sore that I made ye turn away and ye didn't get to see me tarse as I came out o' the water."
Saidh flushed as she recalled the way she'd gawked at him earlier, but merely shook her head and snapped, "Ye'd like to think so."
"Oh, I know so," he assured her and then reined in and lifted her down off of his horse at the base of the stairs. He also let his hand slide along the underside of her breasts under cover of releasing her, and Saidh gasped at the sensations the action sent racing through her. It left her weak kneed and unsteady so that she stumbled as she started up the stairs. Managing to keep her feet beneath her, Saidh hurried up the steps and escaped into the great hall with relief.
The MacDonnell had an entirely bewildering effect on her. She had liked looking at him as he'd come out of the water, had told him things she'd told no one else, and yet every time he got near, these odd sensations rose up in her, heat racing through her body in a confusing rush that made her want to punch him. Well, okay, maybe she didn't really want to punch him, but her feelings were definitely aggressive. It was most bewildering.
"Saidh!"
She glanced around the hall, surprised to note that the room was awash with people. Most of them were seated at the trestle tables, breaking their fast, but several servants were bustling about and Murine was on her feet at the high table, waving her over.
"Thank goodness," Murine said on a sigh, hugging Saidh when she reached her. "I was beginning to worry we'd leave before ye came to break yer fast. I thought ye were still abed," she added with a frown as she released her.
"Nay, I didn't sleep well and woke just as the sun broke so decided to go fer a ride," Saidh admitted as she settled in the empty space next to her friend. Frowning, she asked, "So yer leaving after ye eat?"
"Aye. Montrose wants to make an early start. We've a long journey ahead o' us," Murine added grimly.
Saidh eyed her friend's pinched face with concern. She knew Murine was not looking forward to living in England with her brother, and could not blame her. She disliked the man a great deal and suspected he would make Murine's life a misery without even trying. He had already proven himself to be a cold, heartless bastard by not sending for her when her father died so that she could attend the funeral.
That was something Saidh couldn't even imagine her own brothers doing. And not just because she'd have run her sword through them if they'd dared. They wouldn't even have considered it themselves. But then her brothers were good men. Montrose just wasn't, from what she could tell.
"Mayhap you could stay here until I leave," she said suddenly.
Murine glanced to her with surprise. "What?"
"Well, Lady MacDonnell seems to hate me, but she definitely seemed to like you well enough. Ye could stay and be a buffer between us until . . ." Saidh trailed off, a frown claiming her lips. She didn't know how to finish that. She had no idea how long she would be staying. Fenella had begged her not to go and she had agreed, but--Saidh suddenly glanced along the table in search of the woman. She'd hoped Fenella would leave her room for meals at least now that she was there. However, there was no sign of her.
"If 'tis your cousin ye're looking for, I think she took her meal in her room," Murine said quietly, and then added, "At least I saw a maid slipping into a room with a tray o' food on me way down. I do no' ken if 'twas her room, but I ken it was no' the master bedchamber and since e'eryone else is here it must ha'e been."
"Oh," Saidh murmured. She supposed it had been too much to hope that her presence would lure her cousin below. However, if Fenella stayed in her room all the time, why did she want her to stay at all? Cripes, she hoped her cousin wasn't expecting her to stay stuck up there in her room with her all day long. She couldn't stand that.
"Thank ye fer the offer," Murine said suddenly, distracting Saidh from her thoughts. "But I think 'tis better that I just travel on with Montrose." She smiled wryly and added, "I'm no' at all sure he'd agree to send an escort back to bring me home later."
"Me brother would arrange an escort fer ye," Saidh said solemnly.
"Aye, I ken." Murine smiled sadly, and then pointed out, "But this is no' yer home, Saidh. Ye can no' jest invite me to stay."
"Oh, aye," Saidh muttered, peering down at the trencher that had appeared before her between then and the last time she'd looked. The servants here were quick and quiet, she noted.
"Besides, Lady MacDonnell does no' hate ye. I talked with her last night and explained how sweet and kind ye are."
"Sweet and kind?" Saidh asked with a wince.
"Ye are," Murine said firmly. "Why jest look how ye cut yer visit short with Joan to come see that Lady Fenella was all right. And this when ye'd had no idea that she'd e'en married again once, let alone three times. 'Twas sweet and kind," she insisted, and then added, "And I told Lady MacDonnell that."
Saidh grimaced at the news.
"I think ye'll find she looks on ye much more kindly now."
"Well, that's something then," Saidh said with mild amusement, and then glanced sharply toward the door when it opened. She wasn't surprised when the MacDonnell entered. She was surprised, however, by the small storm of reaction that seeing him walking toward her caused in her body. It was like the great hall at Buchanan when she and her brothers had raced through playing one of their games. They had run about madly, jumping and tumbling this way and that, sending things flying and banging about the room like a storm before racing out again with Cook or some other servant chasing after them, shouting their heads off. Her body was presently the great hall and all the liquids in her body were she and her brothers causing an uproar.
"Laird MacDonnell is verra handsome," Murine said suddenly beside her.
Saidh merely grunted and turned her face down to her trencher as she tried to control her body's response to him.
"What is his first name, do ye ken?" Murine asked curiously.
Saidh shook her head. She hadn't a clue.
" 'Tis Greer."
Saidh stiffened as the MacDonnell breathed that by her ear. Straightening slowly, she turned to see that he stood directly behind her.
"Rear?" she asked, managing a blank expression. " 'Tis an odd name to give a boy."
"Oh dear," Lady MacDonnell's amused voice drew her head around to see the woman approaching the table from the doors leading to the kitchens. "No dear. His name is Greer. Greer. Not rear."
"Oh." Saidh smiled apologetically, even blinking her eyelashes innocently as if she'd truly misheard the name. "Well that sounds much better."
"Aye, it does," Lady MacDonnell agreed with amusement.
Feeling the heat at her back withdraw, Saidh chanced a glance around at Greer as he moved along the table toward the chair in the center. Much to her irritation, he looked amused rather than offended at her feigned misunderstanding of his name. Really, that smug smile just made her want to punch him . . . or not. She really didn't understand her reaction to the man.
"Saidh?"
"Hmm?" She turned to peer at Murine questioningly.
"I think ye'd best be careful while here," Murine said quietly.
"Careful o' what?" Saidh asked with surprise.
Murine hesitated and then admitted, "I had the oddest sensation along me arm when Laird MacDonnell stood behind ye. It was like there was some kind o' heat bouncing between ye. I'm thinking mayhap ye'd do best to avoid being alone with him while yer here."