Bless him for not saying a word about last eve’s blunder in front of the men. Helen still held on to a thread of hope the argument hadn’t wormed its way through the castle gossips. “I am feeling very well, thank you.” Aside from the throbbing on the right side of my face and my gravelly voice. She held up her basket. “I usually visit the villagers in Kilchoan on Saturdays, but I cannot find Sir Grant anywhere.”
“Are you looking for him to provide an escort?”
“Aye.”
Eoin’s angled brows drew together. “Did you not know Sir Grant and most of the MacIain men sailed north for a sortie at dawn—ah—with your husband?”
Helen glanced up at the elderly guard on the wall-walk. “Aleck is away?” They always left the older sentries at the castle.
“Gone up to Sleat to inspect a report of suspicious activity.”
“That sounds rather dangerous,” she said absently, wondering whom else she would ask to escort her to town.
“No more so than sparring in the courtyard every day.” He pointed to his men. “My lads are taking a moment’s respite to sharpen their weapons.”
“Is that not a daily necessity?”
“Aye it is, especially to keep a man’s sword and dirk from rusting, however, pikes and battleaxes do not always receive the same care.”
She looked beyond Eoin to ensure they were out of earshot of his men. “Did you speak to Sir Aleck this morn?” she whispered.
His blue eyes squinted a little in the morning light. “For a brief moment. After a messenger arrived, he hastened away.”
“And said nothing about…” She rolled her eyes toward the keep.
“Nary a word.” He grinned. Blast, how his grin could unravel her wits. “Though I doubt he’d confide anything to me.”
“Fortunate, I suppose.” With a nod, Helen spotted Mr. Keith up on the wall-walk and waved to catch his attention.
“Ah,” Eoin’s deep voice rumbled behind her, oddly making gooseflesh rise on her skin. “If it would please your ladyship, I’d enjoy escorting you to the village this day.”
Mr. Keith waved. She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Is all well?”
“Aye, m’lady,” he hollered.
Normally Helen would never raise her voice, but she’d needed to act quickly. She returned her attention to Sir Eoin. “Why thank you. It would be an honor to be accompanied by the Chieftain of Clan Gregor. I’m sure the townsfolk would be very impressed indeed.”
He gestured forward with that handsome grin. “If you are ready, may I carry your basket?”
“My thanks.” Not even Sir Grant had offered to carry her basket on their many trips to the village.
Helen led the way along the path she’d traveled countless times. When sufficiently far enough away from the castle gates, she glanced over her shoulder to ensure no one else had followed. “What is the suspicious activity that was reported?”
“Nothing too alarming, just undue movement of galleys, similar to that which I saw with my men on our last sortie.”
“I do hope everyone will be all right.”
He ambled beside her with an easy stride. “I doubt there’ll be any altercation at all, m’lady. Sir Aleck wanted to see things for himself.”
Helen cringed at the mention of her husband. After last eve, she shuddered at what Sir Eoin must think of her.
They walked for a bit and he shifted the basket to his far arm. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of my men, but would you mind if I had a look at your bruises?”
Stopping, she clapped her hands either side of her linen wimple. She and Glenda had chosen it because silk would have been too sheer. “I wouldn’t want to take this off. Without my chambermaid, it would be difficult to secure it back in place.”
He smoothed his fingers atop the back of her hands. “We don’t need to take it off. I just would like to see the marks now that we’re in the light.”
“But why?” she asked. “Looking at them will not make them fade any faster.”
“No.” His eyebrows pinched as if he were very concerned. “However, there may come a time when I need to bear witness to Aleck’s treachery.”
That made her mouth go dry. Helen nodded and lowered her hands. Yes, people at the castle had made offhand remarks, but no one had ever alluded to helping her. The thought was rather terrifying, yet liberating. “Glenda said I looked awful.”
He examined the linen appreciatively. “She did a wonderful job with your wimple. No one will know.” He pulled out the right side and