The Highlander's Destiny (Highland Rogues #2) - Mary Wine Page 0,26
wasn’t young. No, her blue eyes held a generous amount of experience and frank understanding.
Brynna laughed softly. She sat down and grabbed a spoon. “Well, now. Today is far more interesting than I might ever have imagined.”
Whatever else she might have said was cut off as she began to eat.
Cora filled another bowl for herself. The pot of stew would be her last offering to the men of the remote tower. She wanted to linger over eating it, draw out her final moments here.
Why?
She didn’t have a good answer.
“According to the women back home, Chief McKay is a cold man,” Brynna remarked as Cora turned to face her. Brynna pointed her spoon at Cora. “It would seem ye have undermined his icy demeanor.”
“I’ve done no such thing,” Cora defended herself.
Brynna smiled. “He’s nearly tripping over his own feet in a rush to get ye away from here.” She scraped the bowl again. “There is only one reason a man like him would be in such a state.”
Cora had just filled her mouth. She swallowed too fast and ended up feeling like her throat was stretched. “Nonsense.”
But Gainor appeared in the doorway. “Chief says to hurry.”
The McKay Retainer had a resigned look on his face. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he savored the scent of the kitchen. When he let his breath out, it was a long, low sound of lament.
Cora struggled to keep her face from betraying her feelings as she dressed for travel. Her temper came to the rescue, flickering to life as she walked toward the doorway. Faolan was there, working to saddle a mare.
It was time to go.
Logically it was a sound idea.
So why did she feel so torn? Like leaving the tower was nearly impossible to endure?
Gainor and the other McKay Retainers were clustered around the yard. They appeared so forlorn, even the stern look Faolan sent them wasn’t enough to make them disperse.
Their chief’s determination didn’t make much of a difference, though. They watched as Cora and Brynna came down the last few steps and mounted. They tugged on their caps before Faolan, and two other Retainers led them out of the yard. They set a brisk pace. But the mare took to it, clearly hoping to reach a warm stable before nightfall.
Cora looked back at the tower. It was stark and remote. But so very essential. No one would be able to pull boats up onto the beach below without being seen. Riders might be sent toward the main McKay stronghold while the tower would keep the men manning it safe until the McKay Retainers might return to defend their ground. In the spring, when ships sailed toward the north countries and others came down toward England, such a defense was necessary.
A lonely duty.
It had truly been her privilege to share it.
She straightened up in the saddle, lifting her face up so the wind dried the tears flooding her eyes. Faolan hadn’t asked for her to stay.
Do ye want him to ask ye?
She pondered it long and hard along the ride toward the stronghold. Why shouldn’t she think it over? She had never felt so jumbled. The sheer intensity of her emotions fascinated her. It was as though she’d been living inside an egg and just emerged in the last couple of days to discover that there was an entire world beyond what she knew. Desires and needs were like seeds inside her that wanted to grow stronger until she opened her wings and fledged like an eaglet.
Spreading her wings to fly.
At last, she realized that the outing to see Rolfe had, in fact, had a profound effect upon her. Perhaps not in the way her brother might have hoped for. There was no spark of attraction between her and the Munro laird. What Cora had discovered was an end to her patience. She was contracted to Cormac Grant? Well, since the man had not sent her even a single letter, she would demand an end to the matter. She’d make it known she was accepting suit and see who came to meet her. Or at least sent letters of introduction so she might be matched with someone she’d be content with.
Her choice was firmly made. She felt lighter, and yet, she couldn’t stop herself from staring at Faolan’s back. The odd fascination she had for him was still there. In spite of the sting from her pride over the haste in which he was taking her down to the McKay stronghold.