The Highlander's Destiny (Highland Rogues #2) - Mary Wine Page 0,28
From head to toe, she felt drawn in closer to him. Her heart was racing once more, and she was fingering the fabric of her skirt because she just couldn’t seem to stay still.
But there was a step behind them. A heavy footfall as someone came toward the doorway. Cora turned around, but Faolan stepped in front of her. He extended his arm, pushing her back a pace as he took up a position half in front of her.
He was shielding her.
Cora didn’t have time to ponder the reason. A man arrived in the doorway. There were three feathers sticking upright on the side of his knitted cap, declaring him the Laird of the McKay.
Faolan reached up and tugged on the corner of his own cap.
“Ye know full well I do nae grant ye liberty to come to this stronghold whenever ye please,” Laird McKay began. He was half out of breath from how quickly he’d come. He shook his head, his lips pressed together in anger. “I’ve half a mind to send ye on yer way, dark night be damned.”
Laird McKay had come into the room, several Retainers flanking him.
“Chief McKay was very kind to escort me here.” Cora stepped around Faolan’s extended arm. “I know me brother will be grateful for the assistance of the McKay.”
Cora spoke with all the smoothness her tutors had taught her. Her back was straight, and her chin level. On her face was an expression which was both poised and smooth, her true feelings hidden completely beneath an expression of serenity.
She detested being so fake, and yet, it appeared there were times which called on her to be so.
Laird McKay shifted his attention to her. He did it with a jerk of his head, appearing to have not even noticed her in the room at all.
Faolan grabbed a handful of the back of her skirts to keep her from moving closer to Laird McKay.
The tension between the two men was clear enough.
“Cora. Cora Mackenzie.” A woman glided into the room. There was a swish from her skirts as she made it through the doorway. Her cheeks were flushed, but she fluttered her eyelashes as though she hadn’t just been rushing.
“Yer brother will be so pleased to hear ye are well.”
Noreen Grant was wearing a dress far too fine for the Highland weather. The silk was crisp and held out from her body by a farthingale. Her hair was dressed with ribbons and perfectly arranged on her head. Cora had never met Noreen, but she certainly knew who the McKay laird’s wife was.
“I received a letter just this morning about how ye had gone missing,” Noreen continued as she came forward and grasped Cora’s hand to pull her away from Faolan. “My heart is so much lighter now that I see ye are well. However did ye come to be at the McKay towers?”
“A violent storm took my party by surprise. My horse was swept right out from under me, and we both went away with the flood. The fact that I am well is solely due to Chief McKay’s assistance,” Cora said firmly. Her temper was steaming. The way the couple seemed intent on throwing Faolan into the night, rubbing her raw.
Noreen’s eyes narrowed. But only for a moment before she was fluttering her eyelashes once again. “Faolan is a credit to the McKays for certain. Come with me, dear, and we shall get ye settled.”
Noreen had taken her hand, but Faolan still had a grip on the back of Cora’s skirt. For a moment, she was caught between them. But Faolan released her, allowing Noreen to tug her away.
“We’ll leave the men to their business,” Noreen declared softly.
Cora stopped and faced off with Laird McKay. She performed a perfect reverence, touching one foot in front of her before placing it behind her and bending the knee to lower herself before him. “I will be certain to tell me brother how grateful I am to Chief McKay.”
Laird MaKay’s eyes squinted. He didn’t miss the warning in her words.
Honey-coated words…
The weapons of a lady were often considered insignificant against the greater strength and authority of men, but Cora watched her words hit true to target. A moment later, she was being tugged through the doorway. Out in the passageway, more McKay Retainers were clustered about. There was a full dozen there.