breezed into the room like a wave of fresh, springtime air. A grin quirked his lips at seeing her before she shut the door, bolting it.
“What a delightful surprise. Have you come to sweep me up in your arms and make reckless love to me?”
If only he could, but that would have to wait. “Nay, not yet, but come here. I need ye.”
She went willingly into his arms, and he breathed deep her scent. He sat his chin on top of her head, pulling her close. “What have ye been doing all day, lass? The last time I saw ye you were heading into the village.”
Kenzie pulled out of his arms and he missed her immediately. Untying her cloak, she wouldn’t meet his eyes as she laid the garment over the one chair that sat before the now roaring fire.
“I wasn’t up to anything bad if that’s what you are asking. I just went for a walk. With my maid.”
“Hmm,” he said, wondering why she didn’t want to tell him what she was really up to? Did she think he would stop her from continuing her plan that she was on? “Kenzie, look at me.” Reluctantly, she did. “What are ye doing, love?”
She sighed. “I’ve been trying to prepare the village, your people, should anything happen to you. Not that I’ve been coming out and saying their laird is under threat and could possibly be hurt in the next month, but just a little bit on how they can go to Gwen and Braxton, or even Laird Macleod for help. To think about where they ought to go should the town come under attack or where they could hide in the house. Building a cellar or something similar, to keep the children safe.”
Ben rubbed his jaw. “When the castle goes under attack, not that I think any such thing will happen in the foreseeable future, the women and children are always sent for the hills to hide within the forest. They know to wait for it to be safe before returning. The men help fight. The town—this castle and Clan Ross will stand for many years to come. There has been no sign of threat from anywhere and I’ve increased the guards and lookouts. If there are any coming, we’ll be ready for them.”
“What if they’re already here, Ben?” She kneeled before him.
“’Tis not Clan Grant.”
“But what if it is? What if they want all of this for your son, but not you. If they remove you, they have all of this until Alasdair comes of age.” She paused, biting her lip, and he clasped her cheek, making her look at him.
“What are ye thinking now in that brilliant mind of yers?”
“I hope, I do—with all my heart—that I’m wrong and no threat knocks on your door. I hope that my arrival here has skewed history in some way, stopped what happened to you. But if not, you need to be ready and willing to see that perhaps the threat is already close and that’s why you’ve not heard anything from your guards.”
Ben watched the flame lick the wood. Could Kenzie be right? Could Clan Grant want Castle Ross for themselves, or at least the fertile land and his cattle? But why… “It makes no sense for Clan Grant to want me dead. I’m an ally, related by my son and have done nothing to them to raise their ire. If they’re in trouble I would help, and I would expect the same help in return. We are family.”
“You seduced the laird’s daughter, ran off with her, and married her without so much as a care toward her father to see if it was okay. Maybe the laird has calmed down after all these years, but Evan Grant seems pissed off with you most of the time. That’s not normal, surely.”
What Kenzie said was true and could be a reason to prepare for an attack from within the walls. Kenzie had told him that Castle Ross was burned to the ground after the attack. He would be a simpleton should he ignore anything that she suggested. The lass was educated, certainly a very smart woman, and with her help, mayhap he could outsmart the villain. “Nay, ’tis not normal, but Even Grant has never cared for others, so to take offense over anything that he says would be of no help. But I shall speak to Bruce, tell him of my concerns and put in place the appropriate measures to