a thing might be contagious disturbed him. He had rarely revealed his thoughts even as a child. And, later, he had learned that it was safer to keep them to himself.
For one thing, he served a powerful royal prince who did not take kindly to having his actions or words discussed outside his presence. For another, his equally powerful enemy had ears in unexpected places, so one did not discuss one’s plans or anything else of import even in pleasant company unless one trusted the companion.
But now, Fin had a strong urge to tell her exactly what he was thinking and an even stronger one to kiss her thoroughly. He settled for kissing her cheek.
Her eyes widened as he did it, but he detected regret, too. The combination sent a surge of satisfaction through him, and something else, less pleasant.
“Don’t look at me like that, lass,” he said. “In troth, I’ve wanted to kiss you ever since I came out of the water this morning. But I should not have done it.”
“Well, don’t do it again!” Then, more gently she added, “I’ve enjoyed this walk with you, sir. But if my grandfather should hear even a hint of misbehavior on our part, he’ll not let me out of his sight again until you are safely gone.”
The dangerous moment had passed. He could not burden her with his problem, nor did he want to, but he felt no relief. Instead, a strong notion struck him that before long he would have to tell her the truth.
She would call him a coward when she learned that he had swum away from the battlefield at Perth, because anyone of sense would call him so.
At least, if she scorned him then, he would never have to reveal to her the sacred bequest that he had sworn to accept.
Chapter 6
When they returned to the castle, the midday meal was over and hours still remained until supper. Parting with Fin at the entrance and believing that he must be as hungry as she was, Catriona went down to the kitchen. Boreas followed her.
Because her rambles nearly always ended the same way, the cook was accustomed to her raids on his kitchen. He provided a sack with succulent slices from a leftover roast, two manchet loaves to eat with them, and scraps for Boreas.
Thanking him, she said, “This should stave off starvation till supper.” Then seeing Tadhg poking up the kitchen fire, she said, “Run up to the hall, lad, and tell Sir Finlagh that I have food if he is hungry. He’ll find me in the woods to the north.”
“Aye, I’ll tell him, m’lady,” the lad said, brushing ashes off his breeks. “Did they tell ye above that someone special be a-coming here anon?”
Hope leaped within her, “My lord father and my brothers?”
“Nay, nay, it be someone else,” Tadhg said. “Everyone be all secret-keeping about it, but he’ll likely be coming shortly, they say.”
“Do they say aught else about him?” she asked, amused by the lad’s ability to glean knowledge that he was not supposed to have.
“Aye, sure,” he said. “He comes from Perth and a host o’ men wi’ him. That will no please Himself, they say, ’cause he said the man shouldna bring so many.”
“Then is the one who comes here an enemy?”
“Nay, for the lads do be stirring their stumps so much to tidy up the place that ye’d think his grace the King were a-coming. But I asked, and he isna the one.”
Smiling, she thanked him, but he had stirred her curiosity. Recalling that Fin had ordered his equerry to Perth with a message, she suspected that his man must have let something slip. In any event, she was sure that Fin knew who was coming.
Clicking her tongue twice, she summoned Boreas, who hastily finished the last scrap the cook had given him and trotted after her.
“I have met your two men,” the Mackintosh said when a gillie admitted Fin to the inner chamber. “Your Ian Lennox told me that ye’ve a new tale to unfold.”
“Did he, sir?” Fin asked, drawing the stool up to the table, where the Mackintosh sat as he had before.
“Aye, but he said that the tale was not his to tell me. And since he did say that our Catriona was safe and I ken fine that two boats set out after men on our wall saw visitors approach ye, I’d wager that the pair of ye had an adventure.”