A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,165

see who would interrupt them.

Carrie stood in the hallway with a tray of food, and one of the lads from the stable behind her held a jug and two cups.

“We’ve brought your breakfast, a bit standard for us, but I assure ye supper will be delightful. And we’ve got a mid-morning Christmas treat too. Are ye planning to dine in your chamber this evening as well?”

“Aye.” Thane’s mouth watered at the simple fair. Lord, but he was starving. If he recalled correctly, the butter here last time was surprisingly good.

“All right, good then. When ye finish, if ye like, I can show ye the Chamber of Sorrow.” Carrie beamed a smile at them and shifted on her feet.

“Hmm,” Thane said. “We’ll consider it.”

Sarah was beside him then, her hand on his arm. “We’d love to see it. Perhaps with a bit of food, my husband will be more cheerful.” She nudged him in the elbow as if she were the one in charge of their current circumstances.

Thane raised a brow and forced a smile that appeared genuine. “I do apologize. I’m starved, and I tend to get a bit grouchy when I’m hungry,” he explained.

“Och, dinna we all,” Carrie said with a laugh. She pushed past them into their chamber and placed the tray of food on the table, then took the jug and cups from the lad. “Feel free to leave the tray on the floor outside the chamber when ye’re done. The lads will come by soon to collect it.”

When Carrie had left, Thane shut the door and stared at Sarah, who was pouring ale into the cups and setting out the food.

“Why are ye being so agreeable?” he asked. “I abducted ye. I am dangerous.”

Sarah glanced up from where she’d placed a spoon in Thane’s porridge, beside the melting ball of butter.

“Why are ye dangerous?” she asked, studying him from head to toe. He was large; there was no doubt. Tall and muscular, where his sister had been small. A few faint scars, and a nose that had been broken more than once, showed he was a warrior, and the mere fact that he was still alive was proof he could handle himself. But that didn’t frighten her. If anything, it made her feel safe.

Mayhap she was mad. For he did have a point.

He stalked forward, the way a predator hunted prey.

Instead of being scared, she found herself wanting to meet him halfway. Mayhap they weren’t getting enough air in this chamber.

“Your family is responsible for Thea’s death.”

Sarah nodded. She’d been waiting for him to say those words. They gave her something else to focus on besides the way her heart was beating wildly against her ribs. “Come, let’s eat while we talk.”

The way he grimaced, she thought he would disagree, and her stomach growled in protest, but he did come forward and take the stool opposite the one she’d claimed.

“Thea was—” she started, but he interrupted her.

“How dare ye say her name?” He stabbed his spoon into the nearly melted butter.

“She was my friend.” Sarah boldly met his gaze. “My brother, Jon, loved her.”

Pain flickered in Thane’s eyes, and doubt. He likely didn’t know whether or not he could believe her, and she understood why.

Sarah swirled the golden, dissolving lump of butter around her porridge. “I loved her, too. She brought life to our clan. Added light where there was darkness. Jon had been so disparaged by what was happening in Scotland—we all were—but she gave him hope.”

She put down her spoon, suddenly unable to take a bite. Instead, she took a sip of bitter ale.

Thane did the same, gulping the entire contents of his cup and then refilling it. “What happened?”

The fact that he asked her that showed he expected to hear the truth from her, and she was more than willing to give it.

“I might be a traitor to Edward and Ellyson for telling ye this, Thane, but I dinna believe that I’d be betraying Jon, or Thea or our clan for that matter. After we lost Jon at the Battle of Culloden, my brothers…they decided to rule the clan together. One in charge of the common people and one in charge of our soldiers.” Here she paused. “But it started even before then. They were always arguing with Jon over edicts he’d implemented or new ways of doing things. They hated that Thea was beloved by the clan, that a lot of the changes happening had started with her. She was brilliant, but