Read Online Highland Solution by Ceci Giltenan - Free Book Online Page A

near the door. Malcolm cleared his throat.
    “Lady Katherine,” he said, “I think it is time for us to formally meet. I am Laird Malcolm MacLennan, your host,” and he made a small bow. A tall, lean man who looked to be about two score and ten years old, Malcolm had jet black hair with grey temples and hazel green eyes. He wore a well-trimmed graying beard and mustache.
    Katherine sat in one of the two chairs by the hearth, and Tomas, suddenly quiet, crawled into her lap. “Laird MacLennan, I am very pleased to meet you. I am so sorry to have been such a nuisance.”
    “My dear,” he smiled warmly, “Ye are certainly not a nuisance. I considered Laird Alastair MacIan to be my closest friend, as close as a brother, really. His family is always welcome in my home. Niall and Fingal are like nephews to me. Isn’t that right, Fingal?”
    “Aye, Laird, ye always make us most welcome here.” Katherine thought she heard a coolness in Fingal’s response.
    Malcolm said, “Not still arguing with Niall, are ye?” then to Katherine, “these lads.” Malcolm shook his head in mock frustration. “Have ye ever known two brothers to be so different?”
    Malcolm walked farther into the room and stood near the chair in which Katherine sat. It meant she had to look up at a rather sharp angle to see him. Katherine felt momentarily wary, but Malcolm was a close friend of Niall’s and she realized she was being silly. She answered, “I really couldn’t say, Laird. I met them for the first time barely a week ago, and it seems I have slept most of that time away.”
    “Of course, how could I have forgotten? Are ye feeling quite well now?”
    “Aye, Laird, thank you, Agnes is a very skilled healer.”
    “Ye see, Fingal, even Katherine agrees that Agnes knew what she was doing that night.” Confused by his comment, Katherine glanced at Fingal, whose expression was inscrutable. Had Fingal argued with Niall about the healer?
    Malcolm went on, “Fingal, son, ye really need to let it go. Ye see, Katherine, when ye arrived, ye had a raging fever and in your delirium, ye begged Niall to stay with ye.”
    Katherine remembered and knew she had not been delirious then. Although a bit foggy, she recalled feeling terribly ill and afraid. She hadn’t wanted Niall to leave her.
    “Agnes has been a healer for quite some time and knows anxious husbands can do more harm than good.”
    Although she respected Agnes, Katherine silently disagreed. In her experience, patients benefited from having loved ones close. Unless someone became a problem, she did not insist they leave, but Agnes’ opinion was held by many healers. Clearly Laird MacLennan respected her.
    “Niall very wisely stayed downstairs with me while Agnes was working. Fingal became indignant when he realized Niall had left ye and ye called out for him. But, ye see, Fingal, it was simply the delirium. Niall made the right decision in leaving Katherine in Agnes’ care to spend the evening in the hall with us.” Turning back to Katherine, he said with a laugh and a shake of his head, “Young men can have such romantic ideas. Katherine, I can tell ye are a wise, practical young woman.”
    Katherine wasn’t sure why Malcolm was telling her this, but Fingal appeared to be both angry and embarrassed. Malcolm must have been trying to smooth over whatever had happened between Niall and Fingal, but it wasn’t working very well.
    Tired of looking up at Malcolm and thinking to change the subject, she motioned to the other chair by the hearth, saying, “Laird, I am terribly sorry, I have been rude. Please, sit down.”
    “Oh, nay, thank ye, lass, I won’t tire ye any longer. Ye have been through a terrible ordeal.” He glanced at Tomas, who still sat on her lap, adding, “I just wanted to ask if ye would feel up to joining us in the great hall for dinner this evening?”
    “Aye, Laird, I am feeling much better. I would be delighted to dine in the great hall tonight,” Katherine