Read Online Highlander's Reckoning (The Sinclair Brothers #3) by Emma Prince - Free Book Online
Authors: Emma Prince
Ads: Link
taken away and bestowed upon another, Kennedy looked more relieved
than anything.
Malcolm, on the other hand, frowned. “I’ll not be
leaving, Laird. I’d like to stay and make sure everything continues on as you
would wish it in your absence.”
Daniel suppressed a curse. Despite swearing fealty
to him, Malcolm was clearly still more loyal to Kennedy. He couldn’t simply
order the man to give up that loyalty, though. He would have to cajole it out
of him with some choice words.
“I’m grateful you wish to stay, Malcolm,” Daniel
said smoothly. “I have much need for a man like you. I still have a great deal
to learn about Loch Doon, and you must be very knowledgeable and observant to
have earned a position as your Laird’s right-hand man.”
That seemed to affect Malcolm somewhat. He sat a
little straighter in his chair, though his mouth was still slightly turned
down. Daniel would have to keep working on him.
“When do you wish me to depart?” Kennedy said.
“As soon as possible,” Daniel replied with a rueful
quirk of his mouth to soften his words. “This morning, perhaps, if you can be
ready.”
“Very well, my lord,” Kennedy said wearily. Though
Daniel had initially worried that Kennedy would be more of an obstacle, he was
proving to be quite acquiescent.
Unlike his daughter ,
he thought sourly.
Rona was as flighty as ever. He’d barely caught a
handful of glimpses of the lass since they spoke their wedding vows a week ago.
Whenever he tried to confront her about her evasive behavior or remind her that
they still needed to consummate their marriage, she would throw him into yet
more confusion with her responses.
Sometimes she was dismissive, though he often
thought he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. Other times, like when he had
cornered her in the stairwell after she’d vanished from the castle for several
hours, she’d crossed her arms and hardened her face, refusing to answer his
direct questions. Who was this strange lass to whom he was married? And what
was she hiding?
Daniel stood as a way to dismiss Kennedy and
Malcolm. They followed suit, and he walked them out of the study. Kennedy
excused himself from Daniel’s presence to set about preparing to depart in the
next few hours.
Malcolm moved to follow his Laird, but Daniel
motioned for him to stay. He wanted to keep Malcolm by his side, ask the thin
young man questions, and let him explain some of the nuances of the castle’s
community. Though he hoped to learn a bit more about the castle’s inhabitants
and their habits, he mostly intended to put Malcolm at ease and bring him into
his trust—if he could. Changing leadership at such a large stronghold wasn’t
easy. Daniel only hoped Malcolm would be as malleable as Kennedy.
Just before noon, Daniel joined Kennedy and a small
crowd of servants at Loch Doon’s docks.
“Thank you all for seeing me off,” Kennedy said in a
loud voice to those gathered. Daniel scanned the crowd, but he didn’t see Rona
yet.
“I am grateful to the new keeper of Loch Doon for
graciously allowing me to rejoin my wife and clan at Dunure. I give him and my
daughter blessings as the new lord and lady of the castle.”
As Kennedy spoke, Daniel caught a flash of red hair
moving through the crowd. Rona pushed her way to where Daniel and Kennedy
stood. Her face was strained with distress, and she hugged her father fiercely.
“I’ll miss you, Father,” she said quietly, though
Daniel was close enough to overhear.
“Hmph. You’ll miss getting your way with me, more
likely,” Kennedy said gruffly, though he hugged his daughter back.
After a long moment, Rona stepped back to her
father’s other side. With one last wave and a cheer from the crowd in response,
Kennedy stepped onto the boat that waited to take him to the loch’s shoreline.
Daniel reached across the gap between the boat and the dock for a firm arm
clasp with the departing Laird.
But just as Daniel was about to release the
than anything.
Malcolm, on the other hand, frowned. “I’ll not be
leaving, Laird. I’d like to stay and make sure everything continues on as you
would wish it in your absence.”
Daniel suppressed a curse. Despite swearing fealty
to him, Malcolm was clearly still more loyal to Kennedy. He couldn’t simply
order the man to give up that loyalty, though. He would have to cajole it out
of him with some choice words.
“I’m grateful you wish to stay, Malcolm,” Daniel
said smoothly. “I have much need for a man like you. I still have a great deal
to learn about Loch Doon, and you must be very knowledgeable and observant to
have earned a position as your Laird’s right-hand man.”
That seemed to affect Malcolm somewhat. He sat a
little straighter in his chair, though his mouth was still slightly turned
down. Daniel would have to keep working on him.
“When do you wish me to depart?” Kennedy said.
“As soon as possible,” Daniel replied with a rueful
quirk of his mouth to soften his words. “This morning, perhaps, if you can be
ready.”
“Very well, my lord,” Kennedy said wearily. Though
Daniel had initially worried that Kennedy would be more of an obstacle, he was
proving to be quite acquiescent.
Unlike his daughter ,
he thought sourly.
Rona was as flighty as ever. He’d barely caught a
handful of glimpses of the lass since they spoke their wedding vows a week ago.
Whenever he tried to confront her about her evasive behavior or remind her that
they still needed to consummate their marriage, she would throw him into yet
more confusion with her responses.
Sometimes she was dismissive, though he often
thought he saw a flicker of fear in her eyes. Other times, like when he had
cornered her in the stairwell after she’d vanished from the castle for several
hours, she’d crossed her arms and hardened her face, refusing to answer his
direct questions. Who was this strange lass to whom he was married? And what
was she hiding?
Daniel stood as a way to dismiss Kennedy and
Malcolm. They followed suit, and he walked them out of the study. Kennedy
excused himself from Daniel’s presence to set about preparing to depart in the
next few hours.
Malcolm moved to follow his Laird, but Daniel
motioned for him to stay. He wanted to keep Malcolm by his side, ask the thin
young man questions, and let him explain some of the nuances of the castle’s
community. Though he hoped to learn a bit more about the castle’s inhabitants
and their habits, he mostly intended to put Malcolm at ease and bring him into
his trust—if he could. Changing leadership at such a large stronghold wasn’t
easy. Daniel only hoped Malcolm would be as malleable as Kennedy.
Just before noon, Daniel joined Kennedy and a small
crowd of servants at Loch Doon’s docks.
“Thank you all for seeing me off,” Kennedy said in a
loud voice to those gathered. Daniel scanned the crowd, but he didn’t see Rona
yet.
“I am grateful to the new keeper of Loch Doon for
graciously allowing me to rejoin my wife and clan at Dunure. I give him and my
daughter blessings as the new lord and lady of the castle.”
As Kennedy spoke, Daniel caught a flash of red hair
moving through the crowd. Rona pushed her way to where Daniel and Kennedy
stood. Her face was strained with distress, and she hugged her father fiercely.
“I’ll miss you, Father,” she said quietly, though
Daniel was close enough to overhear.
“Hmph. You’ll miss getting your way with me, more
likely,” Kennedy said gruffly, though he hugged his daughter back.
After a long moment, Rona stepped back to her
father’s other side. With one last wave and a cheer from the crowd in response,
Kennedy stepped onto the boat that waited to take him to the loch’s shoreline.
Daniel reached across the gap between the boat and the dock for a firm arm
clasp with the departing Laird.
But just as Daniel was about to release the
Similar Books
