Highland Sanctuary (7 page)

"Ye sound like a herd stampeding the castle," Leith said, a grin upon his face as Gavin reached the landing. "What were ye doing down there?"

"Paying attention." Gavin met Iain's hazel eyes. "Sorry to keep ye waiting."

"I like a man who takes his time to get things right," Iain said. He pointed down a hall filled with paneled walls containing painted portraits of long ago Scots and candelabra between the gilded frames. "My study is this way."

Gavin and Leith walked into the room he motioned to while Iain closed the door behind them. On the far side, a double door opened to a library with several rows of bookshelves. A red tapestry with a gold crest in the center hung above a simple oak desk. A fireplace with a granite mantle faced the desk. Gavin liked the unique layout of the study. It must have been brilliant at one time.

"Would ye like a drink?" Iain asked from behind Gavin, as he opened a table cabinet filled with wine bottles and pewter goblets.

"Nay, but thank ye," Gavin said.

Leith shook his head, also declining the offer.

Iain poured himself a goblet of wine and carried it over to a side table in the corner. He pulled out a few parchments with drawings. "I had these drawn up. Moisture from the sea has corroded much of the outer wall, especially along here." He pointed to the first drawing of the entire castle. "The repair work will be dangerous. Ye need to be prepared. Ye could lose a couple of men to the rocky cliffs."

"We don't intend to lose any men, but we'll take every necessary caution," Leith said.

Gavin allowed his brother to take on the leadership role, while he remained quiet. As he listened, Gavin was quite proud of how well Leith handled himself. He asked excellent questions, gave practical guesses on supplies and the time frame to finish each task. Iain seemed comfortable discussing business with Leith, which also pleased Gavin.

Once things were final, Iain wrote up an agreement. Both Leith and Gavin read it before signing. The laird strolled over to his desk. He opened a drawer, pulled out a pouch, and tossed it to Leith. "Here is the advance we discussed and there is extra to cover the supplies."

While Leith counted the money, Gavin ambled over to the laird. "I'd like to ask ye something about the village, but I don't wish ye to take it the wrong way."

"Ahh, the Village of Outcasts, is it?"

"Aye. That's what I've been told." Gavin grinned. "I've met some interesting individuals. I'm not quite sure what to think. Is Serena the only villager who works at the castle for ye?"

"Philip, the gate keeper came from the village. Serena is the only one who travels back and forth. I offered her and her mother a chamber here in the castle, but they declined."

"She's heard the rumor that yer uncle was pushed down the stairs. Mayhap she's afraid to stay here."

"I wouldn't doubt it. They're verra superstitious. My uncle's accident happened while I was still in England. As soon as he wrote me, I came home." Iain ran a hand through his auburn hair. "When my uncle was dying, I promised him I'd take care of the village as he had always done. I'd forgotten how strange some of them were since I'd been away for so long."

"They're a wee bit different to be sure, but they seem harmless enough," Gavin said.

"Let's hope so." A worried frown marred Iain's smooth features. "Ye sound like Serena. The lass is forever defending the whole lot of them. She's different and doesn't belong among them. If it wasn't for the sane conversations I'm able to have with her, I think I'd have gone mad in this place these past six months."

"I was wondering about her. She doesn't seem to have any of the same issues plaguing the rest of the villagers. Why is she in the village? Where did she and her mither come from?"

A pensive look crossed Iain's face as he stared down at his desk. "I've been wondering the same thing myself. The lass is reserved and doesn't trust verra easy. I've questioned the other villagers about her, and none of them seem to know her history." Iain met Gavin's gaze. "If they do know, they're saying naught."

"They're loyal. Ye've got to admire their spirit," Gavin said.

"As long as it also extends to me." Iain pointed his thumb to his chest. "Now, let's discuss the investigation of my uncle's murder and how ye plan to provide protection without the villagers knowing it. I don't want them to worry."

S
erena rushed into the kitchen and pressed cool palms to her hot cheeks. While the laird had made her nervous about her position, Gavin's lingering presence had made her worse, even in the company of others. She forced slow breaths to calm her erratic heartbeat.

Standing on Gavin's feet...being so close to him on the stairs . . . everything about the whole incident heightened her awareness of the man in a new way. After today, she would forever think of him when she smelled the mixed scents of pine and heather, especially since she lived in an area where they were abundant.

"Serena?" Doreen peered at her in concern from where she chopped carrots at a center table. Heat blazed from the burning fireplace, and Doreen paused to wipe a few brown strands of hair from her eyes. The curls had escaped her white cap. "Ye look a fright. Did somethin' happen?"

"Nay." Serena shook her head and straightened her shoulders. "Merely thinking is all."

"Ye ran in here like ye were runnin' from the devil hi'self." Doreen blinked her brown eyes, watching Serena's reaction. "I couldn't help wonderin' if ye'd seen the handsome men visiting the laird." A slow smile curved her mouth. A line of sweat formed across her upper lip and upon her forehead.

"Aye." Serena averted her gaze and strode over to the pantry, taking mental note of the items needing replacement. "They assisted Mither and me home when I fell and struck my head the other day."

"Did one of them pick ye up and carry ye in 'is arms?" Doreen's face lit like a torch in a dark cave. "I think that would be most romantic, don't ye?"

"Mayhap, but I was unconscious." Serena raised an eyebrow and wondered if her cheeks looked as warm as they felt.

"Which one carried ye? One of the two brothers or one of the others?" Doreen laid down her knife and abandoned the carrots, turning toward Serena. "Tell me the rest. There's more isn't it?"

"Did ye hear aught of what I said?" Serena asked. "I was out. Missed the whole thing."

"Ye had to wake up, didn't ye? Don't pretend one of them didn't catch yer eye. I know better. I saw the two brothers a wee bit ago. They're quite handsome, they are."

"Lass, ye need to get those carrots in the pot before the stew cooks without 'em," Malvina hussled by, carrying a black iron pot to the huge fireplace where she hung it on a peg. She spared Serena a quick glance. "I see ye're back to distract the help 'round here." Malvina thrust her thick hands upon her plump hips and glared at Serena.

Her lips twitched as if she wouldn't be able to hold the angry pose much longer. Serena knew she wasn't really cross. Malvina enjoyed teasing Serena and Doreen whenever she got the chance. Unmarried and well into middle-age, Malvina had no family of her own, only distant relatives who lived elsewhere. She made cooking for the castle residents and visitors her life's ambition and took pride when her meals pleased others.

"Not at all." Serena fixed a determined expression and pointed at Malvina. "I'm here to help. What happened to the laird's meal this morn when he broke his fast?" Serena tilted her head and regarded the flustered look crossing her friend's face. "He was most displeased."

Malvina's round cheeks darkened and her breathing increased to a rapid pace. Her brown eyes transformed to black coal as she folded her arms over her chest. "And what might he be complaining 'bout? I provided everythin' to 'is likin' as usual."

Serena couldn't hold her mirth a moment longer. She burst into laughter and leaned her elbows on the counter. Doreen gasped as if she too had believed Serena. "I'm jesting. Ye have a temper worse than Beacon's."

"Aye, that ye do." Doreen nodded.

Malvina released a huge sigh, relaxing her shoulders. "Lass, ye're too cruel to play with an auld woman's feelings like that."

"Ye're not auld." Serena opened a cupboard and counted small baskets of beans. They had used two baskets while she was out. She leaned on her tiptoes to peer over the next shelf. One basket of peas was empty.

"Serena has an eye for one of the laird's visitors." Doreen scooped a handful of chopped carrots and tossed them in the pot over the fire. She glanced over her shoulder at Serena, a slanted grin marking her mischievous ploy.

Closing the cupboard, Serena whirled, crossing her arms over her chest. She had hoped to distract Doreen, but apparently she hadn't succeeded and now Malvina would join Doreen in taunting her.

"If ye must know, I stumbled upon Gavin MacKenzie on the stairs and in my blundering effort to escape him, trampled his feet. I canna imagine what the mon must think of me." Serena touched her hand to her forehead. The simple memory made her cringe.

"Well now, this puts a whole new perspective on things." Malvina tapped her chin in thought. "Ye're such a levelheaded lass. I've never known anyone to gain yer favor." She shrugged. "Although I suppose ye haven't had much to choose from in the village."

"The two of ye have verra active imaginations. I'd venture that the poor mon fears for his safety when I'm around. I nearly knocked him down the stairs." Serena glanced from Malvina's wicked grin to Doreen's dreamy expression. She threw her hands up in surrender. "I'll finish the inventory later. Right now, I think I'll inspect the vegetable gardens."

"Ye know what I think?" Doreen's voice rose, reaching Serena at the door.

Curiosity lingered over her will to depart, and Serena paused at the threshold.

"If ye won't have enough faith to believe in what ye think is impossible, then God will have to bring ye a miracle to make ye believe."

"What do ye mean?" Serena tilted her head, regarding Doreen with speculation, but interested enough to listen.

"It's simple." Doreen shrugged. "Ye've just met a live saint— the kind ye didn't think existed—a mere mon. He's twice rescued ye. I daresay, ye'll be seein' more of him while he's here. I hope ye decide to make the most of it."

"I've no such intention." Serena turned and strode away.

"Consider yer future and that of yer mither's." Doreen's words echoed after her . . . mocking . . . digging into the private places of her heart as a haunting reminder that she would never be like the other lasses.

Gavin MacKenzie could never know her humiliating secret.

After an eventful day at Braigh Castle, Gavin and Leith rode back toward camp. As the sun descended, a crisp chill floated through the air gently lifting off the sea. They climbed the steep twelve-foot hill at a steady pace.

"I'll have the men start with building scaffolds on the morrow," Leith said. "We'll need to finish the outside walls first, while we have warm summer days ahead."

"Aye." Gavin nodded. "When do ye plan to visit the town merchants for supplies?"

"In the next few days, as soon as I have the men settled in their assigned tasks. I canna afford to wait too long or they won't have aught to do." Leith crested the hill first. He glanced over his shoulder with a wide grin. "Look who we have here." He tilted his brown head forward.

Curiosity prompted Gavin to move his horse faster. His pulse quickened at the sight of Serena thirty paces ahead. She walked toward the village and twirled a long stick in her hand. Gavin paused to watch her. "Has she noticed us yet?"

"I don't think so." Leith shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I'd sneak up on her if I didn't think the horses would give us away. I wonder what she would think if she knew we were watching?"

"No doubt, she'll know soon enough. We canna stay here like two sorry souls at the King's court gaping at a selection of bonny lasses." Gavin allowed his eyes to feast upon her. Serena's long black hair hung down her back like a velvet curtain over her tan cloak. She entered the forest path, the center of a scene with pine needle branches enveloping her.

"That may be what ye're doing, dear brother, but I intend to be a gentleman. I'll make my presence known and talk to the lass." Leith directed his horse into a trot.

Serena looked natural in any setting he'd seen her so far— at home in a wee cottage surrounded by poor villagers—even in a large castle among fine things. He'd rather see her as mistress of such a grand place, not a servant. She deserved better. Her speech and manners pointed at an education. Evelina as well.

He tried to imagine her sitting at his mother's place in the great hall of MacKenzie Castle. Gavin shook his head. What was he thinking?

As Leith approached her, Serena smiled up at him. They talked until Gavin caught up. Her smile faded. Disappointment loaded Gavin's chest like a pile of stones. Did she not welcome his presence? What had he done? The idea of her disliking him churned his stomach and unsettled him.

Sholto snorted and pawed the dust in restless protest, as if determined to gain her attention. It worked. Serena turned and grinned at the animal, reaching toward him.

"Ye might be careful," Gavin warned as Sholto pranced in place and snorted again. "He's a bit spirited right now."

The moment Serena touched him, he calmed. She rubbed the side of his neck and crooned into the beast's ear as if he were a human bairn.

"Nonsense, he only needs a wee bit of love and attention." Serena scratched him between the ears, and Sholto's tail swung in a circle, content and happy.

Gavin watched, certain if his horse had been a cat, he'd be purring. She had favor with animals, he'd give her that. If only he could find a way into her good graces as easily as Sholto.

"I've a mind to admit that Gavin has worked many hours with Sholto and tamed him when no one else could," Leith said. "But I've never seen the beast calm at a few simple words as ye've done this day."

"'Tis naught." She looked down and jabbed the stick in the dirt and twisted it.

"Why do ye carry a stick?" Gavin asked.

"Sometimes Phelan walks with me. If he doesn't, I carry a stick lest I'm suddenly attacked. It isn't much, but it affords me something beyond my own two hands."

"Allow me to take ye home. It's getting dark." Gavin held out his hand.

"Nay, but thank ye." She stepped back, shaking her head. "Ye've come to my aid many times in the last few days. I wouldn't want to start relying on ye. Where would that leave me after ye've finished the castle repairs and gone home?"

Gavin lowered his hand.

"But that's so far away." Leith leaned forward. "We could be here almost a year."

"I enjoy walking in the fresh air." Her moss-green eyes met Gavin's, and he recognized a will of fortitude.

"Ye can ride Sholto, while I walk beside ye." He hoped to tempt her with what she liked—his horse. She reached up and stroked the animal again. While Gavin was relieved that Serena appeared to consider the offer, it wounded his pride that she would only do so if he didn't ride with her.