He smiled. “If you are done, I’ll escort you above stairs to your chamber.”

Keeley sighed in relief. It wasn’t as if the laird or even Rionna could run after her to her room without causing a scene, but still, she’d been afraid to draw notice to herself by excusing herself.

“Thank you. ’Twould be nice to retire early to my chamber.”

Mairin, who’d been listening in, leaned forward and touched Keeley on the arm. “Aye, Keeley, why don’t you go on up.”

Keeley pushed herself up as quietly as possible, but despite her effort not to gain notice, the table quieted just then and all eyes cast in her direction.

Rionna, Alaric, and Laird McDonald all stared at her but with varying emotion. Concern brimmed in Alaric’s gaze and it narrowed sharply when Gannon put his arm out to Keeley. Rionna looked at her with something that resembled sorrow, and the laird stared at her with avid interest, his gaze crawling over her until she shuddered visibly.

“Come,” Gannon said in a low voice.

Keeley turned away and Gannon guided her toward the stair. They climbed in silence and when they reached her chamber, Gannon waited politely as she opened her door.

“I’ll be outside should you have need,” he said when she entered.

She turned, a frown on her face, and studied the warrior. “Your duty ’tis to the laird and his brothers.”

“Aye, ’tis true. However, ’tis you who have most need of me at the moment.”

It took a second for Keeley to realize that Gannon must have known of Laird McDonald’s attack. Heat suffused her cheeks and she looked down, no longer able to meet the warrior’s gaze.

“Thank you,” she said in a low voice.

Before he could respond, she closed the door and leaned heavily against it.

’Twas an awful conundrum. She wanted Rionna and the laird gone from McCabe land as soon as possible, but when they’d leave, Alaric would travel with them as Rionna’s new husband.

With a sigh she set about undressing and climbed into her bed. She lay there for a long time, staring into the dying flames in her hearth. Was Alaric thinking of her even now, or was he getting acquainted with his bride to be?

Keeley came awake and bolted upward, her heart pounding so hard ’Twas painful. Her door was open and for a moment her nightmare took over and all she could see was Laird McDonald standing there and leering at her.

“Keeley, ’tis me, Ewan. I need you to hasten. ’Tis Mairin’s time.”

She blinked away the horror and gradually the laird came into view. He stood, framed in her doorway, awaiting her response.

“Aye, of course. I’ll come right away,” she babbled.

She scrambled from the bed and reached for her clothing then clutched them to her bosom while she waited for the laird to withdraw from her room.