“They never like looking after women,” Mairin whispered next to Keeley. “I am the bane of their existence, for they are assigned regularly to me.”

Keeley grinned. “I heard a lot about you during our journey.”

Mairin scowled. “ ’Twas disloyal of them to speak behind my back.”

“They didn’t speak as much as they hinted,” Keeley corrected. “And Gannon refused to answer a direct question. He said ’twas disloyal.”

Mairin laughed outright, earning her suspicious frowns from the men.

“Come, mistress,” Gannon said in resignation. “Let us hasten to the forest so we can return quickly.”

“No need to act as though a death sentence is being carried out,” Keeley muttered.

Mairin laughed softly. “I’ll wait for you in Alaric’s chambers, Keeley. In the meantime I’ll make sure he is comfortable and that your instructions are carried out.”

Keeley nodded and fell into step behind the group of warriors assigned to watch over her. Despite her initial irritation at the idea that she couldn’t simply leave the keep alone, it gave her a tiny thrill that she was considered important enough to warrant the watch of three highly trained warriors.

She’d never felt safer than she did right now with three such brawny men surrounding her as they walked beyond the stone skirt and toward the patch of trees in the distance.

Perhaps coming to McCabe keep wasn’t the inconvenience she’d first thought. The laird’s wife wasn’t at all what she’d expected, and despite the circumstances of Keeley’s arrival, she was being treated well.

It was entirely possible that she could grow to like life here. After all, it wasn’t as though she had a clan to return to.

She pursed her lips and shook her head. No sense putting the cart before the horse. She was entirely too fanciful for her own good. The laird hadn’t brought her here out of the goodness of his heart. He had no desire to make her feel at home or make her feel a valued member of his clan. He wanted her skills. Nothing more. It would behoove her to remember that. When she no longer served a purpose, she might well find herself turned out.

The one thing she’d learned in life was that family was a fickle concept. There was no loyalty. If she couldn’t expect such a thing from her own clan, how could she expect it from complete strangers?

She nodded grimly to herself. Aye, she needed to pull her head from the clouds and view her mission with more objectivity.

She was a captive. Nothing more. To forget such was to open herself up for more disappointment.

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8