Iliana headed back toward the keep, smiling slightly as she heard Mr. Cummins berate his wife for her interference, and she in turn put him in his place, adding ’twould be nice to have more than one plaid at hand. Her smile faded abruptly, however, as the squabbling suddenly stopped and Mr. Cummins called out a greeting that drew her head up in surprise to see her husband striding toward her.

“Me laird.”

The older man rushed past her then, eager to tattle, and for a moment, Iliana feared that her attempt to gain new plaids for her people was about to be nixed, for she feared her husband would not be thrilled by the idea. But whether he would allow her to buy them or not never became a concern, since he had no time for Mr. Cummins.

Ignoring the man’s attempts to draw him aside, Duncan strode right past him to his wife. Grabbing her arm, he whirled back the way he had come. “I would have a word with ye, wife.”

“A word, my lord?” Iliana asked worriedly, glancing over her shoulder at the consternation on Mr. Cummins’s face and the amusement on his wife’s face as she took it all in.

“Aye.”

“What about, my lord?” Iliana panted, hurrying to keep up with his stride.

“Did I not say at table this morn that I would have a word with ye?”

“I…Did you, my lord? I am sorry, I do not recall.”

“Well, I did.”

“I see. Well, I am sorry. I may have been distracted.”

“Duncan!”

Having just reached the steps to the keep, they both slid to a halt at that roar from Angus Dunbar as he crossed the bailey toward them.

“What the devil are ye doin’, boy? Ye ken she’s suppose to rest, yet yer joggin’ her about like a—”

“Ye’re absolutely right, Da,” Duncan interrupted. “’Tis wrong o’ me to hurry her about so.” Scooping Iliana up into his arms, he arched an eyebrow. “Better?” Without waiting for a response, he whirled and jogged up the steps, bouncing her about in his arms as he went.

Chapter Nine

Iliana held on for dear life as Duncan charged up the steps to the keep doors, wincing when he paused to kick one of them open. A glance behind them, as he then started directly up the stairs to the second floor with her, showed his father in hot pursuit. Angus had just started determinedly up the steps after them when Seonaid appeared from the kitchen, hailing her father. Iliana saw the Dunbar hesitate, then he turned reluctantly to meet her.