Christina leaned forward in her chair, her gaze darting cautiously left and right. “But when? I’ll not want anyone seeing us, to be sure. If it got back to my mother, I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Well, if your kiss has the impact you’re hoping, you won’t be your mother’s responsibility any more,” Maddie said with a smile. “Perhaps this will hasten Cormac to ask to wed you.”
A wistful, hopeful smile crept over Christina’s features, softening her eyes until they glowed in the light of the fire.
“Do you think he will?”
Keeley and Mairin exchanged looks and smiled at the younger girl.
“Aye, I do,” Mairin said. “ ’Tis obvious he’s smitten with you. Be bold. And if he rebuffs you, I’ll kick him, and we will convene to mutter all manner of blasphemies against men.”
Keeley grinned broadly as Maddie chortled with laughter. Christina smiled and all but bounced excitedly in her seat.
“I still must know when. It must be a private moment.”
“Tonight when the men have done drinking their ale, I’ll suggest that Cormac walk you back to your cottage,” Mairin said. “ ’Tis up to you to do the kissing as soon as you’ve left the hall but not outside in plain view of the watchmen. In the meantime, I’ll send a message to your mother explaining that you’ll be eating in the hall with me tonight.”
“Oh, I’m so nervous!” Christina exclaimed.
“Don’t be nervous, lass. Cormac will be nervous enough for the both of you once he learns he’s to escort you home,” Maddie teased.
“Wife, my men and I heard your laughter all the way out to the courtyard,” Ewan said from the entrance. “They’re all terrified that you’re plotting against them again.”
Mairin looked up to where her husband stood and grinned mischievously. “ ’Tis a fact we are, husband. You may of course tell them that, if you wish.”
Ewan scowled. “I’m not daft. They’ll all abandon their duties and hide like women if I tell them that.”
Mairin smiled innocently while Maddie and Keeley found something else to focus their attention on.
“I’ll not have you interfering with my men and their duties, Mairin,” Ewan said sternly.
“Of course not,” she soothed.
He cast a suspicious glare in her direction and then turned and left the hall. No sooner had he exited than the women all burst into laughter once more.
Chapter 16
Dinner was a lively affair as many of Alaric’s men supped with him in the great hall. A fire roared in the hearth and the furs were all rolled down over the windows with extra bindings to seal the gaps.
Keeley sat on Mairin’s left with Christina on Keeley’s other side. Cormac had been strategically placed across the table from Christina, and watching the two dodge the other’s gaze but take peeks when they thought the other wasn’t looking was amusing.
On either side of Cormac sat Alaric and Caelen, and despite her best efforts, Keeley found her gaze traveling to Alaric. Tonight Ewan discussed Alaric’s upcoming marriage, and it took all of Keeley’s strength to remain in her seat, smile in place, and act as though she hadn’t a care in the world.
Her cheeks ached. Her head throbbed.
Alliances. Bonds. Talk of impending war. Naught mattered but the fact that Alaric would marry another and move to McDonald land to take the position of laird.
The usually flavorful food was dry and unremarkable. She ate because there was naught else to do but eat and smile. Another bite. Another smile. Nod in Christina’s direction. Laugh at a jest from Mairin. Watch Caelen scowl. And then look in Alaric’s direction again.
She sighed and moved the venison around with her cutting knife. She just wished the meal over with so she could retire to her chamber and try to lose herself in a few hours sleep.
She chanced another peek at Alaric and sucked in her breath when she found his gaze resting on her. He didn’t move away or try to pretend he hadn’t been watching her. His eyes like green ice delved past her defenses and threatened to crumble her on the spot.
He didn’t smile. In his eyes she saw all that she felt. And yet she couldn’t make herself look away. Nay, if he could brave allowing her to see his torment, then she could offer her own in return. She wouldn’t pretend to feel naught.
Beside her Mairin cleared her throat, jerking Keeley from her locked gaze. Keeley glanced swiftly around, but all eyes were turned toward the mistress of the keep as she prepared to speak.
“The meal is done and ’tis nigh time for Christina to hasten back to her cottage. Her mother will worry, with the weather so raw out.”
She glanced over at Cormac and gifted him with a sweet smile. “Cormac, would you kindly escort Christina? I’d hate for her to brave the weather by herself.”
For a moment, Cormac looked as though he’d swallowed his tongue. After casting a quick glance in Christina’s direction, he hastily stood.
“Of course, Lady McCabe.”
Ewan shot Mairin a long-suffering look while Caelen just frowned as Cormac walked around to offer his arm to Christina.
The table went quiet and it seemed everyone in the hall watched as Cormac awkwardly guided Christina from the table. As soon as they were gone, Ewan let out a sigh and pinned his wife with his stare.
“What mischief are you up to now, wife?”
Mairin smiled and exchanged a conspiratorial look with Keeley before facing her husband.
“Would you have Christina walk to her cottage alone? Why, she could slip and fall on the ice and then what would we tell her mother? That our laird sent a young girl into the weather unescorted?”