The Witch of Black Isle by Keira Montclair
Chapter Four
Jennet wished to scream at him, but she decided it would get her nowhere. And she honestly didn’t mind if Ethan pursued her.
After all, she was only going to be here one more day before she left with Uncle Logan.
On the way back to the keep, they only spoke of the weather and little else. Ethan was polite and thoughtful, his long, dark hair blowing backward as they walked into the wind. Jennet kept catching him looking at her, and it felt…different somehow. He looked at her as if he were truly interested in her, of all lasses. Most men gave her a passing glance before moving straight over to Brigid.
Brigid often told Jennet she was the prettier of the two, but Jennet knew what the difference was—her cousin’s smile. Brigid had a smile that outshone everyone else’s, and the lilt of her laughter was something even Jennet admired.
Jennet always found it odd that Brigid and her sister, Sorcha, spent so much time fussing over their clothes and their hair before any kind of social event. Neither of them could see the truth. Their beauty came from within—from their laughter, their warm hearts, and their smiles.
It was a beauty that Jennet didn’t have.
Bethia, her eldest sister, had mentioned it to her once. Bethia had always been heavier than most of their cousins, yet her beauty came from her confidence, her intelligence, and something she did share with their cousins. Bethia had that beautiful, bright smile. Her sister said she should smile more because she was by far the prettiest of the cousins. Jennet had snorted at that, but Bethia had surprised her with her response. “Jennet, you are the most beautiful. You have streaks of gold in your hair, your skin is clear and unflawed, and you have the longest eyelashes. High cheekbones also make you look stunning. You’re thin and curvy the way men like women. If you had one more thing, you’d have many suitors.”
“What?” She’d looked at Bethia, waiting for her to reveal her secrets.
“A smile. You are too serious. When you were younger, you and Brigid could be serious, but then you laughed about so many things together. Over the years, you’ve lost the laughter in your life.”
Jennet was not a natural smiler. It was effortful, and she had to think about it to smile at others. Brigid smiled all the time; even when they’d been delivering Edda’s wee bairn, she’d smiled through the sweat and the adversity they’d all dealt with.
Brigid kept smiling.
Was Ethan expecting her to smile? She glanced up at him and did her best to give him an honest smile, but it was difficult to do without feeling false.
He gave a quick bow and said, “I’ll check with my chieftain and my brother before the evening meal, see if there is anything I can do to help out. Will Gavin and Merewen be returning with you?”
“I’m not sure. My thanks for the stroll. I’ll see you at the evening meal.”
She nodded to him and stepped inside the hall, glad to see Brigid, Tara, and Gisela near the hearth with Marcas’s two bairns, Kara and Tiernay.
Tara asked, “Did you have a nice time with Ethan?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose so. Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Tara said, turning away from her to set Tiernay back on his feet after he tumbled down. “Just wondered. I’m sure you’re concerned about your sire and cannot wait to leave.”
Jennet had mixed feelings. “Aye, we’re leaving on the morrow. ’Tis soon enough.”
“And you wish to go, aye?” Brigid asked. “You must be anxious to see your parents.”
“Aye, ’struth. But I am liking my life here too. I hope to return, if you’ll have me.” She looked from Brigid to Tara, then finally to Gisela.
Gisela said, “You know I adore you all, but the one you must ask is the mistress of the clan, Brigid.”
Brigid burst out laughing with such a force that wee Kara giggled with her. Before long, Tara and Gisela got caught up in the laughter and Jennet found herself smiling at all of them. She hadn’t considered that her cousin, now married to the chief of the clan, was the new mistress.
Four women came in through the back door of the keep—Nonie, Jinny, and two who had returned to the clan, Agnes and Thebe.
Thebe came in wide-eyed and hurried over to them. “What happened? Did we miss something? What are you ladies discussing?”
Gisela waved her hand at Thebe and said, “Naught. ’Twas between the cousins.”
Nonie headed up the stairs and said, “Come, Thebe. We have linens to wash.”
Thebe was short and curvaceous, and quite pretty, while Agnes was much older and had trouble managing the stairs. After Brigid and Marcas had married, clan members slowly trickled back to the castle, enough so that the inner cottages were nearly full and half of the huts in the village were now occupied. The crops had survived, and all in the village expected to have a wonderful and fruitful summer where the food would be plentiful.
Marcas had assigned Agnes to her previous position in the kitchens with Jinny. When they lost one of the serving maids, he’d given the position to Thebe, and she’d accepted it gladly. The four disappeared, so Jennet moved over to a chair near the hearth and stared into the flames.
Gisela whispered, “You must be careful what you say around Thebe. She likes to repeat all she hears and embellish as much as she can. She has relatives in Clan Milton, and she often visits.”
Tara said, “She’s quite pretty.”
“She is,” Gisela replied, “and she’s always seeking compliments.”
“Is she not married?” asked Brigid.
“Nay. Says the man she loves didn’t want her, so she’ll never have another.” Gisela rolled her eyes. “Don’t believe everything she says.”
“What about Agnes? She seems nice.”
“Agnes is lovely, but she doesn’t get along well with Thebe, so Marcas made sure their duties were separated.”
Jennet stared at the flames, losing interest in the conversation. After all, she’d be leaving them soon. She wondered about how things would change. How would she feel when she left her beloved cousins behind?
How would she feel leaving Ethan behind?
She forced herself to forget about it. Her father was her primary concern.
She had to get home and save him.
***
The group readied themselves for the trip early in the morning. Jennet had said her goodbyes to Brigid, Tara, and Gisela. Uncle Logan had insisted Gavin and Merewen return with them, and they had been agreeable.
Everything went according to plan, the line of Ramsay warriors ready to set out. Uncle Logan found Jennet a good horse, then spoke with Gavin and Merewen. As they gathered just outside the castle wall beyond the gates and were about to leave, Marcas and Shaw came out to thank everyone. But it was the last person through the gates, accompanying his brothers, who surprised them all.
Ethan came out saddled and ready to go, his saddlebag already attached. The group stopped to stare at him. Jennet’s mind went blank while her heart skipped a beat. The man had stunned her. Was he actually considering coming along?
She opened her mouth, wanting to speak before knowing what she would say as Ethan drew his horse up next to her. Her uncle spoke up for her.
“What the hell are you doing here, Ethan? Are you going along on the way to Inverness?”
Ethan glanced at Jennet, then back at Uncle Logan. “Nay, I’m going along with you. Or I should say, going along with Jennet.”
“Why?” Uncle Logan said, climbing down to stand in front of Ethan, his hands now on his hips.
“As I said, I’m pursuing Jennet.”
“And this is how you do it? Do you have intentions I’m unaware of?”
“Nay, I just wish to get to know her better. I promised my brother I would, and I cannot honor my promise if she leaves. Therefore, the only solution is for me to go along with her. I’ll protect her so you may protect the rest of the group.”
Jennet didn’t know what to say other than the simplest, “My thanks, Ethan.” Her eyes lingered upon him. Seated on top of his own war horse, he looked intimidating, his broad shoulders and powerful arms enough to scare many away. If he were to wear a fierce scowl, no one would dare come near him, though Jennet doubted that was in Ethan’s nature.
Logan said, “You’re not coming with us. Matheson, tell your brother he’s unwelcome on this journey.”
Jennet felt the oddest thing happening to her, something she never did but had witnessed in others. She always wondered how it would feel, and now…
She blushed. Glancing from Marcas to Uncle Logan, she honestly didn’t know which one would win. If she wagered, she’d wager on her uncle.
“Matheson, my brother is near death. This journey will be a quick one, one night only before we arrive home. We cannot wait. I don’t have time to play with someone who’s not used to being in the wild. I don’t wish for him to travel with us.”
Gavin said to his father, “Leave him be, Da. He’s welcome.”
Marcas arched a brow at Ethan, who sat steadfast on his horse, staring straight ahead as if he hadn’t heard a word.
“I’d say Ethan has made his mind up, and even if you don’t want him along, he’ll follow at a distance. He’ll not get in your way. He knows directions better than anyone and can kill rabbits at the toss of his dagger. Why not allow him along?”
Uncle Logan stared at Gavin but said nothing. Merewen nodded and smiled. Jennet held her breath to see who would speak next.
To her surprise, it was Ethan.
Without a glance toward her uncle, his gaze staring straight ahead at no one in particular, Ethan made his decision. “I’m going with you, and you’ll not stop me.”
Uncle Logan grumbled and climbed on his horse. “I’m not arguing because I don’t have time. But if you delay us at all, second son, I’ll tie you to a tree and leave you behind.”
Jennet peeked at Ethan, who tipped his head at her and gave her the smallest of smiles.
She smiled back, her first genuine smile in a long time.