“On me way, Rodrick,” Keegan replied, eyes still locked on Willow.
He ducked his head, took another breath, and then returned his attention to her, whispering so that Rodrick would not hear him through the door.
“We arenae done with this conversation, lass. I willnae see you avoid our…discussion.”
And with that, she was left in the study to try and comprehend what the bloody hell had just happened.
11
“Ithink that will be best. Och, well,” Keegan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I believe that we are set for the day, lads. Ye’re dismissed.”
The men of his war council slipped from the room, all just as tired as he was following the hours-long discussion. It had been productive, and for that, Keegan was grateful. Feuds, as people liked to call them, between the McCallums and the Brahannes were a decades-long tradition, and they’d been at an impasse for far too long. This exchange should settle the ire of Magnus if only to show him that his aggressions would be returned in kind.
God pray that is enough to dissuade the man from continuing this nonsense.
In any case, it would be most unwise to continue them any further. Perhaps the bastard would finally give up in his attempts to win Brahanne’s land.
It was much quieter now that the men had left the room, and Keegan’s stomach gnawed at him, having been too distracted to finish his dinner. However, the need to rest his head also pulled at him. The softness of his bed was an exceptionally welcome thought. He wasn’t sure if sleep or food sounded more appealing at the moment.
An image of Willow in his study bloomed in his mind, and Keegan let out a pained groan. As much as he shouldnotbe thinking about any of that, it appeared that the true hunger racking his body was not the kind that would be satisfied by a meal.
Ye willnae be distracted, Keegan. Come now.
Further, the laird still did not understand what had possessed him to kiss her—again. It was far from a helpful tactic if he were trying to get answers out of Willow, and it didn’t lend itself to the notion that she was the enemy either.
But there was something about her. Whenever she fought against him like that, verbally sparring with him, the fever in Keegan’s blood rose to monumental proportions. A woman of her equal was not a sight that he had ever laid on eyes before.
Enough, Keegan. Ye must focus on what is at stake.
He looked down at the map that he had placed on the large table for the men to observe. They had formed a strategy for the exchange he was pleased with. Still, there would beno guaranteeing its success with the limited information he possessed. There were too many possible outcomes to consider.
Worse, what troubled him more than any of the usual unknows of battle or politics was the way Willow herself doubted that her brother would even be interested in such an exchange. An exhausted courier had ridden all day and into the evening to return a letter from Magnus stating his agreement to the hand-off. He had been presented with the thing just thirty minutes ago.
Why would Magnus say yes if he had no intention of upholding his end of the agreement?
And worse again, Keegan knew that there was only one way to fill in the gasp of his knowledge. He needed to speak with Willow—and actually do some talking this time around.
Steeling himself as he straightened his spine, Keegan sucked in a breath of fresh air and headed toward the door. He could not wait to speak with her; too much was at stake and there was only a week before the exchange.
No distractions, Keegan. Ye will ask the lass for answers, and that is all. Learn what ye need and resist temptation.
Keegan had not been so affected by a woman’s presence in the whole of his life, save a handful of boyish longings. Inviting someone into his life had always seemed too dangerous a thing, and after what happened with his parents, he was certain of it.
Why was Willow any different? He scoffed to himself. It was no use to ponder such trivialities. He had important work to be done, and getting answers from the lady was just a means to an end. That was all.
Thinking of the time, Keegan assumed that with the later hour now Willow would most likely be found within the Great Hall once more. Dinner would be served there at present, and Rodrick had seen fit to guide her there once already.
Taking off in that direction, Keegan swallowed and pushed any thought of Willow’s form from his mind. She was a prison, one that he needed to interrogate, even if rather gently as compared to his usual methods.
Upon entering the Great Hall, Keegan was satisfied to see Willow seated at a table near the laird’s usual place, Rodrick on guard nearby.
“Good evening, me laird.” A servant near the door offered. “Have ye come to join us for a meal?”
“Aye. Thank ye.” Loud conversation drew his attention to Damon and Willow. “It looks as though I’m needed at present, however.”
Keegan wasnotencouraged to see his brother still badgering the woman like an angry rain cloud over her head.
“I ken what yer clan is like, woman. Yer brother.” Damon chewed out.