Undeniable Read online

The praise pleased Helen. “How is my friend?”

  “Yer timing is of interest,” he admitted. “Keely has just given birth to twins, my son and daughter.”

  Helen jumped up. “Is she…”

  “Resting comfortably and happy, thank God.”

  “S-she suffered?” It had been so long since she’d heard anything from Keely. Communication between them had been cut off after Struan failed to bring Keely home as his bride. “May I see her?”

  “I doona know who suffered more. She screamed out in pain so many times. I wanted to go to her, but her stubborn sire kept me out of the birthing room. I wanted to kill him—and maybe I should have for keeping me from her.” His expression turned stone cold. “Ye may see her in the morn, after she has rested a spell.”

  “I understand, milord.”

  “Tis nothing against ye, Lady Helen.”

  She smiled softly. Their reunion was long overdue.

  “Do ye like children?”

  “I adore bairns,” she said sincerely—hoping to have her own someday. “New life is the promise of a new tomorrow.”

  “I couldna agree more. Are ye hungry?”

  Just the mention of food made Helen’s stomach rumble. “Very.”

  “If ye wait here, I will arrange for one of the maids to prepare a meal and yer bedchamber.”

  “Thank ye.”

  She watched Laird Alex leave the great hall. Her hope had not been wasted on the MacKays. Keely had chosen well, which made Helen exceedingly happy. Just then, something or someone moved. The hall was otherwise quiet, not another person within. Sure to make it look like she hadna noticed, she shifted in the chair, turning just enough to take a casual look to the left of where she sat.

  A tall, muscular man with red hair caught her attention. Their gazes met, and Helen was sure she had never seen a more handsome man. He nodded at her, and she turned back to the fire. Maybe the shadows were playing games with her mind. After all, she was exhausted and hungry, cold and perhaps even a little drunk from the spirits she’d drunk with the guard outside. No man should look that dangerous—that tempting—that unreal.

  Aye, she’d blame her interest in the stranger on anything but natural attraction. Helen closed her eyes and forced the man’s face from her mind. She hadna come here to find a husband; she’d come to the MacKays in search of sanctuary, in search of a new life away from her father. And if she intended to stay, she must guard herself against anyone who could take it away from her.

  Which included all men, especially the redheaded one in the great hall.

  Chapter Two

  Jamie drained his tankard and set the vessel aside, the need to get drunk suddenly replaced by curiosity for the well-dressed woman sitting in front of the main hearth in the great hall. He’d seen his share of regal beauties, especially during his travels to the east, having spent a year in Constantinople to settle his cousin, Laird MacKay’s affairs. And since his return, everyone of consequence had made it their personal goal to find him a wife.

  Wife… The word dinna feel natural coming out of his mouth. As he further scrutinized the lady sitting alone, admiring the long golden braid hanging down her back, he imagined what it would feel like to slowly release her silky hair.

  He intended to find out her name and perhaps what she was doing in the MacKay hall alone.

  As he started to head in her direction, Alex appeared, blocking his path.

  “And where are ye going, Cousin?”

  “To greet our guest,” Jamie said.

  Alex shook his head. “When I last checked, ye dinna live here. Remember the manor house ye demanded as payment for yer service in Constantinople?”

  And a fine home it was, complete with a small tower and respectable wall around it, a grand hall fit for a minor laird, and servants who Jamie had handpicked. “Aye. But I keep a room here. After all, I am yer closest kinsman and still on the council.”

  Alex rubbed his chin. “Yer service is ever appreciated. And my keep is always yer home, Jamie. But that particular lady is of no importance to ye.”

  “Nay?” Jamie gazed past his cousin. “Ye couldna be more wrong. She’s of great interest, for I’m a lonely man in need of the kind of company only a beautiful lass of good breeding could give.”

  Alex chuckled. “Since when has good breeding mattered to ye?”

  Jamie rubbed the back of his neck, thinking. “Since tonight.”

  This time Alex threw his head back and laughed so loud it echoed throughout the great hall. Even the lady looked at them.

  “What are ye laughing at?” Jamie asked.

  “Ye,” Alex said. “I never considered employing a fool until now. For ye are making me laugh so hard it hurts.”

  Jamie frowned. “Ye doona have the right to tell me where I can or canna find companionship.”

  “Ye are sorely mistaken, Cousin. The lady is no common lass.”

  “Who is she?”

  “Lady Helen Sutherland.”

  The name made Jamie take a step back. “Sutherland?”

  “Aye.”

  “Keely’s friend?”

  “The very one.”

  “Why is she here?” The idea of a Sutherland darkening his clan’s ancestral home, whether a helpless lass or a hardened warrior ready to kill, enraged Jamie.

  Alex’s expression sobered. “Aye—the name alone boils yer blood.”

  “Not with lust.”

  “Nay—with hatred.”

  “Tis only right.”

  “Aye, under normal circumstances, I’d throw any Sutherland in the dungeon and leave him to rot. But Lady Helen isna just a Sutherland. She’s Keely’s closest friend and treated my wife with respect, as if she was her own sister.”

  Jamie couldna imagine being in Alex’s position—having to choose between placating his clan by imprisoning the daughter of their sworn enemy or welcoming Lady Helen as an honored guest. “What does she want?”

  “Sanctuary.”

  “From whom?”

  “Her sire.”

  “The earl beat her?”

  “Nay. Signed a betrothal with a disreputable laird from the isles.”

  “Most of the lairds from the isles are contemptible, no?”

  Amusement reached his cousin’s eyes again. “Only when they’re attacking us from the sea.”

  Jamie knew many of the isle warriors, men of honor who did as any Highlander would do when they grew restless, pick a neighborly fight with a worthy adversary for entertainment. “Which laird?”

  “Baran Munroe.”

  “Damn,” Jamie breathed. “Imagine wasting such a lovely lassie on a black-hearted devil like him.”

  Alex’s eyebrows jutted upward. “But she’s a bloody Sutherland, remember?”

  Jamie shrugged. “A matter of unfortunate birth—not the lady’s fault.”

  “Nay, it isna.”

  “How can I help?” Jamie asked, sounding too eager for his own comfort.

  “Stay away from her.”

  “W-what?”

  “Clean yer ears,” Alex commanded. “I want ye to stay away from Helen Sutherland.”

  Though he’d sworn allegiance to his beloved cousin as laird of the MacKays—by possessing lands, Jamie had the right to act in his own best interest, too, even if it went against Alex’s wishes.

  “Ye doona trust me?”

  “I remember the man who judged me before I married Keely—disapproved of my relations with foreign women, told me my Christian soul was in jeopardy if I dinna change.”

  “Father Michael had much to say to ye, I am sure.”

  Alex gaped at him. “I’m not talking about the priest, Jamie.”

  “Och, aye. I remember now.”

  “Do ye?” Alex slapped his back affectionately.

  “How is Keely? The babes?”

  “Resting.”

  “Why are ye down here still?”

  “Making arrangements for the lady.”

  “I can oversee the accommodatio
ns,” Jamie jested.

  But Alex dinna appreciate his humor. “If I must assign a guard to ye, too, I will.”

  “A prisoner?”

  “If that’s how ye wish to take it.”

  Both of them watched as a maid came into the hall and invited Lady Helen to follow her abovestairs.

  “It seems our problem has been solved,” Alex said. “I’ve instructed Miran to sleep in Helen’s chamber with her. Two guards will be posted in the corridor to assure her safety.”

  “Have ye sent anyone to ride out and see if she was followed?”

  “Are ye volunteering?”

  The bitter night air would surely kill Jamie’s desire. For some reason, he dinna care if Lady Helen was a Sutherland. Something about the way she carried herself, perhaps her quiet dignity and startling blue eyes, poked at the sleeping beast inside him. He’d overindulged in pleasure while in Constantinople, and returned to Scotland a changed man. Whether for better or worse, he dinna know. But Jamie understood how five years of living in the exotic east had changed Alex. Temptation had a way of following a man through the open markets in the city and into the desert.

  “What are ye thinking about, Cousin?” Alex interrupted his thoughts.

  “Nothing of importance,” Jamie lied.

  “If ye wish to ride out, choose some men to accompany ye.”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “Thank ye.”

  “If a Sutherland pig has followed the lass into MacKay territory, I’ll kill him.”

  Alex nodded. “Do as ye wish. I’m returning to my wife’s chamber to watch over her and the bairns.”

  “I’m proud of ye, Alex,” Jamie said.

  “Aye?”

  “Ye saved our clan. Breathed faith back into the hearts of our people by marrying Keely and giving us an heir.”

  “Doona forget about wee Rebecca.”

  Jamie winked. “A born princess.”

  Jamie grasped his cousin’s forearm. Alex, Keely, and their new babes meant everything to him. Aye, he had his own needs and plans for his property. But he’d nearly become the next MacKay laird before Alex accepted his birthright. There wasn’t anything he wouldna do to keep his kinsmen safe from Sutherlands or any other enemies. And if Alex wanted to accept Lady Helen and protect her, then Jamie would do the same. Though he must find a way to meet her. He wanted to hear the beautiful woman whisper his name—if only once.

  Departing the great hall, he headed for the barracks where some of the soldiers lived. Over the last two years, Alex had recruited new men, including warriors who had sailed with Jamie from Constantinople, choosing the Highlands as their new home.

  He entered the single-story wood building to find a large group huddled around a table playing a dice game brought to the Highlands from Constantinople. “Is this what ye do with yer free time?”

  “Jamie, welcome,” Kuresh said with a broad smile.

  Jamie and Kuresh had travelled to Constantinople together. Kuresh had acted as his interpreter, councilor, and guide—keeping him safe in the strange and brutal place. Now best friends, Jamie could always count on him.

  “Give me the dice,” Jamie said.

  One of the guards dropped the two cubes in his open hand. Jamie shook them vigorously, then dropped them on the table, rolling two boar heads.

  “Ye win!” Kuresh pushed the pile of silver toward Jamie.

  He rolled again, this time a pair of snakes. More coins were added to the pile, but Jamie shook his head. “I doona want to take yer winnings. Here.” He added a gold coin to the cache. “I need six men to accompany me on patrol.”

  Twenty raised their hands.

  “Pick five,” Jamie directed Kuresh, “then meet me at the stables.”

  A short time later, the mounts were ready, and Jamie rode through the gates with his unit, ready to torment anyone that dared trespass on MacKay lands.

  Chapter Three

  “Is it true?” The attractive maid with blond hair asked Helen once she was settled in her bedchamber. “Ye ran away from yer sire, the Earl of Sutherland?”

  Not accustomed to servants asking personal questions, Helen entertained the thought of chastising the lass. But the look on the young woman’s face suggested innocent curiosity. “Aye.”

  “I canna imagine doing something so bold and dangerous.”

  “What is yer name?”

  “Miran.” The maid curtsied. “I beg yer pardon, m’lady. Laird Alex instructed me to stay silent unless spoken to. But I find it verra difficult not to talk to ye.” She opened Helen’s only bag, pulling out the gowns and other garments Helen had managed to pack before she fled Dunrobin Castle.

  “I doona mind conversation,” Helen said honestly. “I am afraid of how the rest of yer clan will react to my presence here.”

  “The women in the kitchens already know about ye.”

  “Oh?”

  “Aye.”

  “And what did they say?”

  “Though some are suspicious as to why ye showed up in the middle of the night, many remember how fondly Lady Keely talks of ye. The way ye helped her when she ran away.”

  Helen smiled. She’d held those memories close to her heart, for Keely had filled her quiet life with laughter and friendship. When Keely left Dunrobin Castle without warning, Helen suffered greatly, for her world had changed back to the way it used to be—full of unbearable loneliness. As the daughter of a powerful earl, there was little for her to do on a daily basis. And she would have done anything to go with Keely—to taste freedom and choose her own path in life.

  Helen gazed around the elegant chamber. Though it was small, colorful tapestries decorated the walls, furs covered the stone floor, and a canopied bed with embroidered coverlets and pillows waited for her tired body. Someone had already lit a cozy fire in the hearth, kindling neatly stacked in the corner. Two padded chairs and a table were arranged beside the hearth.

  “Who usually occupies this room?” Helen asked, unlacing her leather boots.

  “Tis a guest chamber.”

  “And who keeps rooms along this corridor?” Helen wanted to know who slept nearby. Had Laird Alex strategically placed her here?

  “Ye share walls with other notable women,” Miran assured her. “Some are the noble daughters of Laird Alex’s captains and cousins. Worry not, guards are kept on this floor of the keep. MacKay lasses are well protected.”

  “And where do ye sleep?”

  “At the foot of yer bed.”

  “Ye canna sleep on the floor!” Helen protested, standing and stretching. It felt so good to be free of those tight, leather boots. She wiggled her stockinged toes as the warmth from the fire slowly seeped into her bones. “Where do ye normally sleep?”

  “I have a small room off the kitchens.”

  “If ye prefer…”

  “Nay,” Miran said. “Laird Alex gave me specific orders.”

  “Then ye will share my bed.”

  Miran eyed the bed. “Tis not meant for me, m’lady.”

  “If I say it is…”

  Miran nodded. “Are ye hungry?”

  “Aye.”

  “Come, sit at the table and I will serve ye. There’s hot stew and bread, and a bit of wine.”

  One taste of the thick broth and tender morsels of venison pleased Helen. She gladly ate all of the food, even enjoying the sweet wine Laird Alex had so generously provided for her. With a full belly and feeling better than she had in days, Helen knew the moment her head rested on one of those pillows she’d fall asleep. Yet, she had so many questions about Keely and her twins. About the current state of affairs between the MacKays and Sutherlands—about the world in general.

  “Tell me of yer mistress,” Helen said. “Laird Alex dinna have much time to share conversation about his new children.”

  Miran grinned. “Babes always fill a home with joy, no?”

  “Aye—endless joy.”

  Miran refilled Helen’s cup with wine, then set the pitcher back on the tab
le. “The boy is named John, after Laird Alex’s elder brother.”

  Helen grimaced. The brother she was sure her father’s men had killed in battle two years ago. Though she dinna get much information from her brothers, the earl couldna hide all of the truth from her. Servants talked, and Helen had learned how to eavesdrop without getting caught.

  “He favors his father, while the wee girl, Rebecca, named after Lady Keely’s mother, has the reddest, curly hair I’ve ever seen on a bairn.”

  “John and Rebecca,” Helen repeated. “Which was born first?”

  “The lad.”

  “A true blessing for his parents.”

  “Laird Alex wanted a son, of course, but one of the maids that helped birth the babes said he favored the lass as soon as he set eyes upon her.”

  More news that warmed Helen’s heart. The only reason the earl cared for Helen was because he had three sons before she was born. There was something special about a man who dinna esteem his son over his daughter.

  “Do ye want a big family?” Miran asked as she began to unbind Helen’s hair.

  “Aye,” Helen admitted sadly. But not with Laird Baran Munroe, the monster her father had betrothed her to. His children would come into the world screaming with vengeance, for her brothers had not shied away from telling her about her future husband’s exploits. Then there was the question of whether the man had murdered his latest wife. “Someday…”

  “I am sorry for asking ye that question.”

  “Why?”

  Miran stopped working on her hair and walked around the chair and looked down at Helen. “Yer voice changed when ye answered. And by the look on yer face…”

  “Think nothing of it,” Helen said. “Like any noble daughter is expected to do, I must marry the man my father chose.”

  “A man ye doona want.”

  “A man I’m sure no woman wants.”

  “Will he come looking for ye?”

  Helen had considered that before she decided to ride to MacKay lands. Just how far would Laird Munroe go once he found out his bride refused to marry him. Highlanders dinna like being humiliated. And the shame that would fall upon her father’s shoulders, her brothers, and Clan Munroe would leave them with no choice but to recover her. The Sutherland motto, Sans Peur, meant her clan did everything without fear. The Earl of Sutherland feared nothing but dishonor. And Helen had shamelessly disrespected her sire.