Page 23 of The Highland Heir

She knew Kieran told only the bare facts. Theway he led them around the area where she’d heard the fighting toldher the men he’d bested still lay in the forest.

“We’ll be to Kildary in a few hours.”

“Should we sing?” she asked.

He looked over at her with wide eyes.

“Please, no. Between the two of us, we shallsend the horses to madness, and we need them to get the rest of theway to the Ross lands.”

“We are not so bad.”

“I am not so bad, you are downright horrid,and I mean it in the nicest way as you are my best friend, but ifyou sing, I’ll have no choice but to pull my blade across my ownthroat to end my misery.”

“Very well, since I will need your escortback to Caithness after I see my aunt well, I will relent.”

A few moments later she said, “Mayhap Icould—”

“Nay. No humming either.”

Sometimes having a friend who knew one sowell was not such a wonderful thing.

Chapter Nine

They crested the hill that led to the villageof Kildary. The Ross castle, Balnagown, stood on the opposite hill.Kieran would need to make his way there to greet the laird.

The Ross clan and the Sinclairs occasionallyspent time raiding each other’s cattle, but no real animosity laybetween them. Kieran felt a shadow of disappointment that hewouldn’t be called upon to marry a Ross for an alliance. He knewwhich Ross woman he would recommend for such a duty.

He dropped back, allowing Ellie to pick theirpath down the hill and through the cottages to the one she hadvisited in the past.

Kieran had always felt a bit of anger atEllie’s aunt for inviting her to stay with her a few weeks eachsummer. When Ellie had been away, he’d been alone, missing her. Andwhen she’d returned with tales of her aunt and all the merrimentthey’d had, he’d been jealous.

He was grown now and was not so selfish tostill be angry at the woman. But after helping Ellie down, heoffered to see to their horses rather than follow her inside.

“I’ll return after I’ve seen to ourmounts.”

“Thank you,” she said almost dismissivelybefore she rushed into the cottage.

He could tell Ellie had seemed more worriedas they’d gotten closer to the village. Mainly because she’d grownquieter and had given up on her quest for them to sing or hum.

Kieran planned to give her some time with heraunt alone before joining them. The better for Ellie to determinehow serious her aunt’s illness was.

He headed toward the stables in the villageand stopped when two women stepped out in front of his horse.

“Ladies,” he greeted them with a smile evenif he’d rather ask them to move so he might continue on.

“Who might ye be?”

“Kieran Sinclair.”

“Sinclair?” The women shared a look. “Wouldyou be looking for company during your stay at Kildary?”

Kieran only hesitated a moment.

“Nay. I have company already. Thank ye, andgood day.”

Fortunately, they moved to the side so hemight continue on.

Mayhap he should have taken them up on theiroffer so to deal with the issue of his virginity before he married.He just couldn’t bring himself to swive a woman he didn’t know atall. To use someone in that way didn’t set well with him.