Page 39 of His Secret Highland Bride

Before Tory could reply, Shane put up his hand. “No feast. No announcement of any kind to anyone. I wish to ease into my new responsibilities as laird. I’ve been away for a while, and I’d like time to myself after years spent in a foreign land with men by my side every second of the day and night.”

Deirdre frowned but must’ve realized he wasn’t asking for her permission. “Still, I will have my things moved from the laird’s chamber so it will be ready for ye when your new bride arrives.”

At the word “bride,” Shane thought of the woman who was probably waiting for him in the cottage by now. He’d not had ink or parchment to pen her a note telling her where he’d gone, but she most likely assumed he was out hunting. Doran would keep her safe until Shane returned. “Keep your things where they are for now. I’ll let ye know when they need to be moved. Is there anything pressing for me to do here today?”

“I’m sure you’ll find I have things well in hand,” Deirdre said, waving dismissively at several piles of correspondence on the laird’s large desk. He couldn’t help but notice the way Tory rolled her eyes and the unpleasant sound Alec made behind him.

“Even still, I believe I should like to look over the books.”

“You plan to take over the finances?” Deirdre seemed a bit nervous now, which told Shane he would probably not be able to return to his wife in the next few hours.

“It is the task of the laird, is it not?”

“Aye, but as you said, you’re getting settled. Mayhap you would prefer I keep the accounting of them until you’ve seen to other things. There is the matter of the unrest with the MacColls, and the Camerons attempted a raid just a fortnight ago.”

“I’ll see to those things tomorrow, but, for today, I wish to see the ledgers. I canna very well plan a siege on an enemy until I know what funds I have for weapons. I also saw we have little to harvest as far as grain and not many cows or sheep in the fields.”

Deirdre waved her hand dismissively. “Ungrateful barbarians, the lot of them. They didn’t want to pay their due and then abandoned the clan before the planting.”

“Still, there would’ve been time to get others to see to it. With no grain, we’ll not have anything to feed people.”

Another wave of her bejeweled hand. “It will be fine. No need to worry over it.”

“That’s right, brother—no need to worry.” Alec rolled his eyes. “And I can help ye with the books. Ye have little to no funds. It’s why me and my men defend the castle with no more than sticks and a few dull daggers.” Alec scowled again, and Shane thought it might be the only gesture the man knew how to make.

Deirdre laughed louder than was usual for a casual bit of mirth. In fact, Shane thought the sound bordered on maniacal. “Alec is only jesting. Everything is fine.”

“I will see for myself, and if he isn’t jesting, we will rectify the state of the armory immediately. If we can’t defend the castle, we are limited in what we might do about the MacColls and the Camerons.”

The Camerons… He’d hate to have to wage war with his new wife’s family. But she wasn’t of high enough rank to create an alliance with their enemy clan. If anything, he may anger them even more by having taken one of their women to wed without anyone’s permission. He could only hope they would approve of the union when they learned he’d done so to protect her from her rotten uncle. “The books,” he said again, more sternly as he moved behind the desk.

Deirdre reluctantly stepped out of the way. “You’ll let me know if you have any questions.”

“If something seems amiss, you will be the first person I’ll see.”

The woman’s face, still striking, turned pale as he took his seat, hoping things were not as bad as they seemed.

Chapter Fifteen

“Where is he?” Lindsay asked the dog once again. As she had each time before, Tre sat and tilted her head to the side offering no answer as far as Lindsay could tell.

When she’d arrived back at the cottage, she’d found the cottage empty. She’d thought he’d gone hunting, but he’d not taken his bow and quiver of arrows with him. Now it was after dinner, and the sun was working its way toward the horizon.

She didn’t think he would leave her alone—he was protective to the side of overbearing, which made her think of something. Going out on the porch, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted for her cousin.

Doran seemed to appear out of nothing as he came closer.

“Do you know where Shane is?”

“Nay. Only that he left with a large monster of a warrior and asked me to watch after ye.”

She nodded, unsure of the man Doran referred to. “Come in. You’re hungry.”

By the time they’d finished their meal, Lindsay had grown thin on patience and began to worry about her husband. What if he’d been injured? What if he’d run into the guards from the first day and they’d overpowered him? She didn’t think it likely, but if he’d been caught by surprise, the scraggly warriors could have gotten the upper hand. She was about to go look for him when the dog barked a second before the door opened and her husband stepped in. She rushed forward, looking him over to make sure he was unharmed.

“What has kept ye?” she asked, noting that Shane looked unhappy.

He let out a breath and shook his head. “I was needed up at the castle. The war chief came for me today.” He looked to Doran, who gave a nod and slipped out of the cottage.