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Keira wondered if he was simply trying not to scare or overwhelm her with his presence, for he certainly had a commandeering energy about him. Besides that, she had Harriet to take care of her, and she truly was the best company Keira could have asked for.
Keira already had knowledge of herbs and medicines since she had been interested in studying them and had taught herself through books. Hence, she had only needed Harriet’s help in preparing them for herself, which had certainly aided her in feeling significantly better. The bruises on her face were almost entirely gone, and she did not feel so self-conscious any longer.
“Should I bring up yer breakfast?” Harriet asked her, and Keira nodded, pushing the covers away to get out. Harriet immediately began to straighten her bed out as Keira went ahead to help her. She had always done these things for herself when she was back home despite always having servants and had been doing them herself at Gilmor castle too. Eric had never provided her with a maid. She shuddered as thoughts of Eric came back to her, but she immediately pushed them away, not wishing to think about that cruel man.
At least here, at the MacPherson Castle, she had Harriet to take care of her, and Christian seemed protective. He had not tried to converse with her again, but Keira still did not trust him. A part of her was certain that he was just like Eric and was only waiting for her to heal so he could break her all over again, even though Harriet had done nothing but sing praises of Laird MacPherson to Keira in the past few days.
“How is everyone in the castle today, Harriet?” Keira asked, trying to act nonchalant since she wished to ask about Christian only. She was still unsure about her feelings towards him.
“There are only two people besides the servants in the castle, me lady. Ye are the third,” Harriet replied as Keira went ahead and sat down on the sofa.
“Who is the second?” she asked confusedly, wondering if Christian had a family.
“Josh, me lady. Me laird’s adopted brother from his gang,” Harriet explained before moving out of the door and bringing in a tray full of food that had just been waiting outside.
“His gang?!” Keira asked, surprise ringing in her tone. Christian had a dark history, and she had heard bits and pieces of his past from Eric, but she still did not know much about his past.
“The laird was abandoned by his faither after his mother died, and he was just a young boy. The cruel man left him on the streets,” Harriet explained as Keira listened in closely, “that was when the laird knew he needed to do something for survival, and he decided to join a notoriously evil gang.”
“Did he have no siblings?” Keira questioned, entirely invested.
“None, me lady,” Harriet replied, “he was left all alone.”
“Surviving in a gang must have been just as difficult for him,” Keira commented, her heart feeling sympathetic for Christian. She did not even know him that well, but her heart broke for the young boy who must have felt helpless and miserable when left all alone by his very own father.
“Not at all,” Harriet replied immediately, “he was both strong and hot-headed despite being young, and even the older and experienced members of the gang began to respect him. His noble lineage was also known to all and gave him a significantly higher position than the rest, and very quickly, he rose through the ranks until he became the leader of the gang.”
“He must have been very young when he became the leader,” Keira said. She could imagine Christian excelling at everything and rising easily amongst those like him. He was better than them all.
“He was, me lady. Perhaps only in his early twenties, but he was an excellent fighter and nay one compared to him in any regard. Hence, he was the most obvious choice for leader. Josh, who is now his man at arms, was his brother from the gang.”
“How did he become the laird then?” Keira asked, curiosity coursing through her at its best. She felt a sudden need to know as much as she could find about him.
“One day, he came back to the clan and decided to challenge his father, the former Laird MacPherson to a duel saying that the lairdship was rightfully his and his faither can nae take that away from him,” Harriet said, almost in a whisper as if narrating an adventurous tale. Christian’s life was nothing short of an adventurous tale, though. He was the prince who was wronged but fought his way to become king.
“He challenged his own faither to a duel?” It was hard for Keira to believe that such things truly happened.
“He did,” Harriet nodded.
“And he won,” Keira said more as a fact than a question.
“He had to win. He was stronger, more powerful, and far more trained in the art of war,” she replied, “although, he did nae kill him. He only defeated his father and assumed the lairdship. His faither was already sick and eventually died a few months later.”
“He hated his faither so much and yet did nae kill him. He has a kind heart,” Keira smiled, not knowing why that made her happy.
“He does have a kind heart but nae a lot of people ken or believe that. He is only ever seen as cruel.” Keira nodded, knowing that Harriet was right about that. “He is the best laird the clan has ever seen. The clan has flourished and grown with him being here and has prospered every day since. He is kind to all of his people and cares for us all.”
“Is Josh young?” Keira asked, suddenly curious.
“Nay, me lady. He is younger by two years than the laird, which only makes him seven and twenty, but he is much older than ye.”
“Laird MacPherson is nine and twenty? I thought he was older,” Keira replied, her focus entirely on the handsome man who had brought her here. He was rather young, but years of fending for himself had turned him exceedingly brutal and his expression quite stoic, which made him appear older.
“Our laird is very young and very handsome, me lady,” Harriet replied with a smile.
“He is,” Keira nodded, realizing belatedly what she had just said. She had called Christian handsome, which was the truth indeed, but Keira did not want Harriet to know that. She preferred to keep all her thoughts and feelings hidden until she was certain she could trust these people.
Harriet placed the tray of breakfast in front of Keira, and she began to eat slowly, her mind still on Christian. Keira had felt nothing but safe this past week. It was true she had been lonely, but when Christian had asked her if she wished for him to inform her father about all that had happened in the past few days, she could not help but deny it.
