There was an edge of anger to Maddie’s tone and Keeley ripped herself away from the older woman. “Nay! He is as tortured as I am. He knows he must marry Rionna. We’ve both tried to ignore what is between us. ’Tis I who went to him last eve.”

Maddie reached to trail her fingers down the locks of Keeley’s hair in a soothing manner. “ ’Tis hard when the heart must be denied. I don’t have words to tend the hurt. I wish I did. But you are a good lass, Keeley. You mustn’t allow the ills done to you in the past to influence you now. You aren’t a whore. You have a good and loyal heart. The McCabes are fortunate to have you.”

Keeley threw herself in Maddie’s arms and hugged the other woman fiercely. “Thank you, Maddie. ’Tis the truth I’ve never had dearer friends than you and the other women of the keep. I’ll never forget your kindness—or your understanding.”

Maddie stroked Keeley’s hair and returned her hug. “Gannon has told the others that you’re tired and ailing. We all agree you’ve done much in your time here. Why don’t I go down and ask Gertie to send up something to eat. I’ll come sit with you if you like, but you should go to bed and have a long rest.”

Keeley nodded and slowly pulled away. “I’d like that. ’Tis the truth I’m tired and sick at heart. I haven’t the strength to smile this day and pretend naught is the matter.”

Maddie patted her hand. “Hie yourself to bed and let me take care of the rest. Your secret ’tis safe with me. I’ll not even be telling Lady McCabe. ’Tis your concern who you share your affairs with.”

“Thank you,” Keeley said again.

Maddie rose and gestured toward the bed. “Go now. Make yourself comfortable. After a night of loving, I imagine your appetite ’tis monstrous.”

Keeley blushed and then laughed. “Aye, it is to be sure.”

Maddie smiled and exited the room, closing the door behind her. Keeley pulled on her nightdress and then burrowed under the covers. It was a cold day and her chamber had a chill despite the fire Gannon had thoughtfully tended.

As she waited for Maddie, she stared up at the ceiling, grateful she wouldn’t bear the day alone. Her heart already ached enough without the burden of solitude. Sometimes ’Twas best to share with a friend. She missed the friendship that she and Rionna used to share.

Keeley had lived a long time alone, but now that she’d found the companionship—and camaraderie—of other women, the idea of going back to the silent cottage was more than she could bear.

She wanted to be part of the McCabe clan. As painful as it would be, knowing Alaric was close but never to be hers. But she wasn’t willing to be a coward and flee to sulk and lick her wounds in solitude. She was tired of being alone.

She wanted to belong.

Moments later, Maddie returned, not only with Mairin but Christina as well. The women burst into Keeley’s chambers, their smiles warm, their laughter vibrant.

Christina was ablaze with joy as she recounted Cormac’s marriage proposal. Maddie glanced over at Keeley and then reached to squeeze her hand. Keeley squeezed back and smiled fondly at Christina.

The lass was overjoyed, and Keeley allowed that happiness to seep into her soul, bringing with it a measure of comfort she desperately needed. She gathered the blankets to her chest and watched as Maddie added another log to the fire. Food and ale were delivered, and soon the women’s laughter filtered into the hall and beyond.

At his chamber door, Alaric paused and listened to the honeyed sound of Keeley’s amusement. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Then he turned and strode rapidly down the hall toward the stair, ignoring the increasing discomfort in his side.

CHAPTER 21

“Keeley! Keeley!”

Keeley turned her head to see Crispen bolting across the great hall toward her. She braced herself, having become well acquainted with the way Crispen “greeted” her.

He flung himself around her, nearly knocking them both to the floor, but Keeley’s preparation kept them upright.

She laughed and pried him away from her. “What are you about, Crispen?”

“Will you go outside and play with us in the snow? Will you, Keeley? Mama can’t go. Papa has forbidden her outside the doors. She’s not happy, but Maddie says ’tis good because Mama is ungainly and as round as a pumpkin and she might fall on the ice.”

Keeley hesitated, nearly laughing at the flood of words from the lad’s mouth.

“The storm is over and the sun’s out. ’Tis a beautiful day. Papa has been out training since dawn. We can play on the hill and Gannon and Cormac can come along.”

“Slow down,” she said with a chuckle. “ ’Tis the truth I’d welcome a bit of fresh air.”

Crispen’s face lit up. “Then you’ll come? Really?” He all but danced out of her reach and around the hall.

“If you’ll give me a moment to don warmer clothing, I’ll be glad to come out with you as long as you have the laird’s permission.”

Crispen nodded eagerly. “I’ll go ask him now.”

“Very well. I’ll meet you back belowstairs in a few minutes’ time.”

She watched as Crispen dashed out of the hall at full speed and then shaking her head, she headed toward the stairs to don clothing appropriate for the bitter cold.

When she returned, both Cormac and Gannon stood in the hall surrounded by Crispen and several other children. They looked wearily in her direction as she approached.

Grinning, she made it a point to enthusiastically greet each of the children and then she asked if they were ready to proceed outdoors. Surrounded by their lively chatter, she stepped into the cold and shivered as chill bumps prickled up her spine.

“ ’Tis cold today!” she exclaimed.

“Aye, ’tis,” Cormac grumbled. “Too cold to be standing still watching over children.”

Keeley slanted a sly smile in Cormac’s direction. “ ’Tis likely Christina will be joining us.”

His expression brightened and then he glanced rapidly in Gannon’s direction and adopted a more bland look.

“Come on!” Crispen urged. He tugged at Keeley’s hand until she gave in and hurried up the hill toward the area where the children played.

Teams were quickly formed and Keeley groaned when she realized the game was tossing balls of snow at one another with as much force as they could muster.

Thankfully for her, Gretchen was on Keeley’s team and she was quite adept at hitting her target. The boys howled with outrage every time Gretchen pelted one of them in the face.

Breathless with exertion after an hour of steady warfare, they called a truce and stood, hands on hips, gasping for air.

Crispen and Gretchen were whispering in low tones and kept staring over at Cormac and Gannon.

“You ask,” Crispen muttered.

“Nay, you ask,” Gretchen demanded. “ ’Tis your father’s men. They’ll more likely do it for you.”

Crispen jutted his chin out. “You’re a girl. ’Tis fact girls always get what they want.”

Gretchen rolled her eyes and then punched him hard in the arm.

“Ow!”

Crispen glared at her and rubbed his arm. “We’ll both ask.”

Gretchen smiled serenely and the two ran in Gannon’s direction. Keeley watched with interest when the two warriors visibly recoiled. Then they began shaking their heads and making negative gestures. They frowned, then scowled, and the children argued on.

It wasn’t until Gretchen’s expression turned from fierce determination to pitifully woeful that the men began to look uneasy. Her big eyes shimmered with tears and her chin quivered.

“Oh dear. They don’t stand a chance now.”

Keeley turned to see Christina approaching, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Gretchen isn’t opposed to using womanly wiles if it gains her what she wants. A more clever lass I’ve never met,” Christina said ruefully. “If she can’t beat capitulation from someone, she’ll turn on the pitiful eyes.”

“I’m dying to know what they want,” Keeley said.

“Whatever it is, it looks like they’ve been successful.”

Cormac looked up and his eyes brightened when he saw Christina. Gannon turned in the direction of the keep while Crispen and Gretchen trailed Cormac as he walked over to where the two women stood.

“Gannon’s going to fetch his shield!” Crispen crowed.

“His shield?” Keeley asked.

“Aye,” Gretchen said. “To slide down the hill on.”

“ ’Tis a sin to abuse a shield thusly,” Cormac muttered.

“ ’Tis good fun to ride down the hill atop them,” Crispen piped in.

Gannon appeared in the distance, the sun glinting off the large shield that he bore up the hill. When he reached the crowd of children they cheered.

Intrigued by the notion of sliding down a hill on a warrior’s shield, Keeley leaned closer to examine the object. ’Twas certainly large enough to hold a child or even a small adult.

“How does it work?”

“ ’Tis placed down like so,” Gannon said, placing the outward face onto the snow. “Then someone climbs atop and another gives them a push down the hill.”

Keeley’s eyes widened. “Is it safe?”

Gannon sighed. “Not if we allow them to slide into the loch or the courtyard where the men are training. The laird would be furious.”

“Then we must go the other way,” Keeley said, pointing away from the keep and the stone skirts.

Cormac eyed the next hill, sloping upward from the slight crest they were standing on. “Aye, the lass is right. We’ll need to go over the top of the next so we stay away from harm.”

“Yay! ’Tis a much steeper hillside to ride down,” Crispen cheered as they slogged up the rise through the snow.

“Me first!” Robbie cried as soon as they were looking down at the valley below them.

“Nay, ’Twas my idea and I did the asking,” Gretchen protested. “ ’Tis only fair I go first.”

“Let her go first,” Crispen muttered. “ ’Twill be her who is killed if ’tis not safe.”

Robbie grinned. “ ’Tis a sound plan that. All right, Gretchen. ’Tis agreed. You go first.”

Gretchen stared suspiciously at both boys but gladly took position on the shield that Gannon positioned in the snow.

“Now hold your skirts tight and don’t let go of the sides,” Christina said anxiously.

“All set?” Cormac asked.

“Aye, send me off,” Gretchen said, her eyes wide with excitement.

Gannon gave her a gentle push, but the polished iron of the shield was slick on the surface and she quickly picked up speed. Soon she was flying along the ground, barely skimming the surface.

At one point she turned sideways, gave a delighted squeal, and then was able to set herself to rights by using the weight of her body.

“ ’Tis a clever lass,” Gannon said in resignation. “I’ve no doubt that one day she’ll lead her own army.”

Christina and Keeley exchanged smug glances.

Gretchen landed at the bottom, coming to a skidding halt barely inches from one of the large trees that guarded the entrance to the forest. She waved her hand excitedly to let them know that all was well, not that they couldn’t tell that from the broad grin covering her face.

Dragging the shield behind her, she struggled up the hillside until Gannon went down to help her.

Crispen was next to go and he shouted all the way down, his laughter ringing over the snow. He spun in several dizzying circles at the bottom before coming to a halt in a particularly deep drift.

Robbie was next and he howled his displeasure at tipping over halfway down and rolling like a runaway snowball for the rest of the way.

Thinking it looked like good fun, Crispen and Gretchen threw themselves in the snow and began rolling down the hill after Robbie.

“Would you like to try it, Keeley?” Gannon offered politely as he pointed at the empty shield.

Her first instinct was a vehement refusal, but she swore she saw challenge in the warrior’s eyes. Her gaze narrowed and she fixed him with a glare. “You think me too cowardly to try.”

Gannon shrugged. “It does seem rather fearsome for a slight lass as yourself.”

Christina choked and covered the sound with rapid coughing.

“That sounds remarkably like a challenge, warrior, but I have one of my own to make. If I go down the hill without tumbling from the shield, you and Cormac must also attempt it.”

Cormac scowled. “ ’Tis unseemly for warriors to indulge in child’s play.”

“Well, if you’re afraid,” she said innocently.

“Did you question our courage?” Gannon asked incredulously.

“Aye, I did. What think you to do about it?”