debacle with Fiona, but naught had been settled.
And Macauley was ahead in the game of rivalry he was playing. Lachann knew how easily rumors spread in the highlands. He was certain Macauley must have gotten wind of his intentions to come to Kilgorra and wed Catrìona. The blighter had seen it as an opportunity to thwart Lachann while he bettered his lot.
Just as he’d done on Skye.
At least this time Lachann had no intimate connection to the bride. She was merely the means to an end.
Lachann eased his hand away from the hilt of his sword and turned his attention to Laird MacDuffie. Was the man so well jaked that he had lost all influence over his daughter? Would he actually allow her to choose Macauley?
A nna clipped down a back staircase when she finished in the great hall, then stood in the shadowy corridor outside the kitchen with her back against the wall.
Her reaction to Lachann MacMillan was unwarranted and unwelcome. She would brace herself next time she needed to be in his presence, and somehow ignore the remarkable sensations that skittered through her when she stood near him.
She wondered if this was anything like the attraction Kyla had felt for Birk when he’d first begun coming ’round to court her. He’d been such a fine young man then, strong, but attentive and sweet. And when Kyla had fallen wildly in love with him, Anna had been envious of her friend. She’d thought perhaps she might like to fall in love, too. . . .
But no Kilgorran had affected her the way Birk had done with Kyla. And now that everyone on the isle knew how well that had turned out, Anna had concluded she was far better off keeping to herself. She would live out her life as Gudrun had done, content in her small cottage behind the castle gardens. ’Twas far safer.
But Anna couldn’t avoid Lachann MacMillan entirely, for he’d moved into the keep and she had duties to perform near, and even inside, his bedchamber. She would just have to figure some way to make herself immune to his appeal.
Mayhap she would picture him as the troll in one of Gudrun’s tales—the horrible creature that hid beneath the bridge as the billy goats tried to pass.
Anna snorted at the very idea.
Lachann MacMillan was anything but a troll, as her drumming heart attested.
“Anna? Is that ye back there?” Flora called out.
“Aye,” Anna replied, stepping into the kitchen.
“We can finish up with all the doings in the great hall without ye,” Flora said. “Go on down to Janet’s and see about Kyla.”
“Aye, soon. I’ll just take this last tray up to them,” Anna said in spite of herself.
“But—”
“ ’Twill not delay me much.”
Anna took the tray before Flora could protest any further, but she stopped before she reached the top of the stairs. She paused, balancing the tray against the wall as she smoothed her apron and slid the few loose strands of her hair into her braid before entering the hall.
MacMillan looked right at her as she crested the top step. And he looked away just as quickly.
Ach, fine then . Anna wanted naught to do with him, either.
Chapter 8
L achann avoided looking at Anna as she placed a tray of honeyed sweets on the table, but he was unlikely to forget the sight of her comely face.
“There’s little point in wandering ’round the isle, MacMillan. Macauley can show you the distillery upon the morrow.” Laird MacDuffie’s words had begun to slur together. “ ’Tis far more interesting than the land.”
“The distillery?” Lachann asked, surprised yet again. What did the distillery have to do with anything? Fine spirits were brewed there, but it made Kilgorra a target for raiders, who would take the whiskey if there was no fighting force to challenge them.
“Aye. The Kilgorra Distillery,” MacDuffie said. “Cullen has taken a special interest in it.”
“I appreciate the offer, Laird,” Lachann said, choosing his words carefully, “but I had hoped to take the day to explore the
And Macauley was ahead in the game of rivalry he was playing. Lachann knew how easily rumors spread in the highlands. He was certain Macauley must have gotten wind of his intentions to come to Kilgorra and wed Catrìona. The blighter had seen it as an opportunity to thwart Lachann while he bettered his lot.
Just as he’d done on Skye.
At least this time Lachann had no intimate connection to the bride. She was merely the means to an end.
Lachann eased his hand away from the hilt of his sword and turned his attention to Laird MacDuffie. Was the man so well jaked that he had lost all influence over his daughter? Would he actually allow her to choose Macauley?
A nna clipped down a back staircase when she finished in the great hall, then stood in the shadowy corridor outside the kitchen with her back against the wall.
Her reaction to Lachann MacMillan was unwarranted and unwelcome. She would brace herself next time she needed to be in his presence, and somehow ignore the remarkable sensations that skittered through her when she stood near him.
She wondered if this was anything like the attraction Kyla had felt for Birk when he’d first begun coming ’round to court her. He’d been such a fine young man then, strong, but attentive and sweet. And when Kyla had fallen wildly in love with him, Anna had been envious of her friend. She’d thought perhaps she might like to fall in love, too. . . .
But no Kilgorran had affected her the way Birk had done with Kyla. And now that everyone on the isle knew how well that had turned out, Anna had concluded she was far better off keeping to herself. She would live out her life as Gudrun had done, content in her small cottage behind the castle gardens. ’Twas far safer.
But Anna couldn’t avoid Lachann MacMillan entirely, for he’d moved into the keep and she had duties to perform near, and even inside, his bedchamber. She would just have to figure some way to make herself immune to his appeal.
Mayhap she would picture him as the troll in one of Gudrun’s tales—the horrible creature that hid beneath the bridge as the billy goats tried to pass.
Anna snorted at the very idea.
Lachann MacMillan was anything but a troll, as her drumming heart attested.
“Anna? Is that ye back there?” Flora called out.
“Aye,” Anna replied, stepping into the kitchen.
“We can finish up with all the doings in the great hall without ye,” Flora said. “Go on down to Janet’s and see about Kyla.”
“Aye, soon. I’ll just take this last tray up to them,” Anna said in spite of herself.
“But—”
“ ’Twill not delay me much.”
Anna took the tray before Flora could protest any further, but she stopped before she reached the top of the stairs. She paused, balancing the tray against the wall as she smoothed her apron and slid the few loose strands of her hair into her braid before entering the hall.
MacMillan looked right at her as she crested the top step. And he looked away just as quickly.
Ach, fine then . Anna wanted naught to do with him, either.
Chapter 8
L achann avoided looking at Anna as she placed a tray of honeyed sweets on the table, but he was unlikely to forget the sight of her comely face.
“There’s little point in wandering ’round the isle, MacMillan. Macauley can show you the distillery upon the morrow.” Laird MacDuffie’s words had begun to slur together. “ ’Tis far more interesting than the land.”
“The distillery?” Lachann asked, surprised yet again. What did the distillery have to do with anything? Fine spirits were brewed there, but it made Kilgorra a target for raiders, who would take the whiskey if there was no fighting force to challenge them.
“Aye. The Kilgorra Distillery,” MacDuffie said. “Cullen has taken a special interest in it.”
“I appreciate the offer, Laird,” Lachann said, choosing his words carefully, “but I had hoped to take the day to explore the
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