A Fierce Archer (Clan Ross Book 6), Hildie McQueen [most popular ebook readers TXT] 📗

A hot flush crept up her face at the reminder of the many years she’d pined for Keithen. Since she had been very young she’d convinced herself that she was in love with him and had not wasted a moment to ensure he well knew it. It wasn’t until the last couple years that she’d come to realize it was a fanciful thing of youth and what she’d considered to be love was truly more of a deep caring.

“Ewan Ross is going to leave soon and once he does, I will never see him again. Therefore, it is best I do not allow for my feelings to grow deep.”

“Oh, yes, my husband told me. It was a rash decision, in my opinion, to ask that he leave. Sometimes men are so temperamental. They make a decision when they are angry and then are too proud to admit mistakes.”

Catriona leaned forward. “Do ye think the laird will reconsider?” She looked to where Laird Fraser continued listening to claimants.

“I doubt it,” Lady Fraser replied. “Ewan Ross is not a member of this clan, so there is no allegiance to him.”

“What of the warriors he brought with him? If he leaves, they may follow suit.”

Lady Fraser shook her head. “They came on orders from Laird Ross. Leaving would be disobedience.”

Ava Fraser, Keithen’s wife, and Flora, Catriona’s companion, hurried over. Each held a basket filled with cloth. Flora pulled a tapestry from the basket and spread it over the table. “This is the perfect surface for each of us to work on a different section at once,” Ava announced.

The project gave Catriona time to consider the two conversations she’d just had. That Broden was interested in more than friendship made her anxious. The last thing she wanted was to hurt her friend.

“Flora?” she started to ask her companion something, but then noticed the woman had stopped sewing, needle poised, her gaze focused across the room. She watched Broden as he stood alone now by the front exit. Arms crossed over his chest, he looked imposing, which was done on purpose. Hopefully, most would reconsider before they became disorderly and needed to be dragged from the room.

Not knowing that someone was watching, he reached up and combed his fingers through his unruly mop of hair. The action was quite sensual.

“He is so handsome,” Flora said under her breath.

“Who?” both Ava and Lady Fraser asked. Then they followed Flora’s line of vision.

Flora blushed. “I shouldn’t have admitted that out loud.”

“Oh, yes, he is,” Lady Fraser replied with a knowing smile. “If I were single and ten years younger, I would comb his hair.”

The women all giggled, making the laird and others in the room turn to them.

Lady Fraser held up both hands. “We shall be silent.”

As the day progressed, Catriona couldn’t stop thinking about Ewan’s suggestion that she travel north to Clan Ross. It had been months since she’d seen Esme, and she did miss her terribly. At the same time, the thought of traveling so far and the risks involved scared her.

As much as she’d tried to convince herself that she was ready to live a normal life, a part of her was still held captive by fear and trepidation.

Some of the mundane tasks she’d set for herself kept her well away from the men who lived in the keep. She loved helping with the tasks of gardening and seeing to the care of the chickens but hadn’t done it until recently. And even at that, it was seldom. Now as she made her way past the kitchen to the door that led to the garden, Catriona’s steps faltered.

“The garden is surprisingly plentiful for so early in the spring,” Eileen, the cook, said as she entered through the door. In her arms, she held a basket filled with vegetables.

Catriona inspected the items. “I was about to go see what needed to be done there.”

True to her gruff form, Eileen nodded. “Well, ye know there is always plenty that can be done and never enough hands to do it. Off ye go.” She toddled away.

“That certainly put me in my place,” Catriona muttered under her breath. Her lips curved as she stepped outside. Just as the cook had warned, there were too many weeds sprouting around the plants. One corner was overgrown so much that the vines crept over the short wall.

Arms on her hips, Catriona frowned and looked around for the old man who’d been the gardener for years. He would certainly get a tongue lashing.

“Who are ye looking for?” A young kitchen lad hurried by with a pail of water in each hand.

“Vincent. Where is he?”

The lad shrugged. “He left several weeks back. He got sick and lives in the village now.”

“And no one took his place?” Catriona asked, only to realize the boy had already gone inside.

She shook her head and opened the gate. Once inside the garden, she felt protected. Unless someone came to that particular entrance, no one could really see her in there when she was bent over working.

It was a long time later that Flora appeared and upon seeing Catriona, her eyebrows rose in surprise. “Ye really are out here. I didn’t believe it, so had to come see for myself.”

“No one has taken the time to weed,” Catriona replied but grinned up at her friend. “Can ye believe it?”

“A new gardener should be hired. Vincent has only been gone for a short while and it is overgrown.” Flora studied the area Catriona had been working on. “It looks good,” she said, pointing to where Catriona stood. “Ye accomplished it all alone?”

“Yes.” Catriona looked over her shoulder at the rest of the garden. “I will speak to Lady Fraser. I will ensure the garden is properly