Page 23 of A Fearless Rebel

“Do ye need to stop?”

She shook her head. “No.”

Keithen had the feeling that if he pushed her to speak, she would crumble and lose the hold she stubbornly kept on her emotions.

The strength she showed was extraordinary. The woman would be his wife for life and yet, at the same time, he would not have any type of relationship with her. Now he wondered many things about her, making him wish they’d perhaps gotten an opportunity to speak more.

“Stop staring at me,” she snapped.

“I am sorry that this has to happen.” Keithen searched for words to try to explain, but it was ridiculous. What was happening could not be softened by words.

It was late in the day when they finally caught sight of Mackenzie Keep. They’d ridden all day and had not stopped, Ava refusing to do so.

When they neared, everyone stopped except for Ava.

Just outside the walls of Mackenzie Keep, lines of horsemen flanked the gates, two people, also on horseback, remained in front of the rest.

Back straight, his wife rode without hesitating until she disappeared as the gates closed behind her.

*

Keithen entered his father’s study the next morning. Unable to sleep, he’d been up half the night, wondering how bad Ava’s return had been for his wife. No doubt, the insult of her being returned was something the Mackenzie would take great offense to and he would be slow to forgive them for it. He probably never would forgive them.

“A messenger arrived first thing this morning,” Laird Fraser said, waving him to come closer.

Taking a deep breath, he met his father’s gaze. “What is the message?”

“Assurance that the insult to his daughter is not taken lightly. He pledges to ensure ye pay for it. Additionally, he proclaims that although we are united because of the marriage, he holds us in low regard.”

“Low regard? I expected worse,” Keithen replied.

“His actual words are ‘lower than swine’.”

“Ah.”

“It had to be done. We could not risk having her here.”

As much as he agreed with his father, a part of him still hated how, through no fault of her own, Ava was used as a pawn by both her father and her husband.

Chapter Seven

One year later

“That ye continue on this quest is madness,” Catriona said, her brown eyes boring into his.

Keithen took a bite of an apple and studied his friend as she walked about the garden collecting flowers. As the months had passed, she’d become much stronger. Although she was still overly cautious and rarely smiled, a bit of the old Catriona had begun to emerge.

“It is not done yet,” he said, referring to the fact he continued to hunt the guards responsible for her attack. In truth, he’d not wished to speak of it. It was best not to remind her of the past, but it was Catriona who’d brought the subject up.

“I wish to put that behind me, and I cannot if I have to worry about ye.” Catriona lifted the basket she’d been placing the clipped blooms into and motioned to the house with her head. “Tis almost midday. I will go see if yer mother requires help with preparations for Esme’s visit.”

His sister, along with several from Clan Ross, were due to arrive in the following days, which meant he’d be forced to remain home.

“I must go to the village. Let Mother know I will not return for last meal.” Heading to the stables, he hoped to find the information he’d been waiting on.

Keithen walked into the dim tavern that was located in the same tiny village on Chisholm land that he’d once caught Ava returning from. He immediately recognized who he was there to see. A lone man sat at a back table with a tankard at his elbow.

Keithen neared and sat at a different table but faced the man who met his eyes for a moment.