A Gentle Feuding by Johanna Lindsey

Author:Johanna Lindsey [Lindsey, Johanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 1984-11-02T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Colen pounded on the door to Jamie’s bedchamber, then burst inside. He was livid with the rage that had been building all day. Finding the south tower empty just now had sent him running to his brother. There was just so much he would stand for.

“I warned you, Jamie…”

Colen stopped, seeing Jamie stretched out on top his bed alone, fully clothed. A quick glance around the room told him it was otherwise empty.

“You had best be explaining yourself, brother.” Jamie sat up.

“I…I thought to find Sheena here,” Colen said meekly.

“Much as I’d like to be finding her here myself, lad, you can see she’s not here. What made you think she would be?” Jamie demanded.

“Today…at the pool, when I saw you.”

“Ah, so you saw more than you let on,” Jamie said thoughtfully. “Well, had you no’ come along when you did, she’d be mine now.”

“You swore you’d deal with her honorably!”

“And so I have every intention of doing. Have I no’ asked her to handfast? And as soon as I’ve tried her and know for certain she’s no’ like my first wife, then I’ll wed her.”

“If she’ll have you.”

“Well, she wasna fighting me off today, lad.”

Colen felt his chest constrict. No, she hadn’t fought his brother off, and that was why he had been so furious all day. Jealousy was new to him. Jamie was winning, despite Sheena’s fear of him. Colen had been so certain Jamie wouldn’t have a chance.

“Where is she then, Jamie?” Colen asked with all the dejection he was feeling.

“What do you mean?” Jamie demanded. “’Tis late. She’s in the south tower.”

“Nay, I went there, but she wasna there.”

“Still in the hall?”

Colen shook his head. “I looked everywhere else ’afore coming here. She’s no’ in the castle, Jamie. That can only mean…”

“Jameson,” Jamie finished, his intuition honing in on the culprit.

But he continued to sit, staring at the floor, a blank look coming over him. Colen didn’t know what to make of him.

“Well?” Colen asked sharply. “Are you just going to let him take her?”

“We’ve no claim on her, lad. I’ve no right to bring her back,” Jamie said very quietly.

“You held yourself responsible for her. Are you forgetting that?”

“Only while she was here, lad,”

“But what if she comes to harm with Jameson?” Colen cried.

“Enough! You think I dinna want to bring her back? I would like nothing more—but my hands are tied. If she were friend or foe of the MacKinnions I could do something, but the MacEwens are neither. Jameson knows that. He could raise a complaint with the king if I took the lass from him without a reason. That’s what’s needed, lad, a valid reason. You find me one, and I’ll bring her back, no matter who Jameson turns her over to.”

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