“Where am I?”
“Ye’re still in the lad’s chamber. I’ve made up a pallet for ye near his.” She lowered her voice. “The lord wouldn’t hear of ye leaving the lad’s bedside.”
“You’re very kind, Mistress MacDonald.”
The old woman shook her head. “Ye’re here to heal our dear Hamish. For that, I’ll do whatever I can to see to ye’r comfort, lass.”
“Even though you’re afraid of me?”
The housekeeper gave her a sideways glance. “Are ye reading my mind?”
Allegra laughed, a clear lilting sound. “There’s no need to do that, Mistress MacDonald. You’re not very good at hiding your feelings.”
“Are ye a witch, lass?”
Allegra’s smile faded. “Perhaps. I don’t know.”
“Isn’t that why ye live in the Mystical Kingdom? To keep ye’r secrets from the rest of us mortals?”
Allegra shook her head. “The Mystical Kingdom has been home to our clan for hundreds of years. I’ve been there since I was very young. My mum and gram say we took refuge there because the outside world fears and reviles what it cannot understand. There are many who would punish us for being different.”
“What is ye’r name, lass?”
“Allegra. Allegra of the clan Drummond.”
“Ah. ’Tis an ancient and honorable clan, Allegra Drummond.”
When a shadow fell over the bed both women looked up. From the scowl on Merrick MacAndrew’s face, Allegra had no doubt that he’d overheard everything.
“I see you’re well enough to gossip with my housekeeper. Does this mean you’re well enough now to see to the lad?”
Mistress MacDonald crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve ordered broth and biscuits for the lass. And Cook has prepared a meal for ye in the great hall, m’lord, where Mordred and Desmond await ye.”
“Tell Cook I’ll take my meal here, Mistress MacDonald.”
“Here?” She glanced around. “But the lass…”
“Is here at my pleasure. She will sup with me. And then, when her strength is restored, she will do what she was brought here to do.”
“Aye, m’lord.” The old woman gave a worried glance at Allegra before hurrying off to see that the lord’s orders were carried out.
When the housekeeper returned, she was trailed by half a dozen servants. While two of them set a table in front of the fireplace, laying it with fine linen, crystal and silver, the others were busy setting an array of food on a sideboard.
When all was in readiness the old woman sent the servants scurrying before announcing, “Ye’r dinner is served, m’lord. Will ye have ale?”
“I will. And so will the woman. It will help warm her.”
“Aye, m’lord.” After filling two goblets, she stood beside the table. “I’ll just wait and serve ye’r food.”
“There’s no need, Mistress MacDonald. You’re needed in the great hall. Fill our plates with a variety of Cook’s fine food. If we want more, we can serve ourselves.”
“Aye, m’lord.” After doing as he asked, the old woman gave a last worried glance at Allegra before bustling from the room.
When she was gone, Merrick startled Allegra by lifting her from her pallet.
She shrank back. “What are you doing?”
“I don’t want you fainting on me again.” His warm breath feathered the hair at her temple, sending the most amazing curls of pleasure along her spine. For the first time in hours she felt warm, all the way to her toes.
She didn’t know what to do with her arms. To keep them from encircling his neck, she clasped her hands together tightly. Because he was holding her so close, her face rested naturally against the warm hollow of his throat. She breathed in the unfamiliar scent of him, and found it so potent it went straight to her head.
This was a different kind of dizziness. Though her mind seemed to spin in lazy circles, she felt strangely focused. And though one part of her wanted to move away, another, stronger part of her wanted to remain just this way.
She’d never been held by a man before, except for her father. But he hadn’t lived long enough for her to remember much about him, except in dreams. Before, when Merrick had held her astride his horse, she’d been too afraid to allow the sensations to sink in. Now it wasn’t fear she was experiencing, but something far different. Something so alien, she would need time and distance to sort it out.
“You’ll sit here.” He lowered her onto a furdraped chaise set before the fire.
Once he released her, he reached for a goblet of ale and handed it to her. “This, and the fire, will have you warm in no time.”
He circled the table and took the seat across from her before picking up his own goblet and drinking. Allegra did the same, feeling the warmth of the ale seep into her veins.
Though her shift of white lawn was modest enough, with a high rounded neckline and long, tapered sleeves, it couldn’t hide the lithe young body beneath. Even the shawl draped about her shoulders couldn’t hide the swell of breasts. The bare feet peeking out from beneath her long skirts made Merrick aware that, except for the shift, she wore nothing.
It wasn’t an image he’d invited, but now that it was here in his mind, he couldn’t seem to get past it.
He set down his goblet and stared at her in a way that had her heart thundering. Then he blinked and the look was gone. Or had she only imagined it?
She bent to her food. After several bites of mutton she looked up and smiled. “This is grand. I think it may be as good as my gram’s.”
“I take it that’s meant as a compliment?”
“Aye. My gram can make biscuits that melt in the mouth, and cook fish from the loch that would make you weep.”
“Has she taught you her secrets?”
Allegra shook her head. “She tries. But she often complains that, though my sisters and I have many gifts, cooking isn’t one of them. Then there is Jeremy. He’s a little troll who lives with us, because he had no other home.”
“I’ve heard trolls are nasty creatures.”
She shook her head. “Jeremy isn’t like that, though he may have been at one time. Now he simply enjoys the beauty of the Mystical Kingdom.”
“What of your sisters? Are they healers, too?”
Allegra looked down. “We are all gifted, though in different ways. I’m the best healer, though the others can manage simple wounds. Kylia can also see the past, and on occasion, look into the future. What’s even more impressive, she can look into a man’s heart and see good or evil. Then there’s Gwenellen…” Just the thought of her youngest sister had Allegra smiling. “She has not yet discovered her gifts, though I’m certain she will in time.”
Merrick seemed most interested in Kylia’s gift. “You say your sister can look in a man’s heart. What if she sees both good and evil?”
“She would see both, but would not judge him. Kylia is far too sweet to ever judge another.”
“And what of you, Allegra?” The name rolled off his tongue like honey and startled him for a moment, for it was the first time he’d said it aloud. His tone softened. “Are you sweet like your sister, or are you a witch to be feared?”
She looked up, and he felt the smoldering heat of her anger. “Are you like all the others, my lord? Eager to use my gift when it suits your purpose, then resorting