me at the moment.'
'Oh, dear,' Brenna whispered.
'Jamie can be as stubborn as her husband,' Connor remarked.
''Tis the truth, she can,' Alec admitted with a grin. 'She's upset because I won't let her go attend Mary Kathleen. My daughter's time draws near,' he explained for Brenna's benefit. 'And because this bairn will be her first, my wife thinks her presence will make the ordeal easier for her.'
'Lady Kincaid is known as a healer here,' Quinlan told her.
'Laird, I cannot help but wonder why you won't let Jamie go to Mary Kathleen,' Brenna said.
Connor was surprised his wife had just asked for an explanation. He knew Brenna wasn't being bold; she was simply curious, that was all. Later he would explain to his brother that she couldn't help being impetuous and certainly hadn't meant to question his decision.
Alec seemed to take it in stride, however. 'That is the very thing Jamie said to me. I cannot take the time away from my other duties, and I will not let my wife go without me. She'll try to defy my orders, of course, just as soon as she realizes she can't sway me.'
'My wife would never defy me,' Connor announced. 'Isn't that right, Brenna?'
'I'm certain you would let me go,' she answered.
'No, I wouldn't.'
'Well, then, for the sake of our daughter, I'm certain I would find a way to do what I needed to do without defying you, Connor.'
Alec found her belief amusing. 'You are that clever?'
'I like to think I am, Laird. I'm one of eight children and have learned that I must be clever if I am ever going to get anything accomplished. You think my boast is empty?' she asked when Quinlan laughed. 'I did set out to marry Connor, and if you will all notice, I am now his wife.'
Everyone but Connor laughed. He looked exasperated.
The tension had lifted sufficiently for her to let them get on with their meeting, but as she was about to excuse herself, Alec changed her mind.
'I've just met a friend of yours, Brenna. He was quite taken with you and considers himself your champion.'
Quinlan took exception on Connor's behalf, for he felt it was insulting for any other man to think he was worthy enough to be his mistress's champion. 'Connor protects his wife. Who is this man who dares to challenge him?'
'Aye, Connor's mi'lady's champion,' Crispin muttered.
Brenna didn't even try to hide her vexation. 'I'm quite capable of taking care of myself, thank you.' For some reason, all the men found her opinion vastly amusing. She decided to pretend she wasn't offended. 'Who is this friend?'
'Father Sinclair.'
Quinlan looked sheepish. 'If you'd mentioned it was the priest, I wouldn't have taken exception, Laird Kincaid.'
Alec ignored the soldier. 'He sings your praises, Brenna.'
'Why did he come to you?' Connor asked.
'He'd been ordered to replace Murdock. I cannot let him stay, of course, as we are still mourning Murdock's passing. I haven't told him yet, because I was in a hurry to leave today, but I will feed him and give him a bed until I return home and then I'll send him away. It's the least I can do,' he added with a shrug.
'How can you deny him, Laird?' she asked.
He looked surprised by the question. 'It won't be difficult.'
'But why do you want to send him away?'
'Why? Because I don't want him. I'm actually being kind. For some reason, he seems ill-at-ease with me.'
'He seemed nervous with Connor too,' Quinlan remarked.
'I cannot believe what I'm hearing,' she stammered out. 'Priests are the most powerful men in all the Highlands. Connor told me so.'
'Yes, as long as they realize the power they have,' Alec explained. 'He, like all the other priests here, is protected and left alone.'
'Then why would you send him away?'
'Because I don't want him,' Alec explained a second time.
'I want him,' she blurted out.
'You can't have him,' Connor snapped.
'You really want a priest living here?' Alec asked.
'No,' Connor answered.
'Yes,' Brenna said at the very same time.
Alec grinned. 'Your wish is granted, Brenna. I'll send Sinclair over as soon as Connor and I return.'
'Alec,' Connor warned.
'I cannot deny your wife,' Alec said.
Brenna pretended not to notice her husband's frown. She thanked both brothers for giving in to her request and hurried to leave before Connor reminded her he hadn't done any such thing.
'I'll let you get back to your important discussion,' she said. 'With your permission, I'll go about my duties.'
'You don't have any duties,' Connor said.
'Oh, but I do,' she said. 'I have to go outside and find the perfect spot.'
'The perfect spot for what?' her husband asked.
'The chapel, of course. Father will have to have one.'
Too late, she realized she shouldn't mention her plan just yet. Connor looked as though he was considering throttling both her and his brother now.
He didn't tell her she couldn't go forward with her plans and, in fact, didn't say another word. He probably didn't trust his voice to speak to her yet, and she hoped by the time he finished his meeting, he would forget about it all together. With any luck, the chapel would be completed before he remembered.
'Do you enjoy wielding your power over me, Alec?'
His brother grinned. 'Immensely.'
'You may leave, Brenna,' Alec told her.
Brenna was halfway across the hall when Alec asked her to stop.
'Were you a clever child?'
'I was told I was.'
'Were you a child when you asked my brother to marry you?'
She folded her hands together while she pretended to think about it. 'I don't recall my exact age.'
'Give me an approximation,' he commanded.
'I was just a little older than your Grace is now. I would guess I was going on five or six. Yes, I was about that old when I asked Connor to marry me the first time, but if you'll remember, I asked him three times. I'm not only clever, Laird, I'm also tenacious. I must admit I find your curiosity intriguing, for I seem to recall having this very conversation when I was first introduced to you. I know I mentioned I wasn't forced. I'm very happy to be his wife. How could I not be? I have wanted to marry him for such a long time. Heavens, where are my manners? I should have asked you how Grace is feeling today.'
'She's fine,' Alec answered.
'She had quite a scare yesterday, and I hope she didn't have any nightmares last night. Do you know, it's really quite remarkable, now that I reflect upon it. God surely has grand plans in store for your daughter.'
Alec's curiosity was captured. She couldn't have hoped for more.
'Why do you think so?'
'I know so,' she boasted. 'God made certain I was inside your home so I could get to her in time. I do believe Grace would have suffered grievous injuries if I hadn't been there to catch her. She came down those steps head first and surely would have broken her neck. You may think I'm foolish to believe God is responsible, but I
