Jirvel did not return Macoran's smile. "Have ye any word o' my husband?"
Laird Macoran wrinkled his brow. Jirvel's question meant there were now three men who had taken their leave without his knowledge and he was not pleased. "Nay, I have heard nothing. The two o' ye are alone then?"
"Quite, but ye needn't worry, we can manage."
"How?"
"Just now ye care about us?"
He looked disturbed by Jirvel's outburst, started to touch her arm and then drew his hand back. "I will send a lad…"
She suddenly realized others were listening and bowed her head. "Ye need not bother, my brother sent a laddie to work the land."
"Yer brother knows ye are alone?"
"Nay, he does not know. The laddie be unexpected and I am grateful to have the help."
"Then I am grateful too."
Laird Macoran and Jirvel held their eyes on each other longer than was normal. No one in the clan was as bold as her mother when it came to standing up to Laird Macoran, and never had Kannak seen Jirvel this forthcoming, at least not in public. Her mother had just told a lie, did it very well and Macoran seemed to believe her. Kannak was relieved. Yet there was something more…something unsaid between them and this was not the first time Kannak noticed.
Macoran also realized others were listening, glanced at the girl and thought to change the subject. "Kannak will soon be old enough to marry."
At this Jirvel's anger grew and she narrowed her eyes, "She be but twelve and an only child. She be not yet ready to marry."
"She was twelve last year." He studied the rage rising up in Jirvel's eyes and decided not to push his luck. "Perhaps not yet then. I will see this laddie o' yer'n when I ride the land next." He nodded and walked away.
Kannak said nothing as she helped her mother mount the horse and handed her a full basket. Then she got on behind her and accepted a basket one of the men handed her. He was an older man who held his eyes to hers so long it made her uncomfortable enough to turn her head away. She remembered to thank him, but was greatly relieved when her mother nudged the side of the horse.
They were half way home before Jirvel spoke. "Ye must not come to the village so often as afore. Soon the men will be asking for ye and I will not have ye married to a nothing o' a lad like yer father."
"Ye have never called him that afore."