“Men love to kiss and suckle nipples,” Isobel whispered.

“Heavens, you cannot be serious.” Seona felt like the most naïve person on earth at the moment.

“Indeed, I am. That is why they’re always gawking at women’s breasts, even when they’re covered by layers of clothing. They also like to fondle, squeeze, kiss, and stroke them.”

Seona cleared her throat. She had never imagined such a thing, but she had noticed men, at times, would stare at her chest when they thought she wasn’t looking. But even more interesting, she remembered her nipples had tingled when they’d been pressed to Keegan’s hard chest. They had seemed to yearn for something. His touch?

“’Tis enjoyable for the woman, too,” Isobel said. “It makes her more ready for his… invasion, so to speak.”

“I see.” Surely, ’twas sinful to speak of such things, but she had been wondering about them. “I thank you for telling me. I’ve been curious for some time. And I don’t want to be too shocked on my wedding night.”

“Well, you won’t be… now that you’ve seen Keegan naked.” Isobel beamed a wide, mischievous grin.

“Shh,” Seona hissed, wondering if Isobel was mad. She could not marry Keegan, even though ’twas what she wished for most in the world.

“A good eve to you, ladies,” said a deep male voice behind her.

Seona spun to find Keegan approaching, his hair still wet from the dip in the loch. Thank the saints he’d been too far away to hear Isobel’s whispered, shocking words of a few seconds before… hadn’t he?

“Good eve,” she mumbled, feeling a bit tongue-tied.

Keegan was fully dressed in his belted plaid, but Seona was very aware of what lay hidden beneath his clothes. A heated blush covered her skin and she was thankful for the dim light of dusk.

“A good eve to you, Keegan,” Isobel said. “I need to discuss something with Dirk.” She bypassed him and strode away.

Don’t leave me alone with him, was Seona’s first thought. Though she knew not why. ’Haps because she still felt mortified, having been caught spying on Keegan naked. Or maybe ’twas because she now knew far more about what happened between a man and woman in bed.

“Do you have time for another knife fighting lesson now?” Keegan asked.

She inhaled a deep breath and tried to forget all the newfound sexual knowledge and conflicting feelings swirling within her mind. The sight of Keegan’s naked body had been disturbing yet intriguing to her, but he was the same generous and kind man who was teaching her how to defend herself. He was the same man who had saved her life twice and who kissed her gently.

She loved spending time with him, but she had been outside for a while, long enough for her aunt to have finished her sponge bath.

Seona glanced toward the nearby cottage. “I’m not certain. My aunt may send for me in a moment.”

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“What? Nay.” Surely he couldn’t detect she had been recently thrown off-kilter. “’Tis only that my aunt…” Has been bathing and ’twill be my turn next. Could she say that to him? Nay, ’twould not be acceptable. Besides, it made her recall how he had bathed in the loch.

“Aye?” he asked, his brows quirked.

She couldn’t believe how she was bungling this simple conversation. “Will be looking for me,” she finished, though she knew she was repeating herself and making no sense.

“How is her ankle?” Keegan asked.

“It pains her.”

He nodded. “’Twill take time to heal.”

“Aye.” There was so much she wanted to say to him, and share with him, but her tongue felt stuck to the roof of her mouth. She needed time to absorb everything she had experienced and learned today.

“Did she say anything to you about riding with me?” he asked.

“Nay.” Not yet, anyway. But Seona suspected her aunt would complain at the first opportunity.

When the cottage door opened, Seona held her breath. Two of the maids emerged. When they spotted her, they headed in her direction. Aye, just as she’d expected. A few feet away, they paused and curtsied. “Lady Patience asked us to send you inside.”

“I’ll be there in a moment.”

When the two didn’t move, Seona glared at them.

“Aye, m’lady.” They hastened away.

“Och. I hope you never send such a fearsome look my way,” Keegan said with a half grin. “I do believe the heart of a warrior beats inside you, Lady Seona.”

She snorted before she could stop herself. “I doubt that.” She glanced toward the cottage again, seeing that the two annoying maids were standing by the door, watching her. “Well, I had best go before Lady Patience herself comes to retrieve me on her injured ankle. I bid you goodnight, Master Keegan.”

“A good night to you, m’lady.” He bowed.

Before Seona reached the cottage, her aunt, now making use of a crooked cane, joined the two maids at the entrance. Her gaze flew past Seona to Keegan, then her eyes narrowed.

“I’ll have a word with you inside, Seona.” Her aunt motioned toward the doorway.

Seona proceeded into the cottage.

“If you wouldn’t mind, I need to have a private word with my niece,” Patience told the owner of the cottage and the other two maids who’d remained inside. They all exited silently. Lady Patience could easily intimidate servants, but she didn’t scare Seona. Her only leverage was that she would tell Seona’s father everything.

Once the door closed behind them, Patience said, “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about Keegan. I don’t like that you have been riding behind him all day. ’Tis indecent.”

Chapter Nine

Seona knew Aunt Patience would complain about her riding with Keegan earlier that day.

“My mare is unsafe,” Seona said. “I was afraid to ride her. She went mad during the storm and bolted, in case you don’t remember.”

“I remember!” Her aunt paused in her limping trek to the chair by the fireplace to glare at Seona. “Don’t be impertinent with me, young lady.”

Ignoring her, Seona continued with calm reasoning. “Chief Dirk said I should ride with Master Keegan. Do you wish to nay-say a chief?”

“Nay.” Patience slumped into the chair by the fire and propped her crooked cane next to her. “But you didn’t even protest. I ken what you’re thinking, lassie,” she snapped, pinning Seona with a perceptive stare. “I see how you blush when he looks at you.”

Seona felt her face heat.

“Aye, just like that.” Her aunt pointed at her.

How on earth could Aunt Patience see Seona’s face in the dim candlelight? She was too blasted observant. Seona sat down in the chair opposite her and didn’t comment.

“I’m not daft,” Patience said. “I was once a pretty young lass like you are. And I know how men are, especially charming rogues like that commoner.”

Immediately bristling, Seona stiffened. “He is no commoner,” she said firmly. “His grandfather was a baron and a chief, just like my own father. Keegan is a gentleman of the clan.”

“He is a scoundrel,” her aunt insisted. “Good for naught but to lure a good lady into sin and ruin her reputation. If you give him half a chance, he will steal your virtue and forget your name the next day. He is not fit to marry, so don’t even be thinking of it.”

“I’m not.” ’Twas a lie, but what else could she say? Her father would never allow it, and besides, Keegan had never mentioned marriage. ’Twas but her own outlandish fantasy.

Her aunt’s eyes narrowed. “What happened when you were alone with him during the storm? And last night, when he snatched you from the tent, wearing naught more than your smock? He returned wearing only a shirt. ’Twas shocking.”

“As you already know, he let me borrow his plaid because I was cold. Naught more. He saved my life twice. Do you care so little for me that you cannot appreciate that?”