Knight Defender (Knight Chronicles) by Rue Allyn Read Free Book Online

be your wife. I have no special need to understand you in order to support your leadership of your clan or your position as baron.” She retrieved her hand, giving a dismissive wave then addressing her meal.
    Raeb ground his teeth. Her casual indifference bordered on rudeness—though he admitted he had given her reason. But she behaved so only to him. Thus far none in his clan had spoken to her, but their obvious interest did not argue well for their continued cooperation. She was trying to win them over, and doing a fair job. He kenned not what game she played, but he would find out. Meanwhile he would bedevil her with good manners—he could do that and still be cold. ’Twould keep her off balance, mayhap enough to lose her temper. He wanted his people to see her serene demeanor for the lie it was.
    Like a good host he held forth with a stream of information about Dungarob, its surroundings, and its people. She listened in silence until the meal ended. When she pushed back from the table to rise, he once more placed a hand over hers. This time her outward reaction was more placid, but her fingers trembled beneath his.
    “’Tis time you met my family. You must forgive me for not introducing my sisters earlier.”
    She cast her gaze upward and heaved a great sigh as if mightily put upon. “If it pleases you.”
    He smiled.
Let her think she has me fooled. However, to please myself, I’ll strip her bare of all pretense before I’m done with her. No Englishwoman will get the better of Raeb MacKai.
    He gestured for the several females seated farther down the table to attend him. One by one they came forward to assemble before him in a line from tallest to smallest.
    “My lady, you’ve already met Lady Neilina, who is still resting, so allow me to introduce my other sisters, ladies Maeve, Bridghe, Keeva, and Seona. Lady Artis should be here but has chosen no to join us, probably because she knows I am no pleased with her. I also regret I canna introduce you to Sorcha, who is nearest to me in age. She recently married and now lives as countess at Strathnaver Stronghold many leagues inland.”
    He smiled. Knowing how his sisters bedeviled him, he doubted anyone could match them, and certainly not an English lady, even if Jessamyn Du Grace was not quite what he expected.
    • • •
    Seven sisters in all? What must those present think of the cool distaste she’d just shown their brother? When Artis, who had been so kind to Jessamyn, heard of it she would be hurt at the least. Jessamyn already liked and admired the younger woman and would regret the loss of the budding friendship. She did not really believe all that nonsense she’d spouted about interest in one’s spouse being unimportant.
    Jessamyn stared at him. His eyes gleamed with some sort of amusement.
What does he have to smile about
? She would not let him disconcert her. She turned and smiled with warm composure at the women.
    As she spoke their names, each curtsied. Their faces showed polite curiosity. Sticking with her intent to discomfit the baron, Jessamyn asked questions about their interests. With every answer the sisters’ backs relaxed. From the corner of her eye, she spied the frown deepening on Raeb MacKai’s face, and she shifted to look at him.
    “Does something bother you, Baron MacKai? Please share it with us.” She purposely used the plural pronoun to place his siblings with her and against him.
    Raeb coughed, covering his mouth with his hand but held her gaze. “Nae, my lady. ’Tis nothing.”
    She allowed the corners of her mouth to lift, more in a sneer than a smile. “Oh please, sirrah, deign to share with us your worries.”
    He cleared his face of all expression. “If you insist … ”
    “Wait!”
    Shoes clattered against the floor stones. The folk on the benches below stirred and shifted.
    “Out of my way, please. Dougal, move aside.”
    Jessamyn recognized Artis’s excited tones.
    The girl thundered up the steps to the dais.