Their voices echoed and, in unison, they each kissed Mary on the cheek and quickly made their leave of Mary’s place of worship. Once outside, Arran faced Eoin.
“I’ve been looking for ye, brother. I need to speak with ye about the visiting clan. It’s been months, and they’ve still made no decision. We canna allow them to stay here forever.”
“Aye, ye are right. But that shall have to wait for a few days.”
Arran paused as they walked together down the hallway, turning to lean against the wall so that his brother would do the same. “Has something happened?”
Eoin shook his head, and Arran instantly felt relieved. He didn’t think he could bear any more tragedies so soon after the death of his father and the loss of his beloved.
“Nay, but Bran, from the village, ye remember him, aye?”
Arran nodded. “Aye, o’course. What of him?”
“He has asked that I come to help him with the building of a stable. He canna afford to pay anyone to help. He knew as a friend, I would. Bri shall go as well and help his wife with their brood of children.”
Arran was certain Bran already had a stable, but he decided not to question his brother’s story. If Eoin was gone, it would perhaps leave him with ample time to resolve the situation with their guests on his own.
“Aye, ’tis kind of ye to agree to help him. Do ye need me to go along as well?” Arran hoped Eoin would say no, but it was formality that he should offer assistance.
“Nay. I need ye to stay here and serve as laird while I’m gone. I shan’t be far, but I doona want ye to try and find me with castle issues. I trust ye to see to anything that may arise while I am gone.”
“O’course. Wish Bran and his family well for me. When will ye be leaving?”
“Tomorrow, I believe. I shall leave ye now. I left me wife in our bedchamber all alone. I am anxious to return to her.”
Arran smiled and waved his brother off. “Aye, I’m sure ye are.”
Once Eoin had left, Arran slowly made his way back to his own bedchamber. With Eoin leaving, it was the perfect opportunity for him to figure out a solution for their guests and for Edana. If he could think of a way to resolve the clan’s issue of who should be laird, he knew his brother would not be upset.
If anything, he would be pleased to have things around the castle calm down to their normal pace. And he knew it would do himself good to have something else to focus his mind upon. He might not love Edana, but he could make sure that she was taken care of. Aye, as far as he was concerned, his brother’s trip to the village could not have come at a better time.
Chapter 5
Edinburgh, Scotland
Present Day
I was certain I’d never heard such language from a lady. I did me best to listen to the angry woman, but with each breath her voice grew louder, and I found me mind drifting away from the conversation. Not that I was given much chance to speak. The old lady waved her finger at me in such a manner, I was certain it would fall off.
A momentary second of silence caused me to re-focus my attention.
“’Ello? Are ye daft in the head? Have ye been listening to a word I’ve said to ye?” Danny threw her hands violently up in the air only to bring them down swiftly so they sat snugly on her hips. Me boss glared at me, unblinking, until I opened me mouth to speak.
“Aye. I did hear ye, but I doona understand. There’s no reason why the two of them should have been asleep so late in the day. They werena sick, and ’tis dreadful behavior.” I knew me words were to be met with more screaming and, unconsciously, I felt the tips of me ears pull back as they readied themselves for the inevitable attack.
“Ye are a bloody fool! If only I had the luxury of sleeping in one day in me lousy life, I would take full advantage. It is not yer place to decide how long our paying guests sleep in the morning. I’ve told ye before, if they are in the room, skip it and go on to the next room for cleaning. Come back to it later, after they awake and leave for the day.”
“Aye, I willna do it again. I turned to leave, hoping that if I slipped away fast enough, the lecture would be over. I only stepped one step away before Danny reached to grab me by me arm.
“Ye turn back around. I dinna dismiss ye. Ye are right, ye willna do it again because ye are no longer employed by the hotel.”
Danny looked at me, satisfaction evident on her face, but as I continued to adjust to the many unfamiliar words of this time, I dinna understand what she was telling me. “I’m sorry. I doona understand ye. No longer employed?”
“Fired. Doona show up for work here again. I doona want to see ye around here. If this was yer first transgression, then ye would only be getting a warning, but there have been many complaints.”