“Evander!”
Wynda whirled and gasped happily as well, as her sister threw her arms around the tall, auburn-haired man leisurely leading a horse through the village. He was grinning as he spun the younger woman around, and Wynda impatiently waited her turn.
“How have ye been?” she asked when her brother swept her into a hug. “Well? Whole? Hale?”
Their bastard brother cocked his head to one side with a grin. “Aye, aye, and I could use a good meal.”
Laughing, she nudged him with her shoulder as Robena spoke up. “Ye’re heading to the castle? Da will want to see ye—avoid the great hall, Mother was there when we passed through.” It was well-known Mother disapproved of her husband’s by-blows, even though he did right by them. “But there were some delicious smells coming up from the kitchens!”
Wynda noticed the helm tied to Evander’s saddle. “Are ye here on business then?”
Their brother threw an arm around Robena’s shoulders. “Aye, I’m hunting for a man.”
“Arenae we all?” Robena quipped. “Wynda’s found one, as have Leanna and Fen, if ye havenae heard.”
Evander’s brows rose. “I hadnae. And ye, wee Robbie?”
The nickname had never bothered their sister, and Wynda again thought of the trousers comment.
“I’ve found one, too. Ye can hunt for a man on Oliphant land, but ye cannae have MacBain!” Of course she managed to make that last part sound like a song.
“MacBain?” their brother repeated.
“Laird Kester MacBain,” Wynda clarified dryly. “Now I ken with whom ye want to try out my book’s ideas with.”
“Tsk, tsk, sister,” Robena teased. “Ye ended a sentence with a preposition!”
“What are ye, the grammar police?
Her sister shrugged. “What are police?”
Evander began to chuckle, even as he nudged them into strolling toward the castle, his horse following docilely. “Ye can keep MacBain, Robbie. He’s no’ who I’m hunting for. ‘Tis a criminal, a one-eyed nasty piece of work—“
“Och, that sounds familiar.” Robena rolled her eyes at the universe. “Does he have a mighty sword? Laird McClure was looking for him as well.”
Their brother pulled to a halt, a frown tugging thoughtfully at his lips. “Laird McClure? Really?” He hummed and glanced back at the helm tied to his saddle. “I hadnae realized he was hunting…”
“Och, aye,” Robena declared flippantly. “‘Tis what brought him to Oliphant lands, searching for another Hunter. I cannae remember the man’s name. When ye go to the kitchens, ye’ll meet Brodie McClure, he used to be his laird’s right-hand man, until he met Fen and decided to marry her.”
Evander’s eyes widened. “That’s who Fen married? Well, I cannae say I blame her; I’ve tasted the man’s meat.”
“’Tis what she said,” muttered Wynda, remembering one of the Gray Lady’s favorite phrases.
Robena smirked. “Mayhap ye shouldnae go about announcing that.”
Their brother huffed. “I meant, the man’s a brilliant cook. Ye think he could tell me who his laird was hunting and which direction they went?”
“Aye, of course.” Wynda smiled slightly. “And if ye’re heading to McClure land, we’ll make ye carry messages to Leanna. She’s married to Laird McClure now, ye ken.”
If Evander’s eyes grew any larger, they’d fall out of his head. “Leanna? Married to Laird McClure? He’s twice her age.”
“Aye, but no’ doddering about with a cane yet.” Robena jabbed a finger into his side. “He’s a fine-looking man. Almost as fine as MacBain.”
Chuckling, Evander caught his sister’s hand. “So ye’ll be married next, eh?” he teased.
To Wynda’s surprise, Robena sighed. “Da says we all have to be married. I dinnae ken if I want to marry MacBain—I dinnae ken if he’d have me—but I wouldnae mind the chance to experiment a bit with him and find out, if ye ken what I mean.”
“I do, but if ‘tis all the same to ye, I’m going to pretend my hardest I dinnae ken. Because ye’re my sister and ‘tis more than I need to hear. But I’m glad ye like him.”