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fruitless.
    Oh, he had been received with courtesy, if not enthusiasm, at each castle he visited. But the friendly welcome quickly turned to mistrust when he declared his intentions to wed, and one by one the female relations of the family became mysteriously absent. A few of his noble hosts had made the effort to avoid insulting him directly, but the message was clear—his suit was not looked upon with favor or enthusiasm.
    Despite his determination not to, Ewan was unable to dispel the sense of unworthiness that stirred within him. Would he never be judged as a man, on the strength of his merits? Would he always be tied to his illegitimate birth—examined and found wanting no matter how much he accomplished or how high he rose?
    He didn’t know what annoyed him more—the fact that he had been rejected or the realization that he couldn’t easily disband the notion of wedding a lady from a good family. ’Twould truly be much easier if he followed his mother’s advice and married a simple village girl.
    Ewan sighed. The truth was he might very well be doing just that if Brian McKenna could not provide him with an alternative. After the last disastrous attempt at making a match, Ewan decided to seek out his friend. He was hoping Brian might know of a clan with a marriageable female that would be amenable to forging an alliance with him. Hell, he was even willing to swallow his pride and ask the McKenna to broker the marriage if necessary.
    Though another part of him was tempted to turn tail and run. To return home still unwed and think about getting married next year. Or the year after.
    A faint ringing sound vibrated through the still air. Raising his head, Ewan caught sight of their destination on the horizon, a mammoth structure of stone towers, battlements, and protective walls.
    “It appears that we have been sighted,” Alec commented, bringing his horse alongside Ewan’s. “And considered to be hostile, judging by the sound of those alarm bells.”
    “I dinnae understand why. The castle is as well fortified as McKenna always bragged,” Ewan observed, his eyes trained upon the tall towers and high stone curtain wall, with a second wall behind it.
    Ewan gave the order for his men to close ranks. He slowed their approach, but the warning bells continued to ring out. In fact, the ringing seemed to be spreading from one tower to the next, until a steady chime blanketed the land.
    “The McKennas dinnae appear to be a friendly sort,” Alec commented as several archers took up positions on the battlements, their arrows already notched and ready to fly. “Having fought beside Brian McKenna for the king’s cause for many years, I willnae be surprised to discover they are the kind of warriors who will shoot an arrow first and ask questions later.”
    For the first time that day, Ewan smiled. “We are a small group of men. I understand the need to be suspicious of strangers riding up to yer gates, yet ’tis clear we pose no grave threat. Even McKenna knows it will take far more than this sad lot to successfully storm his walls.”
    Ewan’s words proved to be correct. After giving his name to the captain of the guard and requesting to speak with the McKenna, the thick oak drawbridge was slowly lowered. As they rode into the bustling bailey, Ewan spotted Brian McKenna standing in the arched doorway to his great hall. A tall, broad, heavily muscled warrior, the McKenna broke into a genuine grin when he recognized his friend.
    “Have ye already grown tired of living among us, in the deepest part of the northern Highlands?” Brian asked.
    “Aye. That’s why I’ve rode south, to see how soft and easy life is fer all of ye.”
    “Och, ’tis the Lowlanders that live a life of ease, as ye well know. After all, that’s where ye were raised.”
    Ewan smiled, taking the jest in the good humor it was intended. He swung himself over his horse and landed neatly on his feet. The men embraced, leaving Ewan surprised at how