"Is the keep on fire?" he asked as he rubbed a hand over his face.
He was tired. Not only had he been up late talking with Ilsa's brothers and cousin, who had left at dawn, but his wife had kept him awake for a long time after he had come to bed. That had been very enjoyable, he mused, then quickly smothered the memory as his body began to react. He did not want to have to explain that condition to any of the children and he had no doubt at least one of them would notice. Probably Odo, he thought as he pulled himself up into a seated position and collapsed against the pillows.
"Nay, Papa, the keep isnae on fire," said Odo.
Clutching the covers that Gregor nearly pulled off as he finally got his plump little body up on the bed, Diarmot grunted as the little boy threw himself onto his chest. "Then why am I blessed with your company so early?"
"Tisnae early, Papa," said Alice. "Tis nearly noon."
"Aye? Weel, I didnae get to bed until verra late. So, what is it ye have all come here to tell me?"
"Where has Mama gone?" asked Odo.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Where has Mama gone," Odo repeated, speaking very slowly.
"She must be around the keep somewhere."
"I dinnae think she told him, Odo," said Ivy. "She must nay have wanted him to ken about this woman thing."
"What woman thing?" asked Diarmot, wondering if this was some new strange nightmare caused by the rather large quantity of ale he had drunk last night.
"Mama has gone away and Fraser said it was a woman thing," replied Odo. "We thought ye would ken where she has gone and why she would go there. We thought she would have told ye. I think maybe Mama has been a wee bit sneaky, aye?"
"Aye," agreed Diarmot as he lifted Gregor up, kissed him on the cheek, and set him on the floor. "Go back to the nursery. I need to get dressed and find out what has happened."
The moment the children left, Diarmot got out of bed. He puzzled over what they had said as he washed and dressed. He also experienced a growing sense of unease. The children thought Ilsa was gone. From what they had said, so did Fraser, and the woman had tried to explain it, badly. Lacing up his doublet, Diarmot hurried to the nursery.
The way Glenda and Fraser eyed him so warily as he entered the nursery did not put Diarmot at ease. "Where is Ilsa?"
"She has gone back to Dubheidland," replied Glenda.
"I thought we werenae supposed to tell him where," said Fraser, frowning at Glenda.
"Ye promised nay to say where. If ye noticed, I didnae promise, didnae say anything."
Diarmot stood right in front of the two women, knowing he towered over them as they sat in their chairs with their mending in their laps. They did not look very intimidated, however. There were obviously some disadvantages to being surrounded by strong women.
"Ilsa has gone back to Dubheidland?" he asked.
"Aye, m'laird," replied Fraser. "She left here about an hour or so after her brothers and that lovely lad Liam rode out."
"If she is going back to Dubheidland, why didnae she just ride out with the Camerons?"
"Oh, she didnae wish them to ken what she was about until later."
"When they were far enough away from Clachthrom that they would have to listen to her, couldnae simply drag her right back here and continue on their way," said Glenda.
Diarmot was stunned. Ilsa had left him. She had spent hours last night making love to him until his eyes crossed, then gotten up out of bed and ridden away.
That made no sense at all.
"I dinnae understand," he muttered and dragged a hand through his hair.
"I am nay sure I do, either, m'laird," said Fraser. "The lass said she needed to think, needed to get away alone and sort matters out."
"Sort matters out? Alone? There are fourteen brothers and two score and more cousins running about Dubheidland! A leper wouldnae be alone there!"
"Now, he has a point," murmured Glenda, and grimaced when both Diarmot and Fraser glared at her. "Mayhap ye ought to go and get some food in your belly, m'laird. Break your fast. Think about it a wee bit. I believe a mon always thinks better on a full stomach."
Fraser's eyes widened slightly when Diarmot growled and strode out of the nursery, six children hurrying after him. "I dinnae think he is going to be understanding about this."
Glenda laughed.
Diarmot had to admit he felt a little better now that he had eaten. He leaned back in his chair and studied the six children seated at the head table with him. Gregor and Ewart wore more food than they had eaten, but all six children had sat quietly, sharing the meal with him. Unfortunately, he also knew they waited for him to tell them what he was going to do. Even though he felt better and his head was clear, he did not have an answer for them. He certainly did not have any explanations for why Ilsa had left.
"Did ye do something naughty, Papa?" asked Alice.
The peace had ended, he decided. "Nay, I am sure I didnae do anything naughty. That isnae why Ilsa left."
"Ye gave her flowers," said Odo. "Mayhap she didnae like them."