Tamed by a Laird (39 page)

“Lass,” Hugh said sternly, “you heard that voice in a dream.”

“Aye, sure,” she admitted, this time avoiding Archie’s gaze
and
Hugh’s. But she added nonetheless firmly, “I am sure now, however, that not all of it was a dream, sir.” Meeting Archie’s
gaze then, she said, “I continued to hear at least one voice after I had wakened, my lord. It was the same voice that had
said, ‘So, I’m just to take ye along to Threave, am I?’ The one arguing with that one had said, ‘We pay well for what we want,’
and something about a chance to get inside the castle.”

“I own, I don’t much like the sound of that,” Archie said.

Jenny waited for Hugh to protest, but although he opened his mouth as if he would, he shut it again and was silent.

“Is that the sum of it?” Archie asked him.

“Aye, it is,” Hugh said evenly. “It is not much, I’m afraid.”

“Even so,” Archie said, “it does sound as if something is in the wind, and I cannot have upset at Threave when the purpose
of this tournament is to show off the new seat of Douglas power and honor his grace’s third year on the throne.
Any
trouble could undermine the peace we have now in Galloway, and in the Borders.”

“Only if they succeed, my lord,” Jenny said. “Mayhap we can learn—”

“We have done our part by warning his lordship,” Hugh interjected then. “He is entirely capable of handling it now without
our help.”

“Now, now, lad,” Archie said. “When has a man ever had too many eyes and ears? I’m thinking that since your lady has shown
us that she can use her wits, she may be the very one to identify them. I would have her at hand.”

Hugh nodded. “Then it must be as you will, my lord.”

“Aye, sure, but take that dour look off your face. Doubtless, you’re thinking of your crops. But your people have managed
without you before, and they will now.”

“They will, indeed, sir,” Hugh said, standing.

Archie shook hands with him again. “ ’Tis good to have you here, Hugh, and I felicitate you on your choice of a lady. You’ve
done well, lad. We’ll not wait for the boats in the morning but will ride out after we break our fast.”

“Aye, sir, thank you.”

Archie grinned at Jenny. “If you need a champion later, my lady, you may call on me. I warrant I can still show even our Hugh
here a trick or two.”

“You are kind, my lord,” Jenny said. “But I fight my own battles.”

“Come along then,” Hugh said, grasping her arm. “We’ll see how you do.”

The last thing Jenny saw as Hugh whisked her out the door was Archie’s grin.

Hugh said not a word until they reached their bedchamber. But then, finding Lucas putting out their night things, he ordered
the man out without explanation and barely waited for the door to shut behind him before he said, “We have to get some things
straight between us, madam wife.”

“Aye, sir, I think we do,” she said, stepping a little away from him.

“First of all, when I said I would be your husband in every way, I was including the part of the wedding service that binds
you to obey me.”

“I know.”

“Well, you have a mighty poor way of showing that you know it. It would serve you right if I ordered you to stay here whilst
I go on to Threave with Archie.”

“Aye, doubtless it would.”

“If you think to get round me by agreeing with everything I say, you will miss your mark,” he said curtly.

“At least Archie Douglas knew to call me Lady Easdale.”

“Because Tam Inglis, his captain of the guard, made sure you wouldn’t be
correcting
Archie,” he said savagely. “Look here, lass. Although you equal me in rank, if you try to tell me your father would have
expected you to behave as if your husband does not exist, whoever he
might
have been, I say you are—”

“He would not expect that,” Jenny interjected.

“Don’t interrupt!” Hugh snapped. “Our duties as husband and wife demand that I protect you and you obey me. You will remain
Easdale of Easdale, but you are nonetheless my wife, and I will expect you to behave like it, not like some contrary vixen
who takes her own road regardless of what I say. Even where Easdale is concerned, your father would expect your husband—especially
one with my experience—to advise and guide you. In some instances, you may even have to accept the fact that I can legally
enforce your obedience to my will.”

“Aye, sir,” she said meekly.

Catching her by the shoulders, he gave her a shake. “Do not think to cozen me with this show of submissiveness, Jenny, for
I don’t believe a word of it. How you dared to twist that dream of yours into such a tale for him about sneaking spies into
Threave and paying well for what was wanted—”

“The words just came out like that, but those things
were
in my dream, sir.”

“You are willful and stubborn, and you think you can look after yourself, but you can’t! And if anything should happen to
you—” He stopped, realizing he was losing control of himself, albeit not necessarily of his temper.

She put a gentle hand on his cheek. “Take me to bed, Hugo. I know you worry, and I know why you do. But nothing bad will happen
to me whilst I’m here with you tonight, and I promise, I’ll be as obedient as you please.”

“Ah, Jenny, ’tis an irresistible offer, but we will renew this discussion later. Don’t think we will not.”

She smiled, and he shook his head at her, but he took her to bed and held her to her promise. However, when she slept, he
remained wakeful, thinking of how he felt about her and wondering what he would do if he lost her, as he had lost Ella.

No matter what else he tried to think about then, his thoughts kept flying back to the horrible image of riding home to learn
that Ella was dead. At last, he got up and put on breeks, shirt, jack, and boots to walk about and refresh his knowledge of
Castle Mains, hoping its memories would banish the one that haunted him.

In the hall, some of the male guests still remained, dicing or playing other games. Not in the mood for camaraderie or to
talk with Reid, who was one of them, he continued through the hall as if he had a goal in mind, and out into the courtyard.

It was cold there under a clear sky and a high, brilliant, still nearly full moon. But the chill was more than his jack alone
could offset, so he took himself back inside and began to climb the stairway to his chambers.

He reached the landing, then knew no more until he wakened, crumpled on the hard stone steps with an aching head and Lucas
bending over him, speaking his name in urgent tones.

“Thank t’ Fates, ye’re no dead yet,” the man said as Hugh opened his eyes. “I thought this time ye’d done it. What did she
clout ye with, any road?”

“
She
! You’re as daft as Tam Inglis says you are if you think—”

“Och, I didna think nowt of the sort,” Lucas said, stepping adroitly out of reach. “I just wanted to see did ye keep all your
senses, laird. Your sweet wee lady couldna reach high enough to fetch ye such a clout.”

“Could she not? I am sure you wrong her,” Hugh said. “But she would not, nor had she reason.”

“Then she didna lock ye out, either?”

“Nay, she did not. She was sleeping soundly when I left, but I could not get to sleep. I kept thinking about… about things
I should no longer think about.”

“Aye, sure,” Lucas said wisely. “We’ll just be gettin’ ye to bed then. I did fear ye’d slozzled a mite over t’ limit, ye ken,
but I couldna smell whisky nor wine on your breath. Then I felt yon great lump on your head, so—”

“Lucas, stow your gab,” Hugh said. “Help me to my feet.”

“Aye, sir, and then I’ll help ye to your bed.”

“Nay, you will not.”

“Hush now, ye’ll wake your lady.”

Hugh gave up and let Lucas have his way.

Jenny heard them shuffle into the room but, hearing no voices, felt quickly for Hugh in the bed. Just as she realized he was
not there, she heard Lucas mutter, “Dinna try to ’elp yourself, laird. I’ll get them clothes off ye and fetch ye a cold cloth
for that lump on your head.”

“Lump!” She sat up, clutching covers to her breast. “Light a candle, Lucas. I’m awake. What happened?”

“Nowt,” Hugh said. “Go back to sleep, lass.”

“Don’t be daft,” she snapped. “There are still embers on the hearth, Lucas. Light something. I want to see him.”

“Unless you have more clothes on than you had when I left, you’d best be covered to the neck, lady wife,” Hugh said. “We still
have things to settle between us, so now is not the time to vex me further.”

“Aye, sir, I’m covered. What happened? And don’t say ‘nowt’ again unless you want to find out how much temper your lady wife
has. If you’ve a lump on your head, ‘nowt’ was clearly a lie, so don’t make me get up to shake the truth out of you.”

Lucas had moved from Hugh to kneel by the hearth, and he stood with a lighted candle in time for Jenny to see Hugh’s quick
grin turn to a wince.

“Good sakes, the pair of you ought to be flayed,” she said, starting to put a leg out when she saw that Lucas was also smiling.

“Nay,” Hugh snapped. “We’ll tell you what happened, but stay where you are. I’ll be with you in a trice if Lucas can find
a dish to set that damned candle in.”

“Aye, sure, blame me,” Lucas said. “Behear the man! Nae doots, I saved ’is life, but t’ fact that he ’as displeased your ladyship
be on
my
head.”

“Saved his life!”

“Lucas, if you don’t want to feel my fist on your jaw, you’ll cease your gabbing,” Hugh said. “You’re giving me a headache.”

“ ’Tis me that’s givin’ ’im an ’eadache, aye, as if nae one clouted ’im.”

“Someone struck you?”

“Aye, but that’s all,” Hugh said. “I’m not dead, so hush, the pair of you.”

“Happen, savin’ ’is life again puts us even, but I’ve lost count,” Lucas said thoughtfully. “Some devil’s limb clouted ’im,
but I’d seen t’ laird a-strollin’ through t’ hall and up t’ stairs. Thinkin’ he’d ’ad more than he ought to drink and might
need ’elp with his disrobin’, I followed ’im. By, when I heard ’im fall—”

“We don’t need to hear what you thought then,” Hugh interjected. “Cease your gab now, and get these clothes off me. Then you
may take yourself to bed.”

“Nah then, I’m a-doin’ it,” Lucas said, hastening to help Hugh undress.

As he was leaving, Hugh said quietly. “I do thank you, Lucas.”

“ ’Tis nae more than ye’d do for me, laird, and
have
done, as ye might say. Dinna let him take that cold cloth off his head till the ache eases, me lady.”

“Good night, Lucas,” Hugh said firmly.

The door shut, and Jenny smiled. “He loves you, you know. Who do you think hit you?”

“That loving scoundrel who just left suggested it might have been you.”

She laughed then. “Earlier, perhaps, but not after… Why did you leave?”

“I couldn’t sleep, and I was afraid I’d wake you.”

“I think you’re not telling me the whole truth,” she said.

“Nay, but I’m not lying, so don’t smack me. I can’t take another hit tonight.”

“Too many tormenting thoughts?”

“Aye, a few.”

“I know how they go,” she said. “Most begin with ‘what if?’ or ‘if only.’ ”

“Aye.” He reached for her and drew her close. “Sleep, lassie. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

“How does your head feel now?”

“Don’t ask.”

She did not ask again, but she could not help wondering who had anything to gain by attacking Hugh. The only person she could
imagine who might think he had was Reid, and she doubted that Reid had the courage to act on the thought.

That left a castle full of mostly unknown persons with, as far as she knew, not one member of the minstrel company among them.