Tananguard 02 - To Love a Lord (16 page)

*

Thomas
wanted to ignore his name being shouted through camp, but the intensity of it caused him alarm. He had to see what was needed of him before he could finish this conversation with Maggie. He rounded a corner to find Dickson looking for him.

“Ah
, there you are, Thomas. I’ve a letter for you from Scotland. I was told it was urgent,” he said handing Thomas a folded piece of paper.

From Scotland?
Thomas frowned as he took the letter.

Dickson glanced past
him, spying Maggie. He raised an eyebrow. “I see you’ve found an interest in Lucas’s whore. She is a luscious thi—”

Thomas raised a fist and planted it in Dickson’s face before he could finish his sentence.
This was the first he had heard the derogative name. “Who else calls her that!” he growled in the man’s face as he picked him up off the ground and held him by the collar.

“Everyone, or at least most,” the man fumbled as blood poured from his nose. He cursed in frustration. “
You broke my nose, Thomas!”

“You don’t call her that!”
Thomas turned to whoever was watching. Dickson had pulled a small crowd. “If I hear anyone use that name for her again, they will deal with me!” He turned back toward Maggie to see how much she had heard. He cursed within as he saw her rushing in the opposite direction.

“Maggie!” he called. She didn’t look back at him. She simply picked up her skirts and began to run. “You fool, Dickson! Do you know what turmoil that woman suffers? Do any of you?” he asked loudly. People were ducking their heads in humility.
He scowled darkly. “I will deal with this later.”

He
went to stuff the letter in his shirt when a name caught his eye. He cursed again. He’d assumed it was from his brother. But it wasn’t. It was from his brother’s wife, Muriel. Had something happened to Robert? Quickly, he tore it open and read. He sighed in irritation. It could have waited. His brother suffered from a head injury that wasn’t severe and a broken leg. There was turmoil among the people and Muriel felt Thomas’s presence was needed immediately. There was more, but all of it could wait. Thomas stuffed the letter in his shirt and looked to see if Maggie was still visible. Of course she wasn’t. “Damn it!” he said one last time and dashed off in the direction he’d last seen her.

The woman was good at finding
hiding spots. She worked hard, washing and cooking and cleaning, but she hadn’t found a true niche within their small community. Now he finally knew why. And he was infuriated! She was so kind. She did her share of work and did even more than needed in the camp without complaint. But when Maggie ran out of things to do during the day, Thomas found her hiding in some unknown corner watching the others in contemplation. The poor woman was suffering, and no one seemed to care.

He yearned to help her, to take care of her, but how could
he convince her of such a thing? How could he convince her it was the right thing?

*

Maggie
ran for quite some time before slowing to a walk. Her heart hurt in more ways than one. She’d fallen in love with a man who didn’t exist. Or maybe he did exist, but she’d lost him some time ago to the monster he became. Now she was alone and ruined. She crumpled to her knees and sobbed as she longed to do. No one would want her. She was with child, a curse to the people of William’s camp. And she was dirt in their eyes, and rightly so. She couldn’t stay here with them, but could she truly return to Westbrook and take up her position there again? She was partly to blame for Lady Allana’s kidnapping. Or perhaps she was solely to blame, allowing her heart to be manipulated so she would do anything Lucas asked of her! She was a stupid, daydreaming fool!

She heard the rustling of
debris, the crack of twigs and the echo of something coming her direction in a hurry. She didn’t even flinch. Whatever wild animal was coming for her could not hurt her anymore than she already was. Maybe it was a bear come to end her torment.

“
Here you are,” Thomas said in relief.

His footsteps came toward her, but she wouldn’t look up. She kept her face buried
in her hands. “Go away, Thomas,” she said through her tears. “You’ve done enough for me already. I need to be alone.”

“No, that is the last thing you need,” he
growled.

She looked up at him
in anguish. He was angry with her. “I’m sorry I displease you. You’ve been a good friend to me.”

“Maggie,” he said in exasperation. “You don’t displease me.” He knelt in front of her, facing her.

“But…you’re…angry,” she said as she fought back a sob.

He placed his hands upon her cheeks, forcing her to look at him.
“Not at you, never at you. I’m angry at myself. I’m angry at those bastards who created that foul name for you. And most of all, I’m angry at Lucas for putting you in such a position as you find yourself,” he explained.

She looked into his
gray eyes and felt her tears subsiding. Peace filled her. He was so good to her. “Why are you so kind to me, Thomas?” she asked solemnly.

He looked startled by the qu
estion. He opened his mouth to say something, but only a quiet sigh followed. He ran his thumb over her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. Then he tucked her hair behind her ear, stalling as he thought.

Maggie studied her friend
, and for the first time since meeting him, she realized he was quite handsome. He was tall and broad-shouldered. He had hair the color of sand and a beard a shade darker. His eyes were always warm and kind, and they reflected the man he was. This attraction, this feeling of peace, troubled her. She was in no condition for such things, but he was looking at her with such care and devotion. She couldn’t help but wonder what her life could have been like if she had met Thomas before Lucas. The thought startled her more than anything right then. He was her friend, nothing more. He cared for her as he would a sister or niece. But why? “Why, Thomas?” she asked again.

He smiled tenderly. “I…,” he trailed off. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Then he dropped his hands from her face and placed them on his knees. “Perhaps it is because I sympathize with you. I understand what it is like to fall in love with the wrong person.”

“You do?” she asked in surprise.

He laughed. “Aye
, I do.”

“Will you…will you tell me about it?” she asked
. She hoped he would. It would be nice to forget her sorrows for a time.

“I will,” he said. He pushed himself to his feet and offered her his hand. “But you’ve chosen an uncomfortable spot for the tale.”

Maggie took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He led her to a large tree that he examined with care.

“Don’t want any unsightly insects bothering us while we speak,” he mumbled as he examined the ground. “This looks like a good place.”
Then he sat on the ground leaning his back up against the base of the tree. He patted the ground next to him, instructing her to take her place beside him. She did without hesitation, facing him, looking at him expectantly.

“I was
fifteen when my brother married Muriel. It was an arranged marriage. She was eighteen and he twenty-one. Robert and Muriel hated each other, but he is the Laird of our clan and the marriage brought prosperity with it. That first year was…interesting to say the least. Screaming matches through the keep during the day, and the loudest…er…loving in the night.”

She felt her cheeks burn with the statement. His eyes lit up in amusement, but he continued without a pause.

“They were quite the pair. It wasn’t long before everyone knew they were in love. It took them longer to realize it, though. But even with love, marriage is a difficult thing. They had two girls by the time I was eighteen. There were disputes between the different lairds and lords, and Robert worried for Muriel’s safety. I became her guard outside the keep. Anytime she desired to go riding or whatnot, I was her companion. Robert went when he could, but duty usually called him elsewhere. I was with her more than he for nearly a year. Of course, nobody thought much of it, of the time we spent together. I don’t even think she did, but I did.” He laughed darkly.

“
I loved her in secret. I told no one. It was torture for me being with her, especially when she grew sad and frustrated. She was unhappy, and I could see it. But what could I do? She was my brother’s wife! I was still a boy in her eyes, or so I thought until…,” he trailed off with a sigh.

*

Thomas was hesitant to go on. This was not something he shared with many. William and Garret knew his story, and that was it.
Not that it was terrible, but it still shamed him, especially considering he’d never married because of her. He could never bring himself to love another…until now. “I was nineteen. We went for a ride alone. There was nothing different about this day than any other except for the fact that she knew.”

“She knew
you loved her? Did you tell her?”

He shook his head. “No, but she guessed, and she was right. She even told Robert, trying to persuade him to go with her instead of forcing me
to.” He cringed with the memory.

“Take Thomas
?” Muriel asked. “That is what you always say. You realize he is in love with me because of it.”

Thomas balked. How did she know? Was it that obvious?

Robert laughed raucously. “Oh that is priceless! My little brother is in love with my wife.”

Thomas could feel his blood boil, but he simply looked at Robert without amusement.

“Well, then what better guard for you, Muriel? If he truly loves you, he will guard you with his life. And since he is my brother, I know I can trust him with you. Not that you’d want a boy when you’ve got a man to warm you at night. I don’t know if Thomas has even been with a woman. He probably wouldn’t even know what to do with you,” he said, grinning wickedly at Thomas.

Muriel’s cheeks flared red. She looked ready to strangle Robert.

Thomas shook his head. “You’re an arse,” he said to Robert. Then he grabbed Muriel by the arm. “You’re getting nowhere with him. Let’s be off if you truly wish to go.”

“I’m sorry, Thomas,” Maggie said with sympathy.

He shrugged. “I didn’t care that he knew. I didn’t care that the entire hall learned of it. What bothered me was how he laughed in my face—both our faces because if it. I felt sorrier for Muriel than I did myself at the time.

“But that is all beside the point. The day was just as any other day.
We spoke, we laughed, she teased me, but these things always happened. Then she kissed me. I was a hungry young man, and I was in love with her. I knew it was wrong. But I was angry at my brother, and he was neglecting his wife. She was in need of comfort. I would have taken her then, but fate stopped us.” He grinned at the memory. He could do that now.

“What happened?” Maggie’s sweet voice asked. She looked very concerned. She was facing him, sitting with her hands in her lap and her legs to the side hidden beneath her skirts. He wanted to reach out and touch her lovely face, to run his thumb over her cheek, to kiss her sweet mouth. But he resisted.

“I got stung by a bee in the arse,” he answered with a laugh.

She gasped. “No!”

“Yes. It flew up my kilt and stung me. My backside swelled to the size of a horse’s. Blasted bee ruined my day!”

“I’m sorry,
” Maggie said, but she was smiling.

He laughed. “Don’t be. I
t was a good thing. Not that I would have said so at the time. I couldn’t sit for nearly a week.”

“Oh, that’s terrible, Thomas,” she said
, stifling her own laugh.

“It truly was.”
Ah, but she is a lovely thing,
he said in his mind. Her voice sang to his heart.

“What happened next? Did Robert find out? Did you tell him about you and Muriel?” she asked innocently.

He laughed. “Och, no. He was twice my size. He would have beaten me senseless. I was stupid, but not that stupid.” He found her eyeing him up and down, eyes lingering on his broad shoulders then his arms. He liked it. It pleased him that she was looking at him, looking at him as a man, sizing him up and not shying away. Their eyes met.

Maggie swallowed, cheeks
flushing red. “Robert must be very large,” she said quite seriously.

Thomas
smiled slyly and winked at her. “I’ve filled out some in the past fifteen years. I doubt he could do much damage to me now.”

“Oh…I…oh.” Quickly
, she looked away. “What happened next?” she asked again.

He sobered as he remembered the rest of the
tale. “After I healed, I packed my bags. Robert was in the main hall with Muriel. We never talked about what happened. I just avoided her, but I could tell there was tension between her and Robert. She saw my bag before Robert, and I saw the pain in her eyes when she realized I was leaving. It didn’t stop me though. No one could. I told them I was leaving, and I did. I made my way to the nearest port, and took passage on the first ship I could, which just happened to be William’s. I’ve been with him ever since.”