The Bride (39 page)

"Silence!"

Neither Marcus nor Gavin had ever heard Jamie use that tone of voice. Gavin smiled in reaction. The look of outrage on Edith's face made him want to laugh.

Edith's hands were clenched at her sides. She was obviously furious. That wasn't good enough. Jamie wanted to push her beyond reason. She hoped that once her anger was completely out of control, she wouldn't guard her words. Then Jamie would be able to find out why her hatred was so fierce.

"I'm mistress here, Edith," she said in a low, arrogant voice. "If I wish you to become an outcast, I will get my way."

"Marcus would never let you."

"He would," Jamie boasted. Lord, she hated the horrible lies she was telling. "He's your brother, and your guardian, too, but Alec is his laird. Marcus is loyal to my husband," she added. "Unlike you. Yon aren't loyal to anyone, are you?"

"I am," Edith shouted.

"Perhaps once you were," Jamie countered, affecting a shrug. "Yes, you were probably loyal to Alec when he was wed to Helena. Father Murdock told me you were very close to Alec's first wife."

"You can't replace her. I won't let you."

"I already have."

Those last taunting words snapped the shreds of control to which Edith was clinging. Before she could stop herself, she lashed out at her mistress. All she wanted to do was take the smug look off Jamie's face. She wanted to hurt her mistress as much as Jamie was hurting her.

Jamie had been waiting for the attack. She was smaller than Edith in stature, but much stronger. She'd captured Edith's wrist and had the woman kneeling on the floor before she'd finished her first scream.

Both Marcus and Gavin had rushed forward to intervene. They stopped when they reached Jamie's side.

"Stay out of this," she told the men while she kept her stare on her prey. She wasn't holding Edith's wrist now, but clasping her hand against her waist. She was gently stroking Edith's shoulder, too, and trying to maintain her balance at the same time. Edith was sobbing against Jamie's skirts.

No one said a word until Edith had gained a bit of control. "Oh, my God, I was going to strike you! I'm so sorry," Edith whispered. "When I saw you and Father Murdock moving Helena's chest out of the bedroom, I was so incensed. I didn't want you to throw her things away. I've been so filled with—"

"I wasn't going to throw Helena's things away," Jamie explained. "I just moved the chest to the other bedroom, Edith."

"Her baby's clothes were in the chest," Edith continued, as if she hadn't heard Jamie's explanation. "She'd worked so diligently on the little gowns."

"She wanted to have Alec's child, then?" Jamie asked, her voice a gentle caress.

"Please say you forgive me, milady," Edith sobbed, returning to her other worry. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me, Edith. And I'm sorry, too."

"You're sorry?" Edith asked. She still knelt on the floor and turned her face up to Jamie. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Jamie used the hem of her bliaut to mop the wetness away. "I'm sorry for all the hurtful lies I just told you. Edith, you were so set against me; I did have to use a little trickery to get your attention."

"You aren't going to send me away?"

Jamie shook her head. She helped Edith stand up. "You're a very important member of this clan, Edith. I would never send you away. I lied about Helena, too. I haven't taken her place."

Edith shook her head. "But you're Alec's wife now."

"That doesn't mean we all pretend Helena never existed."

"He does."

"Alec?"

When Edith nodded, Jamie whispered, "It's painful for him."

"I don't know," Edith whispered. "I was sure he didn't care. They weren't married long, milady. There wasn't even time to bring her daughter—"

"Her what?"

She hadn't meant to shout, but Edith's casually spoken words so startled her that she could barely keep her expression contained. "Father Murdock said Alec and Helena were married only two months."

Edith nodded. "Alec was pledged to Annie," she said. "King Edgar changed his mind. Annie… well, she wasn't growing up quick enough, and Helena had just lost her husband. His name was Kevin. He died protecting his king. Helena was swollen with Kevin's child."

Jamie almost fell down. Marcus grabbed hold of her arm to steady her. "Are you ill, milady?" he asked.

"I'm not ill," Jamie countered. "I'm bloody furious. Edith, how long was Helena wed to Kevin?"

"Six years."

"Now, tell me about this child," she demanded.

"She had a daughter," Edith announced. "Helena was waiting for Alec's return to go and get her. The little girl was being cared for by Kevin's mother."

Edith led Jamie over to the table when her mistress announced she needed to sit down. "You are ill," Edith stammered out. "I've caused you to—"

"Well, hell, no one tells me anything," Jamie shouted. "My mother was carrying me when she wed my stepfather. And if you think I'll let that—"

Jamie finally got hold of her emotions. She noticed the soldiers worried expressions. She took a deep, calming breath, then managed a smile. "Edith and I have settled this little dispute. We're both sorry you had to witness our unladylike conduct. Now, then, I don't want either of you to mention this to Alec. You'd only embarrass us and irritate him. Isn't that right, Edith?"

She waited for Edith's quick nod, then said, "Edith, you will continue to see to the household matters. I would like to help you every now and again. Do you think we might have something other than mutton for dinner tonight? I do hate mutton."

Edith smiled. Her eyes filled with tears again. "What is this daughter's name?" Jamie asked her.

"Mary Kathleen," Edith answered. "Kevin's family has some Irish blood."

"Mary is also my sister's name," Jamie said, smiling. "And how old is this child now?"

"Three years," Edith answered. "I haven't seen my niece since the birthing. I heard Kevin's mother died three months past. A distant relation takes care of Mary now."

It took all of Jamie's determination not to let her anger show. Edith looked as if she wanted to cry again, and Jamie didn't have time to soothe her. Her mind was busy racing with her plans. "There is much for the two of us to discuss, cousin, but later, after you've repaired your hair, will be soon enough."

That remark accomplished Jamie's goal. Edith immediately bounded to her feet. "My hair has come undone?" she asked, clearly appalled. She patted the sides of her crown while she waited for an answer.

"Just a little," Jamie told her, trying not to smile.

Edith made a curtsy, then rushed out of the room.

Jamie let out a long sigh. "You've had quite a day, Jamie."

Gavin remarked. "First you battle a fire and then you battle a determined woman."

"Actually, I battled a fat boar, then Alec, then the fire, and last, Edith," she corrected with a smile.

"A boar? You battled with a boar?" Gavin shouted.

"I'm just jesting with you," she admitted. As soon as Gavin lost some of his angry expression, she told him what happened.

When she'd finished, she couldn't help but notice how incredulous the warriors looked. "So you see, I didn't actually battle the boar. I just got in his way. Do you know this child? His name is Lindsay."

Gavin had to sit down before giving her answer. "We know of his clan."

"My God, Jamie," Marcus began, "his father is a powerful—"

"Ruthless," Gavin interjected.

"Laird," Marcus finished.

"You could have gotten yourself killed," Gavin shouted as he bounded back to his feet.

"Don't censure her, Gavin," Marcus countered. "I'm sure Alec must have—"

"I didn't exactly tell him," Jamie interrupted.

The men let her know what they thought of that sin. "Quit your scowls," Jamie ordered. "I promised that child I wouldn't be telling on him. I see no reason to tell Alec what happened. He'll only worry. I'll have your word on this, Gavin. Yours, too, Marcus."

Both warriors immediately agreed. Neither, of course, meant to honor her request, but they wanted to appease her now.

"Did anything else happen that you've forgotten to mention?" Gavin drawled out.

"Give me time," Jamie countered. "The day's not half done, if you'll remember."

Gavin smiled, and miracle of miracles, Marcus smiled again, too. "It has been quite a morning," she said with a sigh. "Marcus, do you know where Mary Kathleen is?"

He nodded. "Is it a fair distance away from here?"

"Three hours' ride," he stated with a shrug.

"Then we'd best get started right away."

"I beg your pardon, milady?" Marcus asked. He turned to give Gavin a puzzled look, wondering if he'd understood their mistress's announcement. Jamie had already disappeared behind the screen.

"We'll leave at once," she called out. She peeked around the corner. "You wouldn't mind taking me, would you, Marcus? 'Tis the truth, even with proper directions, I would probably get lost."

"Where are we going?" Marcus asked.

"To see my daughter."

It was a lie, of course, for Jamie had no intention of merely seeing her daughter. She couldn't very well tell the soldiers the full truth, however, not if she wanted to gain their cooperation.

Besides, she guessed they'd find out soon enough.

Mary Kathleen was coming home where she belonged.

And that was that.

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Chapter Fifteen

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Alec's patience was nearing the shouting point. He blamed his ill temper on the fact that the early afternoon training session wasn't going at all well. It was teeth-grinding, frustrating work, for he was now instructing the younger, unseasoned warriors.

Young David, Laird Timothy's second son, bore the brunt of Alec's frustration. The boy didn't seem to get any better, no matter how long he trained. Alec knocked David and his sword to the ground for the third time, using the back of his bare hand to add humiliation to his lesson in defense. David's weapon went flying. It would have found a target in another soldier's leg if the older warrior hadn't sidestepped just in time.

"I should kill you now and be done with it," Alec roared at the boy. "David, you won't last five minutes in true battle unless you learn to pay attention to what you're doing. And hold on to your weapon, for God's sake."

Before the yellow-haired warrior could respond to that criticism, Alec hauled him to his feet. He had David by the throat now, thinking he might just strangle a bit of good sense into his head one way or another. When David's freckled face turned blotchy, Alec knew he had his full attention.

"Alec?" one of the soldiers called out.

Alec tossed David to the ground before turning to the soldier. He noticed the silence then. His soldiers had all quit their tasks without gaining his permission. That fact settled in his mind a scant second before he realized they were all staring at the top of the hill.

He knew before he turned around that Jamie was somehow responsible for this interruption. She was the only one who could cause such astonishment in his usually disciplined older soldiers, the only one to incite such chaos.

He had to brace himself, then thought he was prepared for just about anything, yet the sight of his wife riding down the hill on Wildfire's back did take his breath away. She was riding bareback, her hair flying out behind her, and Alec was afraid to move lest he startle her. She'd surely fall to the ground then and break her stubborn neck.

She rode like a queen. Even from the distance separating them, Alec could see her soft, beguiling smile.

Wildfire trotted down toward the slope where Alec and his men waited. Gavin and Marcus rode their mounts behind her.

Alec motioned Jamie over to his side with an arrogant wave of his hand. Though he was determined to hold on to his anger over her rude interruption of his duties, he was finding it a difficult endeavor. Pride kept getting in the way of his goal, his pride in his wife's horsemanship.

He lost his anger altogether when he spotted the bow and quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder.

He tried not to laugh.

Jamie obeyed her husband's command without any visible movement on the reins. She stopped Wildfire by using the pressure of her knees to give her command.

Alec suddenly wanted to feel the pressure of her knees around him again.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Riding."

"With bow and arrow?"

"Yes," Jamie answered, wondering over the irritation in her husband's voice. "One must always be prepared for any eventuality," she added. "I might also do a spot of hunting."

"I see."

His moods were as unpredictable as the wind, she decided, for now he looked as if he wanted to laugh at her. There was a definite sparkle in his eyes. She heard several loud chuckles from the crowd of soldiers gathered in front of her, glared at the offenders for being so rude, and then turned back to Alec.