by Lynsay Sands
He grimaced at the words, but bent over Ronson and the shield to kiss her on the forehead before growling, "Ye should have woke me when ye got up."
"Ye were tired and--"
"And ye should no' be out here. 'Tis no' safe," Niels interrupted grimly.
"I have me guards, and yer brothers and even Ronson here," she said, smiling down at the boy.
"Sorry, brother," Geordie muttered. "But yer wife can be fair persuasive when she wishes, and it seems the cook has run out o' a lot o' items while she was ill and whatnot."
"And I was thirsty," Edith added, trying for a pitiful look. "But it seems all the drink at the keep has been locked up. Even the cider. So we came down and had a drink at the inn before starting to shop, else we'd surely be done and back by now."
"No' likely. We'll be here until the market closes at this rate," Alick said under his breath, earning a scowl from Edith.
"Ye let her drink at the inn?" Niels asked with dismay.
"Well, o' course they did," Edith said, scowling at him now. "Why would they not? The innkeeper could hardly be the one poisoning me at the keep."
"Nay, but what if whoever is poisoning ye has followed ye from the keep and managed to drop poison in yer drink at the inn?" he asked sharply.
"I watched fer that, m'lord," Cameron said at once and Edith glanced to him with surprise. She hadn't even thought of that happening. It seemed her guards had, however. She supposed that's why they were some of Tormod's most trusted men. They thought of things like that.
"Wife," Niels said now, drawing her gaze back his way. "The drink being locked up and yer having guards are to keep ye alive. But ye make that harder to do by putting yerself out in the open where ye're an easy target. Ye should no' have left the keep."
Edith narrowed her eyes on him briefly and then asked, "Where are yer guards?"
"What?" he asked with surprise.
"Well, ye may be a target too now that ye've married me," she pointed out, and added, "After all, Brodie's Victoria was killed. Ye should have to stay in the keep too, and ye surely should no' be riding around without a guard. So . . . where are they?"
"She's right about that, brother," Geordie said and reminded him, "We were talking about it last night. Ye could be a target now too."
Niels scowled at his brother for his trouble, and then took Edith's arm and tried to steer her away. "Fine. Let us both return to the keep right now."
"Nay," Edith gasped, digging in her heels. "There are still things Jaimie needs."
When Niels paused and turned to frown at her, she added, "'Tis our job to supply what our people need, husband. Surely ye ken that? If I do no' get what he needs, he can no' properly do his job, and 'twould be because o' my failure, no' his."
Cursing, he released her and threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. We will get what the cook needs, but no dawdling, Edith. Get it done quickly so we can return to the keep."
Edith smiled at him brightly and nodded. "Aye, husband. And look, now ye're here, none o' the men need return to the wagon. Ye can help carry the spice and soap."
Edith then turned away and hurried to the spice merchant with Ronson and the men rushing to keep up and bumping her on every side.
"And now ye ken how we ended up here shopping with yer wife."
"Hmm," Niels muttered at that comment from Geordie as they followed Ronson and the other three men hovering around his wife.
"Although," Geordie added, "I will say she has brightened considerably since leaving the keep. She was sad-looking and dragging her feet there, but perked up once we got here."
Niels frowned at the news that Edith had looked sad and slow when she woke up, but supposed it should be expected considering all that had happened. While Edith had avoided talking about her father and brothers, he knew from things he'd heard from Saidh and Tormod that Edith had loved her father dearly, as well as her brothers . . . even Brodie, who by all accounts was a wastrel. She'd been quite fond of Cawley too. And all had died in short order. In his opinion, she was handling it all incredibly well.
"So I'm thinking her getting out and about today may be a good thing despite the risk," Geordie concluded.
"Aye," Niels muttered. Certainly Edith seemed animated and less pale than usual as she haggled with the spice merchant.
"Niels?" Alick said, sidling closer to him as he paused behind Ronson.
"Hmm?" he asked, glancing to his brother and noting that most of what the lad held were bolts of fabric. One was a fine green cloth the exact color of Edith's eyes that he hoped she planned to make a dress from. She'd look lovely in the material.
"We've nearly circled back around to the wagon," Alick pointed out. "Why do Geordie and I no' carry our items to the wagon, and then I'll wait there to watch over everything while Edith finishes and Geordie'll be able to help carry everything else she buys."
"Aye, if ye do no' mind that would help," Niels said with a nod.
"Trust me, I do no' mind at all," Alick assured him.
"O' course he does no' mind, it means he can sit and flirt with all the pretty girls here rather than traipse around after Edith with his arms full," Geordie said dryly, and then heading for the wagon with Alick, added, "I'll be back directly."
Niels smiled faintly as he turned back toward Edith and then glanced down with surprise when several items were piled on top of his crossed arms.
"Thank ye, husband," Edith said as she stacked the spices on top of each other on him. "Fearghas can no' carry any more, Ronson is busy with the shield and Cameron insists at least one o' them must keep their hands free to defend me should the need arise."
When she turned away quickly then, and hurried off to the next trader, Niels shook his head and shifted his arms slightly to hold the items now cradled against his chest. He then followed the others trailing after his wife. She was at the cheese trader now, he noted, and when his wife had selected several hunks of cheese and showed no sign of slowing, Niels glanced to Fearghas and suggested, "Mayhap ye'd best take that to the wagon and tell Geordie to hurry back."
"We might do better just to bring the wagon here," Cameron warned as Edith continued picking cheese. "The soap trader is next, but the capons come after that and with the whole castle to feed she'll want a lot o' them."
"Aye," Niels agreed.
"I'll take this to the wagon, and have Alick bring it here," Fearghas announced and turned to hurry away.
Niels turned back to his wife then and blinked as he saw that she'd moved on with just Ronson trailing her while they were distracted. She was now in front of the soap trader, examining the wares laid out on a plaid on the ground.
"Oooh, this smells nice," she was saying as she picked up and sniffed one of the soaps.
"Aye, m'lady, that one has oil o' rose in it," the trader said with a smile.
Pausing beside his wife, Niels waited until she had selected the soap she wanted and paid for it before asking, "Edith, did ye no' get any cheese?"
"Aye. I selected so much, Duer said he'd deliver it to the castle," she said, turning to begin piling soap on his arms, and then stopping with a frown as she eyed the spices he already held. Apparently, concerned the soap might affect the spice, she started to turn to Cameron, but paused suddenly and smiled as she peered past the two men. "Oh, good they're bringing the wagon."
"Aye. We thought ye'd need it fer the cheese and capons," Niels said dryly.
Edith shook her head and moved forward to dump the soap she held in the back of the wagon as it stopped next to them. "Nay. I always get so many capons that once I place the order and pay, Iain delivers them to the castle as well."
Niels merely grunted and moved up to pile the spices he held in the wagon as she backed up. When he finished and turned around, she'd bustled off to the capon man and was bartering with him. Ronson, Geordie, Fearghas and Cameron were with her, so he walked up to the front of the wagon and said, "The capons are the last o' it, but they'll be delivered. Ye can head back to the keep do ye wish."<
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Nodding, Alick took up the reins and headed out, leaving Niels to approach the others. He'd spotted the horses by the inn as he arrived and had tied up his horse there as well, so that was where they all went when Edith finished her bartering. Niels took Edith up before him on his horse, and then suggested, "Geordie, why do ye no' take Ronson up before ye?"
"Oh, nay, m'lord," Ronson protested at once. "I must ride with ye. I have to keep the shield in front o' Lady Edith when we get to the bailey."
Niels had been going to take the shield from the lad to give him a break--he'd started to look weary toward the end--but nodded now. "Very well, lad."
Geordie immediately caught the lad and lifted him up onto Edith's lap, but held on to the shield and said, "I'll give it to ye once we reach the gate. It tended to get in the way a bit on the way down."
"Aye," Ronson agreed. "Was a most troublesome whoreson."
Shaking his head, Geordie turned and mounted with the shield and they were off. Niels let Cameron lead the way. Fearghas followed behind and Geordie remained at his side. They rode at speed until they neared the gate and then Cameron began to slow. He came to a full halt as they reached the gate. Reining in his own mount, Niels glanced to Geordie as he drew up next to them and then watched as his brother slid the heater shield across the horse's back sideways in front of Ronson and waited for him to get a good grip on it, before releasing it and easing his horse away.
"Ready?" Cameron asked.
Niels nodded. The shield was two feet high laying on its side the way it was. It left his head and part of his chest above it so he was able to see, yet completely hid Ronson, and covered all but the top of Edith's head. When Cameron started forward, Niels followed at once through the gate and into the bailey, glad the man picked a fast walk to cross to the keep stairs.
They were halfway across when Edith suddenly leaned to the side to peer around the shield. Frowning, he nudged her back. She went willingly and remained behind the shield for the rest of the distance to the keep stairs.
Aware that she was vulnerable from overhead now, Niels took the shield from Ronson and held it over his wife and the lad until Cameron dismounted and came to remove the boy. Once the lad was down, Niels tightened his grip around Edith and dismounted, taking her with him, then hustled her up the stairs to the keep doors. He didn't lower the shield until they were inside.
Handing the shield to Cameron then, he took Edith's arm and headed immediately for the stairs.
"Wait, where are we going?" Edith asked with surprise. "I was hoping ye'd unlock the buttery so that I might have a drink."
Niels paused at once, but then just stood there frowning. He'd intended to urge her upstairs and seduce her into consummating their marriage. He'd intended to do that on waking, only to find her gone, and now he was coming up against a new obstacle. What kind of churl would refuse his wife a drink when she was thirsty? Still . . . Aye, he thought and turned to ask politely, "What would ye like to drink, wife?"
"Cider," she murmured and then added, "But I can get it meself do ye but unlock the buttery."
"Nay. 'Tis fine. I shall get it," he assured her, and then turned to Cameron and Fearghas. "Escort yer lady above stairs to her room. I shall fetch the cider and follow directly."
Edith looked surprised at the request, but didn't protest when Cameron and Fearghas urged her away. Satisfied that he could still continue with his plan to bed his wife, Niels started across the great hall for the kitchens only to pause as his name was called. Glancing back, he saw Rory coming down the stairs even as Edith and her guards walked up them and briefly debated ignoring his brother, but then sighed and waited to see what he wanted. He would give him two minutes, Niels decided, but then he would fetch that drink and go upstairs to consummate his marriage . . . finally.
Chapter 13
"Are ye all right, m'lady? Ye seem to be moving a bit stiffly," Cameron pointed out about halfway up the stairs.
"Aye." Edith grimaced. "I am a bit stiff, but fine."
"'Tis no wonder what with yer walking about most o' the day today . . . and after riding all day and night yesterday. In the rain, no less," Fearghas said sympathetically.
"Mayhap a hot bath would help with that," Cameron suggested. "Yer da always swore a nice hot bath chased away his aches and pains."
"Aye, he did," Edith said with a soft smile. Her father had suffered terrible pain in his bones and joints the last few years of his life and swore the only thing that eased his discomfort was a steaming hot bath.
"Shall I order ye one then?" Cameron asked.
"Aye, please. Thank ye, Cameron," she murmured.
Nodding, the man stopped--she thought to go back down and order a bath for her--but he turned on the step he stood on and bellowed, "Fetch yer lady a bath! Lady Edith wants a bath!"
For one second, the shout was followed by a brief silence from everyone in the great hall except for her husband, who groaned. At least she thought it was Niels who groaned, and Rory's cheerful, "See, ye do have time after all!" seemed to back that up.
Wondering why he'd groaned, Edith glanced back as she stepped onto the upper landing. All she saw, though, was Rory leading Niels out of the keep. It seemed her drink would be delayed.
Moibeal was in the bedchamber when Edith entered. The maid was unpacking the chests she'd packed after Edith, Niels, Geordie and Alick had set out for Buchanan. When they'd both thought they would be living out their lives there.
Well at least until Niels was ready to build that home for them he'd mentioned. Four years, he'd said. Edith hadn't bothered to mention then that her dower was quite generous and, depending on how much money he had gathered on top of what his father had left him, that he might be able to build it at once. There hadn't been the opportunity really, and she'd thought there was plenty of time for such things. Now, not only could he have her dower, but he had a home too. He was now Laird of Drummond.
Edith considered that more seriously. She hadn't really given that much thought. She was lady here now, and Niels was laird. She wondered if he'd considered that. And what he thought about it. She hoped he was happy. He hadn't married her expecting to get the castle and title, but had.
"I've started to unpack. But just before ye came in I started to wonder if I should be doing it here."
Edith glanced to Moibeal uncertainly at those words. "We'll no' be moving to Buchanan now."
"Nay." Moibeal hesitated, and then said, "But I was no' sure whether I should be doing it here or in . . . the big bedchamber."
In the big bedchamber, Edith thought and then realized it was Moibeal's way of avoiding saying the laird's chamber. Her father's room, Edith realized. Moibeal didn't want to make her think of her father and the loss of him.
Sighing, she shrugged. "I suppose we shall have to move there eventually. But Niels shall have to see it first. He may no' like it as it is. We may have to change things. He would no' sleep in Hamish's room after I gave it to him," she pointed out. "So I can only assume he did no' like that one."
Moibeal snorted at the suggestion. "'Tis more like he did no' like leaving you. He slept in the chair by yer bed, on the floor and even in the hall across yer doorstep every night even before ye married," she pointed out dryly. "'Twas no' that he did no' like Hamish's room. I do no' think he even ever saw it."
"Oh," Edith murmured, and then turned and headed for the door. "Well, we may as well go take a look at the laird's chamber and see what shape 'tis in then. 'Twill pass the time while we wait for my bath to come."
"Aye, I heard Cameron shout for a bath," Moibeal said with amusement, following her to the door.
Edith nodded. "I am a bit stiff and he suggested it to ease my aches."
Cameron and Fearghas straightened abruptly when Edith opened the door and stepped out.
"We are just taking a quick look at me father's room," Edith explained as she stepped into the hall. The two men nodded and fell into step behind her and Moibeal as they walked up the hall.
"Why is the room warm?" Moibeal asked. "And what is that smell? Is it flowers?"
"Lavender, I think," Edith murmured, and then glanced to the floor to see bits of the dried flower strewn about.
"Yer father's room never smelled o' lavender ere this," Moibeal pointed out, even as Edith thought it.
Cameron and Fearghas had been standing at the door, but now moved into the room. Cameron went straight to the fireplace and grabbed the poker. Dropping to his haunches then, he poked around in the hearth.
"Someone has been sleeping in the bed," Moibeal said grimly, drawing her attention. The maid was peeking through the closed curtains around the bed, but now tugged them open to reveal the disordered linens and furs.
"Are ye sure they were no' just left like that after me father was removed?" Edith asked, moving to the bed.
"Nay. I stripped the bed meself while ye tended Hamish," Moibeal told her. "The bed was bare and the bed curtains open when I last saw this room."
"Someone has obviously been sleeping in here," Cameron said grimly. "And quite recently. These are no' ashes, they're embers, m'lady. Someone had a fire in here and 'tis just dying."
"The old laird's ghost," Fearghas said in a fearful whisper.
Seeing Cameron's eyes widen at the suggestion, Edith scowled at Fearghas. "Nay. Me father never liked lavender. He said it made him sad. Besides, Fearghas, there is no such thing as ghosts, and if there were, they'd hardly need a fire. The person sleeping in here is a living one. Probably Geordie or Niels moved in here fer some reason."
"If that were the case, the fire would no' be hot. They slept outside yer door this morn," Cameron reminded her.
"Well, Rory then," she said with exasperation and took one last look around before heading for the door. "Come along, me bath is probably on its way by now, if no' already waiting."