'You insult your laird if you believe-'
'Nay,' he returned, his voice emphatic. 'I'm doing just the opposite. He shows he values me, Gavin, and I'm… humbled by his faith in me.'
Gavin shouted with laughter. 'You've never spoken so passionately before, and here I am laughing at you. Don't take offense, good friend, it's just that your face has heated up to a full blush.'
Marcus lost his scowl when Gavin whacked him on his shoulder. He even managed a rare smile.
Both soldiers quit their smiling when their laird joined them. The look on Alec's face didn't suggest lighthearted conversation.
'Where's my wife?'
His bellow was so loud Gavin thought the soldiers training in the lower bailey surely heard him.
'She's above the stairs, cleaning the far room,' Gavin explained.
'She's alone?'
'I checked the room before she entered,' Gavin rushed out. 'No one can go in or out without my watching,' he added.
Alec nodded. 'I want the two of you to stay with her until I return,' he ordered. 'She doesn't take a step without one of you in front of her and the other in back. Do you understand?'
Gavin and Marcus nodded. 'She's going to wonder why,' Marcus said then. 'She's English, Alec, not stupid.'
Gavin was more amazed by Marcus's jesting tone of voice than Alec appeared to be. 'Yes, she will wonder,' he agreed.
'Then let the woman wonder,' Alec snapped. 'Just tell her it is by my order. The woman shouldn't be doing common chores, damn it all,' he added.
'She wanted to, Alec,' Gavin said. 'And I could see she needed to work off some of her energy. Perhaps she borrowed some of your strength. You look plain tuckered out to me, if I may say so. Do you need a longer nap, milord?'
'He had a nap?' Marcus interjected, looking quite incredulous.
'Your amusement displeases me,' Alec stated. 'And if you two keep smiling at me like that, I swear to God I'll flatten both of you. When I'm done, I promise you'll sleep a hell of a lot longer than I did.'
That threat gained him just the amount of respect he wanted. 'I'm going to speak to Angus,' he called over his shoulder. 'I'll be back in a few minutes.'
Alec's mood was as fierce as the rising wind when he made his way to Angus's cottage. The shouting he heard when he reached his faithful soldier's home told him Angus wasn't having a much better time of it.
Elizabeth opened the door. She gave her laird a wide smile, indicating she wasn't the least bit upset by her husband's bellowing. 'You look none the worse for wear, Elizabeth, living with a wildman,' Alec told her as he entered their home.
'Your wife warned me it wouldn't be easy trying to keep Angus resting. She was right, too, for Angus really has turned into a bear. He's a most difficult man to love right now,' she added in a raised voice so that her husband would be sure to hear, 'but I'm certain that once the threads are pulled out of his chest, he'll ease up with his constant complaining.'
'Will you quit talking about me in such a disrespectful manner?' Angus shouted from his bed. 'The laird has come to see me, wife. He doesn't want to listen to a woman's complaining.'
Elizabeth gave Alec an exasperated look before she rounded on her husband. 'May I offer him a drink of wine?' she asked.
Angus gave her a disgruntled look, then nodded. 'I could use a spot myself.'
Elizabeth ignored that hint. She poured Alec a fair portion of dark red wine and gave her husband a cup of water. Alec would not have been surprised if Angus had started growling. 'I'll leave you two to your visit,' Elizabeth said. She bowed to Alec and started out the doorway.
'Elizabeth? Come here before you leave,' Angus instructed.
Alec leaned against the window ledge and watched Angus's pretty little wife hurry over to her husband's side. He'd caught Elizabeth's blush and understood the reason for her embarrassment when Angus reached up with his good hand, wrapped it around the back of her neck, and dragged her forward. He kissed her long and passionately.
He whispered something to her when she straightened back up, then patted her backside. Elizabeth fairly flew out the doorway.
'She's a good woman,' Angus said with a long sigh. He tossed the water from his cup on the earthen floor, then got out of his bed to search for the jug of wine.
'She took it with her,' Alec announced with a laugh. 'The woman knows you better than you think she does.'
Angus looked pleased with that statement. He motioned for Alec to share a portion of his drink with him, and when his laird had complied, he took a long swallow. 'Lord, that tastes good. Your wife has told Elizabeth I can't have any wine until the threads come out. Only God knows why she would say such a monstrous thing. Elizabeth obeys every order though. I'm damned to misery with the two of them pecking at me like hens, Alec. You should have let me die, man, and saved me from such-'
'Angels?'
Angus nodded. 'Did you have something in particular you wanted to discuss with me, or did you just want to see my sorry state?'
'Close the door, Angus,' Alec directed. 'I don't want anyone to overhear our talk. I need some information, friend, and advice.'
Angus kicked the door shut. 'I can tell it's serious, Alec. Your expression is grim.'
Alec explained what had happened to Jamie. He ended the narrative by telling Angus that Jamie didn't know someone had tried to kill her.
The two men discussed the added protection that would be needed until the culprit was found. Though Angus wasn't an old man by any measure, he was still three summers senior to his laird, and in Alec's mind, three summers the wiser.
Angus sat down in a chair and propped his feet up on the bed. His scowl was as deep as Alec's by the time they'd finished making their plans.
When Alec started pacing the length of the room, Angus knew there was more to be discussed. He patiently waited for his laird to continue.
Long, silent minutes passed before Alec turned back to Angus. 'Angus, I want you to tell me everything you remember about Helena. You were here, with Marcus and Gavin, during the short time I was married to her. Since I was away-'
'Aye, you were doing the king's business most of that time,' Angus agreed. 'Do you realize, Alec, this is the first time you've said her name since the burying day?'
'I wanted to put it behind me,' Alec announced. 'Yet I've always…' He stopped mid-sentence, shook his head, and then commanded once again that Angus tell him what he knew about Helena.
The Kincaid spent a good half-hour questioning his trusted friend. His mood wasn't much improved when he left Angus. Elizabeth had been hovering outside the door. Alec winked at her before leaving, causing yet another blush.
Alec had just reached the top of the hill when he saw Jamie in the window above the first story. If she'd just turned a little to the left, she would have seen him. Jamie's attention, however, was centered on the two soldiers lounging against the stone wall below her.
She was smiling. His mood immediately lightened. Lord, she was enchanting. He thought she was a bonny lass indeed with her hair tied up on top of her head.
Long curly strands had already worked their way down the sides of her face.
There were smudges of dirt on her nose and forehead. She would need yet another bath before nightfall, he decided with a grin.
Something one of the soldiers was saying to the other drew her full attention.
While Alec watched, Jamie braced her elbows on the ledge and leaned farther out.
He could tell she was vastly amused by the story one soldier was relating to his friend.
