Jamie ignored her husband's astonishment. 'Well, actually she's our daughter now,' she explained. 'Say hello to your papa, Mary Kathleen.'
The little girl was still frightened. She continued to stare up at Alec while she twisted a lock of her hair into a knot on top of her head.
Jamie leaned down and whispered to the child. She was trying to soothe the little girl and also trying to give Alec a little more time to get used to the idea.
When Jamie straightened up again, she could tell from her husband's expression that he was going to need a lot more time.
'She's Helena's daughter,' Gavin called out just to break the staring contest.
'She's my daughter now,' Jamie countered. She let Mary Kathleen hide behind her back again. 'It's really quite simple to understand, Alec. When you married Helena, you became Mary's papa. You were going to bring her here to live with you, weren't you? And when I wed you,' she continued before Alec could answer her, 'well, I then became Mary's new mother. We have both been errant in our duties to this child, husband.'
'The Kincaid provided well for Helena's child,' Marcus interjected.
'Her grandmother died three months past. Did you know Mary was given over to a distant relation who wanted only your grain? It pains me to admit the woman was English, Alec. And do you know there are bruises up and down your daughter's back and on her legs, too? She would have been dead in another month's time if I'd left her in such care.'
He hadn't known. He looked furious, too. Jamie nodded. Then everyone started talking at once. Alec just stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, staring down at the little innocent peeking out at him from behind Jamie's skirts.
'Come here, Mary,' he ordered the child.
She shook her head at him while she tried to put a good portion of Jamie's gown into her mouth.
Alec started laughing. 'God help me, she's been with you less than a day and she's already taking on your stubbornness,' he told Jamie.
He scooped the little girl up into his arms and held her so that they were face to face.
'Be careful of her back, Alec. She's tender.'
Alec whispered something to the child, then smiled when she nodded.
'Can you get her to speak to you? She hasn't said a word to me,' Jamie whispered. 'You don't think something's wrong with her voice, do you?'
'Quit your worrying,' Alec ordered. 'She'll talk when she wants to. Won't you, Mary?'
The little girl nodded again. 'She was wearing Kevin's colors,' Gavin stated.
'He'd roll in his grave if he could see how filthy the garment was.'
'Who changed her clothes?' Alec asked.
'I did,' Jamie answered. 'That's when I saw all the bruises. I knew I had to bring her to you then,' she added.
'Nay, wife. You'd already made that decision when you put my plaid on her.'
The man was too cunning for her. 'Yes, Alec,' she admitted.
'You knew you were going to bring her back when you left today,' he continued.
'That's what you meant by not coming back from your hunt empty-handed, now, isn't it?'
He didn't sound angry, but Jamie still wasn't sure what he was thinking. 'Yes,' she answered. 'I had already made the decision.'
Alec gently tucked the little girl under his arm, treating her much like a burlap bag of feed. 'That isn't how you hold a baby,' Jamie blurted out. 'She's only three summers, Alec.'
Mary Kathleen didn't seem to mind, however. She let out a giggle.
'What happened after you saw the bruises?' Alec asked her.
'I became… angry.'
'How angry?'
'I threw the plaid on the ground,' Jamie blurted out. 'It was a deliberate insult. I did it on purpose. I restrained myself though. I wanted to give that horrible woman a few good bruises to remember me by.'
'I spit on it.'
Marcus had made that announcement. 'In front of witnesses, Alec.'
'Good.'
Marcus lost his frown when he'd gained his lord's approval. 'It means war,' he reminded Alec.
'Two wars,' Gavin interjected. 'You're forgetting Helena's family. They'll also get involved.'
'No,' Alec countered. 'They won't care. Why do you think Annie came with Helena when she wed me? The two sisters had been sorely mistreated by their family. The king was aware of this, of course.'
'And that's why you were married to her so soon after her first husband's death?
To protect her?' Jamie asked.
Alec nodded. When he finally looked at his wife, he was smiling. 'Thank you.'
'Why do you thank me, Alec?'
'For bringing our daughter home,' he answered.
She was nearly overwhelmed by his compassion. Her eyes filled with tears and she would have burst into sobs if Alec hadn't pretended to drop Mary Kathleen just then. Jamie shouted instead.
Both father and daughter laughed. Alec all but flipped the child over his arms, then held her up to face him again. 'Wife? This babe smells as rank as Murdock.
Bathe her,' he ordered. 'Marcus, have someone go find Edith and Annie. They'll want to meet their niece.'
'Then you truly claim Mary Kathleen as your daughter,' she asked, her worry still obvious.
He stared at her a long moment before answering. 'How could I not?'
She was too overcome with emotion to give him answer. When Alec handed the child to her, Jamie settled her on her hip.
Angus and Elizabeth walked into the hall just as Jamie started for the tub behind the screen. She quickly explained all about her new daughter. Mary Kathleen turned quite shy and hid her face against the crook of Jamie's neck.
Elizabeth offered to help bathe the little girl. Jamie agreed, then caught Angus's remark about arrangements being made for their king's visit.
'Your king is coming to see you?' she asked Alec. She looked appalled.
Alec raised an eyebrow over such a bizarre reaction. 'He is.'
'Edgar?'
''Tis the only Scottish king we have,' he answered.
'When does he arrive?'
'Tomorrow. Does this news displease you, Jamie? You look upset.'
'He's known for his cruelty,' she blurted out.
Everyone in the hall gave her incredulous looks. 'Edgar?' Alec asked. 'Jamie, he's known for his kindness.'
The grumbles of agreement made her feel much better. She smiled down at Mary Kathleen and then said, 'I shouldn't have believed those stories. No, he couldn't have done what I heard he'd done if he's as kind as everyone says.'
'What story?' Marcus asked.
'Tell us the worst,' Gavin suggested. 'And we'll tell you if it be true or not.'
'I heard that when Edgar took over the throne, he had to unseat another and he… well, he blinded him so he wouldn't cause him any trouble.'
No one said anything about that statement. They all looked at one another.
'I know,' Jamie rushed out. 'You all think me shameful for believing such gossip.'
'Now, Jamie, lass, that story happens to be true,' Gavin finally admitted when he realized no one else was willing to explain. 'But he didn't kill his predecessor. He only blinded him.'
'Aye, the man's still alive,' Marcus interjected.
Alec watched the way his soldiers tried to allay Jamie's fears. He realized they wanted to protect her feelings
