He was walking away from her when she called out, 'Do you know why I kissed you back, husband?'
She was prepared to remind him that he also belonged to her, but the arrogant man wouldn't let her. 'Because you liked it.'
His pleats were perfect, she'd give him that. She patted her hair, straightened her shoulders, and went back into the hall.
'Jamie?'
'Yes, husband?'
'Father Murdock will escort you outside. I'll join you soon.'
Alec waited until his wife had left the hall, then motioned to the two soldiers still standing guard above the stairs.
'Don't let her out of your sight,' he ordered. 'Stay within ten paces of your mistress.'
The two soldiers hurried to do his bidding. 'Send Colin to me,' Alec called out.
'Harold's second-in-command is here, too?' Gavin asked.
Alec nodded. 'He has news he wants to share with us,' he explained.
'Your wife wasn't very impressed with Justin's handsome looks, was she?' Gavin asked.
'I never thought she'd find him handsome,' Alec lied.
Colin must have been waiting right outside the doors, Alec decided, for he was already rushing down the steps to the great hall. The gray-haired man was obviously in quite a hurry to relay his messages to the Kincaid.
The time got away from Alec. He became embroiled in a heated debate about the possible union of the Highland clans. He insisted it wasn't possible. Colin was just as vehement in his opinion that it was very possible.
Alec was damned if he would let Colin leave the hall before agreeing with him.
Colin, if the set of his jaw was a true indication, was just as determined to sway Alec's judgment.
Jamie came rushing into the hall. Alec gave his wife only a quick glance before turning back to his guest.
He looked up again when she stood at his side. Alec thought she looked angry enough to spit fire. After giving her a frown to let her know he didn't want to be interrupted, he turned back to Colin.
She wasn't about to be ignored. Jamie prodded his upper arm. She managed a weak smile for the soldier speaking to Alec, then said, 'Pray forgive me, sir, for interrupting this discussion.'
Alec, believing her anger was due to her impatient nature, was quick with his reply. 'You'll have to wait, wife.'
'Alec, this can't wait.'
'Aren't you capable of handling this problem?'
'I didn't say I wasn't capable,' she argued.
'Then handle it.'
His tone of voice infuriated her, though not nearly as much as his rude dismissal. He turned his back on her and calmly asked the soldier to continue.
Both Gavin and Marcus gave her sympathetic looks. She nodded to them as she walked back to the entrance.
Alec glanced up when Jamie stopped near the archway. She was staring up at the display of weapons hanging from their hooks. Alec tried to give Colin his undivided attention, but that determination was forgotten when Jamie reached up and tried to lift a long club into her arms.
The weight of the weapon must have been too much for her. Her grip lessened and the club bounced to the floor with a resounding thud.
She was determined, however. She'd gained everyone's full attention, too. No one said a word as they watched Jamie drag the club up the stairs and out the doorway.
Alec could hear her muttering over the clatter the club was making on the stone floor.
He continued to stare at the entrance a long while after she'd gone, wondering what in God's name his gentle little wife needed a club for.
The answer came to him in a blinding flash. Justin!
Alec bounded out of his chair with a roar of fury. The sound nearly drowned out the screams coming from the courtyard.
Alec ran outside, trailed by the three soldiers. The scene he witnessed so astonished him, he stopped in his tracks.
The priest was standing next to Jamie. The look on Father Murdock's face was one of stunned disbelief. Jamie wasn't looking at the priest, though. No, she was staring at the ground, frowning intently at Harold's son. The future laird was sprawled on his stomach and trying without much success to regain his feet.
'If you ever try to touch me again, I'll hit you twice as hard,' Jamie shouted.
'I'll have your word, Justin, before I let you up.'
'Milady,' Father Murdock interrupted, all but strangling on his words. 'He doesn't understand-'
Jamie didn't let the priest finish his sentence. She assumed he meant to tell her Justin didn't understand her language. 'Oh, he knows why I hit him, all right,' she stated, speaking in Gaelic now. 'He understands.'
'But, Jamie, lass,' Father Murdock said, trying to explain once again.
The man on the ground dared to look furious instead of contrite. He was slow to learn his lesson, Jamie decided. 'How dare you touch me?' she asked in a furious voice. 'I'm Alec Kincaid's wife, you fool. And I happen to love the man with a passion you'll probably never even imagine.'
'Milady?' Gavin interrupted.
'Stay out of this, Gavin,' Jamie commanded. She didn't dare take her gaze away from the soldier on the ground, or let up her hold on her weapon. 'Alec has instructed me to take care of this problem and I won't have your interference. I told Justin I'd come back with something to make his knees weak and I did.'
'He isn't Justin.'
Alec made that statement. He stood so close to Jamie's back that she could feel his heat. 'This isn't the time for jests, Alec,' she stated before turning around. 'That shameful, ill-disciplined boy grabbed hold of me and dared to kiss me. Just look what he did to my pleats,' she added as she whirled around to show him the evidence.
'You hit Philip,' Alec told her. 'Not Justin.'
'I didn't. He's-'
'Justin's brother.'
'Philip, you say?'
He slowly nodded. He didn't look as if he was jesting. A knot immediately formed in Jamie's stomach. 'I don't understand, Alec,' she whispered. 'He looks like-'
'They are twins.'
'Oh, God, not twins.'
He nodded again. 'Identical.'
She was horrified. A crowd had gathered, too, making her humiliation all the more stinging. 'Well, spit,' she muttered, low enough for only Alec to hear.
'Why didn't you tell me? I've injured the wrong man.'
Jamie immediately dropped her weapon and tried to help her victim to his feet so she wouldn't have to look at her husband's dark expression any longer. Philip, however, refused to accept her assistance.
The poor man obviously thought she was daft. 'I'm sorry I hit you, Philip. No one bothered to tell me you had a twin brother, you see,' she added with a meaningful glance in her husband's direction. 'I'm buying you another indulgence for that sin, Alec.'
'You didn't mean to strike me down?' Philip asked as he continued to back away from her.
She was getting weary of chasing after him. 'If you'll stand still long enough, I'll try to explain what happened,' she promised.
Philip continued to look suspicious, but he did finally stop his retreat.
'I certainly didn't mean to strike you down,' she repeated again. 'I don't even know you, sir. Why would I want to harm you?'
Her speech seemed to placate Philip, but he reversed his decision to forgive her when she added in a casual voice, 'I meant to fell your brother, of course.'
