Chapter 10 #2
“Aye, sure, Aunt Rosalie. That way, we can each talk with her more easily.”
Shifting his attention to Robina, now just a step away, Dev saw her eyes flash sparks again. But she made no comment. Moving silently and with her customary grace and regal posture, she took her place between Rosalie and Janet.
“Stirring coals, Davy?” Wat murmured.
“Your grandaunt’s age and rank entitle her to that seat,” Dev retorted.
Wat leaned closer to whisper, “If you value your hide, don’t ever refer to her grandauntness or her age within her hearing. You missed a verbal lashing just now only because she had turned to speak to Robina.”
Grimacing, but knowing he should have spoken more quietly, Dev shifted his stern gaze to the lower hall. When an expectant hush fell, he said the grace-before-meat, nodded to the waiting servants, and took his seat.
Dutifully, he talked with Rosalie until a lackey brought the meat platter and held it so Dev could serve her and himself. When the lad moved on to the other ladies, Dev turned back to Wat and saw that he was chatting with Benjy.
“Me brother Rab said you’re a good master, m’lord,” Benjy said. “I mean to be a good one, too. May I ask you another question?”
“Aye, sure,” Wat said. “I remember how hard it was to take my father’s place so unexpectedly. So if I can ever help, you need only send for me, and I’ll come. If I’m away, my people will know that such a request must be fulfilled at once.”
“Aye, well, we have Dev for now, so ’tis likely I willna need to trouble you. But if aught happens to him…” The boy paused.
Wat touched Dev’s foot with his own but did not look his way, so Dev knew he meant only to be sure he’d be aware of the exchange.
Taking care not to draw Benjy’s attention, Dev continued to listen.
“Benjy,” Wat said gently, “do you expect something to happen to Dev?”
“Well, me da’s gone, your da’s gone, me mam’s gone, and now our Rab’s gone,” the boy said. “So I think it likely that Dev will go, too. Do not you, sir?”
“We all go sometime, Benjy,” Wat said. “That is how God wills it. But sickness took your mam, and your dad’s injuries in battle years ago likely hastened his death.
My father had lived a good, successful life, but Dev is young and strong.
Moreover, he’s here at Coklaw, rather than out fighting other warriors, as he was when those ruffians killed Rab.
I think Dev will be here for some time yet.
Even so, if you need me, you send someone to fetch me. Do you understand?”
“Aye, sir, and I thank you.”
Dev returned his attention briefly to the ladies’ side, only to have his gaze collide sharply with Robina’s narrowed eyes. Between them, Lady Rosalie attacked the food on her trencher with single-focused fervor.
He wondered then if Robby’s irritation stemmed solely from his having seated Rosalie next to him, or from something else as well.
Rosalie certainly knew that her rank entitled her to the seat.
She was also a guest, while Robina—mistress of the household and acting hostess or not—was merely the sister of the current laird and his predecessor.
Had Rab or their father been alive, either might have asked her to sit by him.
But, in all likelihood, both would have acted as Dev had and put the widowed baroness in the seat of honor.
However, Dev did not mean to let Robina go on eyeing him like a sullen bairn. He held her gaze with a steely one of his until Janet spoke to her and Robby turned to reply.
Dev returned his attention to his supper. He would speak to her later.
“That shade of pink suits you, Robby,” Janet said. “I know Aunt Rosalie dislikes that kirtle, but one of your new dresses must be that color.”
Having been wondering if Dev was as angry with her as he’d looked—and, if he was, whether she’d be able to explain her own anger to him—Robina felt nonetheless a touch of warm amusement, and relief, at Janet’s comment.
Looking her in the eye, she said, “You are being tactful, Cousin Janet. You should know, though, that we recently turned out every kist and cupboard in this keep, and I have but four kirtles in various colors and conditions left.”
“Only four kirtles! No gowns?”
“Four kirtles—brown, pink, lavender, and green. However, Dev has condemned the old green one to the ragbag. I kept it for cleaning and mucking about, so I expect that henceforth, I shall have to ruin one of the others to please him.”
“So he does require pleasing,” Janet said with a smile.
Robina shrugged. “Men always want deft handling, do they not?”
“Aye, they do,” Janet said with a low, soft chuckle that reminded Robina of the sound a contented hen might make.
It made Robina smile. “Don’t you have to treat his lordship deftly?”
“Especially when he is being ‘his lordship’ instead of plain Wat,” Janet said.
“Even so, he is not Devil Ormiston,” Robina said.
“Nay, for ‘Devil’ suggests a fiery temper. Wat is… that is, his temper, is icy. His voice chills one to the bone, and he speaks in such a measured way that he makes one quake like a jelly. Worse, he continues speaking in that manner until one writhes inside and wants to promise anything to make him stop.”
“Mercy,” Robina said, glancing to her right. She saw only the back of Dev’s head, because he was talking with Wat.
Benjy stood, clearly ready to depart, and she nearly made a motion to stop him. But he looked at Dev, cocked his head as if to say something, then sat down without speaking.
Deciding that Dev had reacted as she had to his getting up before his guests had finished eating, she turned back to Janet and said, “Does Wat often get angry?”
“Not with me,” Janet said. “He has scolded me only twice in my life that I recall, but I’ve taken good care ever since to avoid stirring more than a chilly look.
He is, by nature, a charming and kindly man, Robby.
Usually, he reserves his wrath for those of his men or others who grievously offend him or one of his family. ”
“I think I prefer Dev’s temperament, even so,” Robina said. “He ignites into a fury, and he may wreak vengeance on whoever lit the flame. But that flame burns quickly and then is gone as if it had never been.”
Memory of her sore backside having reminded her for nearly a day afterward of what Dev had done to her the night they lifted the Turnbulls’ beasts brought a warm flush to her cheeks. But if Janet noticed, she said naught of it.
They continued to chat in a friendly way until Lady Rosalie said, “I think we should remove to the solar, do not you, Robina? I brought some lengths of fabric with me that I’d like you to see.”
Resigned to the fact that she was to be “furbished,” Robina smiled and said, “Aye, cousin, I do think we should excuse ourselves.”
Rosalie spoke quietly to Dev and rose. Dev and Wat stood, too, and Robina saw Wat make a gesture to Benjy, who leaped to his feet. When she moved to follow Rosalie, however, Dev stepped in front of her.
“Wait for me in that wee chamber across the landing,” he murmured with a wry smile that, combined with his tone, struck her as being implacable rather than friendly. “I must have a word with Wat, and then I want to talk to you.”
A chill slithered up her spine, but she straightened it and said with forced calm, “I hope it will not take long, sir. I must not abandon our guests.”
In reply, he stepped silently aside to let her pass.
Aware that Janet, right behind her, had heard him, and feeling fire in her cheeks, Robina swept past him and followed Rosalie toward the landing.
Smiling at Janet, Dev said, “I shall bid you goodnight, my lady. I expect I shan’t see you again until morning, but I hope you are enjoying your stay.”
“I am, thank you, sir. I only wish I might stay longer. Robina did say that she’d like that, too, but perhaps you will not permit it, or my lord brother may not.”
“I’ve no objection, so let us ask him,” Dev said, wondering if Robby had urged Janet to make the request. Whether she had or not, the lassie was welcome, so he turned to Wat and said, “Your sister and Robby have agreed that Janet should stay a few more days unless you object to that. Do you?”
Wat hesitated, gave Dev a long look, and shifted his gaze to Janet. “If you recall, Jannie, we did promise Mam and Gram that you’d return on the morrow. Moreover, I believe, you brought clothing for only one night.”
“I brought two kirtles, one gown, slippers, and boots, sir, as well as two clean shifts and my cloak. I would fare well here, I promise you.”
“Nevertheless, you won’t want to break your promise to Mam or Gram, or to disappoint Bella.” When her face fell, Wat waited a beat, as if, Dev thought, he expected more debate.
However, Janet remained silent, so Wat said, “I expect we’ll return in a sennight or so. Then, perhaps you may stay longer.”
Hugging Wat, she said with a smile, “That will be wonderful, sir. Tomorrow you’ll wish you’d let me stay, though. You could depart much earlier without me.”
He chuckled. “That is undeniably true. Enjoy yourself, lovey.”
Bidding them both goodnight, she hurried from the dais.
Watching her, Dev said sagely, “You can easily bring both Lady Lavinia and Lady Meg round your thumb, can you not?”
“I can, but ’tis true that we promised. Moreover, my friend, it occurred to me that you have enough on your trencher now without adding my sister to your burdens. We’ll return in a week, earlier if you need us… or me.”
Thanking him with unexpected relief, Dev told Wat to make himself comfortable in the inner chamber until his return and followed Janet from the hall.
At the landing, he watched her round the first curve above him before he opened the door into the room across the way and shut it behind him.
“Cousin Rosalie said I was not to be alone with you,” Robina said then.