Chapter Nine #4
“I’m nae the one to be understanding, and ye, my sweet wife, will nae shelter anyone who’s behaved shamefully while I’m away protecting this castle.”
He captured her hand. This grip was very different from the one he’d used to pull her out of the stable.
Her hand was a caged prisoner in his larger one.
He tugged her along with him, her feet hurrying to keep pace with his longer strides.
At the entrance to the eating hall, his cousin Druce stood watching them approach, a frown on his lips.
“My lord, there are many other matters that are more important.”
Brodick froze, his shoulders stiffening. His head turned to catch his cousin in his sights.
“Hold onto my wife, Cousin. I’ve a few issues to sort out with my staff.”
“Brodick…”
He pressed her into his cousin’s embrace, a hard look on his face. It was the sort of anger that she’d known he would have in him if he was ever crossed. That thing that she feared would be cast unto her when he discovered her true identity.
“Yer too kind, Wife, for yer own good. I’ll nae tolerate such from any member of this house. Nor will I have ye use my name to wheedle me into bending when I have good reason to quarrel.”
“Tolerance is a virtue that brings many rewards.”
Brodick shot a stern look at Druce. “Hold her here. I’ll deal with her when I’ve finished with my staff.”
Brodick didn’t wait for a response as he turned in a tightly contained motion of lean strength. Fury radiated from him as he shouted for Ginny.
Anne stepped after him only to have Druce grip her upper arms. She turned an incredulous look on him, having to look up to see the man.
“Release me, sir.”
“Now dinnae go getting all flustered. Ye heard the man.” The large Scot gave her a stern look but she found that it didn’t impact her in the same manner Brodick’s displeasure did. All Druce stirred in her was temper.
“I said, release me.”
Druce pressed his lips into a tight line. “Nae. Yer to stay right here and dinnae make me sit on ye. I dinnae need to fight with my cousin because he thinks I’ve handled ye roughly.”
Anne growled for the first time in her life. Every bit of self discipline deserted her as she heard a crash from inside the eating hall. She rounded on Druce in a ball of fury.
“I am not going to stand here arguing with you while Brodick sets down what is best for me. I’ll be the judge of what I need.”
It was a bold statement. Druce frowned, clearly thinking her daft.
“The man is yer husband.”
“Very newly so. He does not know my strengths and he never will if I allow him to whip every maid for not lavishing me with comforts. I assure you, I can endure as well as every one of them.”
Anne gave a hard shrug, but Druce stubbornly retained his hold on her arms.
“I am warning you, sir. Release me now.”
“Nae.”
Her eyes narrowed dangerously.
Brodick held onto his control but it was not easy.
Ginny offered him a stubborn, defiant look that wasn’t sorry a bit.
The maids lined up beside her, clearly supporting her behavior.
He’d known to expect it but was still stunned by the open animosity shining on their faces.
If his bride were a mean-spirited woman, he might understand.
He aimed his first comment to the cook, who was also staring straight at him without reservations.
“I’d never suspect ye to be so hard-hearted. Ye’ve daughters of yer own who’ll be marrying soon.”
Bythe flinched, not because he shouted, but because his voice was so soft. Most of the maids shifted, faltering in their determination to remain unmoved. A few even cast their eyes at the floor.
“The lot of ye should consider what it must be like to marry so far from home with nae a single familiar face in sight. She didnae even bring a maid but I’m thinking that was a miscalculation on my part.
I thought that surely Sterling staff were worthy of taking care of its mistress without an English maid being set above ye all. ”
More than one face turned pale. Brodick had no pity for them. “Ye’ll be telling me the reason behind such disrespect. Was my wife…difficult?”
Some of the younger girls looked toward Bythe and Ginny for leadership. The two senior women held their tongues.
“I’ll discover the truth of this matter and I will know it today.” Scanning the line of uniformed girls who all drew pay from his coffers, he pointed at one.
“Mogen, tell me what prompted there to be no service. If ’twas by my wife’s dictate, say so.”
“That will solve nothing, my lord.”
His wife strode into the kitchen, stiff pride shining in her eyes.
“I told you to keep her in hand.” Brodick glared at his cousin, wondering just when his life had turned inside out.
Druce scowled at the sweet smile Brodrick’s wife cast toward him. He lifted his finger and pointed at her.
“She bit me.”
“Christ in heaven! Is there no one left in this castle who recalls I’m the lord here?”
“Berating your staff will not change how they truly feel, my lord.”
Brodick stared at her, a crease appearing in the middle of his forehead. “And what do ye mean by that?” He kept his voice tightly controlled but she heard his frustration straining against his control.
“I might have dressed them down myself, if that was the answer.”
His expression became guarded. “So why didn’t ye?”
Opening her hands, Anne shook her head. “It is not my way to order others to like me, my lord. I prefer to be judged by and on my own merits. Be it to the good or ill. I do assure you that I am strong enough to survive without a fire or candles. The spring sun is warm and bright and I am not so dim-witted as to not fetch my own surcoat when night falls.”
He stared at her again, admiration crossing his eyes. Seeing it on his face humbled her, but it also stiffened her resolve.
“It is not necessary to worry about me so greatly. As Agnes told you, I am healthy.”
Brodick swung around to fix Bythe with his attention once more.
“Explain yer dislike, woman.”
The cook stiffened, her eyes narrowing. “Ye said she tried to poison ye. Right at the table. Plenty heard it. Wife or no wife, ye be my lord and my loyalty is to ye.”