Chapter Five Pulling At Threads #2
She picked up the hair brush and finished what Molly had started, before stepping out of the chambers, following the smell of meat to find where breakfast was.
In the Great Hall, Evander was sat, listening to all the complaints Leopold had about the day before.
Well, listening was a generous word. He was allowing his new brother by marriage—God help him—to speak, at length, about all the things that would have been different at an English ceremony, and how rude people were, and how they should all be punished.
Evander was nodding, but his mind was not in the moment.
His mind was back in his chambers, with Alice.
He had stayed awake most of the night. She had slept, despite her obvious displeasure.
He remembered how hard it had been to stay still next to her, and not disturb her, when his body and the ale had been screaming at him to pull her close.
In the end, he had left the room before sunrise.
He had told himself it was to check on the horses, especially the mare that was with foal.
It did not matter that every step had made his feet feel like lead, that he immediately missed the smell of roses and rain, that he shivered from the cold as soon as he left the warm bed. This woman was infuriating.
“And that ridiculous dress,” Leopold scoffed. “Who thought putting red, green, blue, yellow, and black together would make a woman look good?”
Evander’s eyes snapped to Leopold, suddenly in the present again.
“I beg yer pardon?” Evander asked, his voice a growl.
“I am just saying, your maids have no taste,” Leopold scoffed, missing the danger of the situation he was in. “Really. Alice looked awful. No wonder she was terrified to come out of her chambers.”
Evander’s hand clenched into a fist on the table. Alice had not looked awful. She had been beautiful. He had to force himself to stop thinking of her before those thoughts went any further.
“Dinnae speak of my house colors so,” Evander hissed.
“Your what?” Leopold asked, frowning.
“Are ye so blind that ye have not noticed?” Evander asked, eyes blazing. “Those colors you insulted are th’ colors of my house.”
Leopold’s face paled slightly.
“I meant no disrespect—” he stuttered.
“Ye niver do,” Evander huffed.
“And what is that meant to mean?” Leopold asked, sitting up.
“Och, dear, the Sassenach is getting angry again,” Evander said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “What ever will I do? Perhaps drag him back tae the loch and unhorse him again?”
“That was not a fair fight and you know it!” Leopold burst, standing up so fast his chair fell backward.
“Nae a fair fight?” Evander laughed. “Oh, so that is yer latest excuse.”
“It is not an excuse!” Leopold shouted, his face going red.
Evander rolled his eyes. A little noise caught his attention.
He glanced at the doorway. Alice was watching.
She had been watching for a few moments, but Evander could see the way she was nervously shifting, the way her eyes did not quite manage to look at him or Leopold.
“Ye can come in,” Evander said, his voice softening. Leopold followed his gaze and he frowned at her.
“You should not be eavesdropping on us,” Leopold scoffed.
“It is not eavesdropping if I could hear your voice from the top of the stairway,” Alice said. Evander watched her do her damndest not to shrink back as she spoke so bravely at her brother. Something like pride flickered in his chest.
“You—” Leopold started but Evander raised a hand.
“She is quite right,” he said.
“But—”
“But nothing,” Evander said. “If ye dinnae wish people tae hear ye, then ye shouldnae shout with such force.”
Leopold’s eye was twitching.
“I cannot wait to leave this damned place,” Leopold hissed.
“Ye willnae be missed,” Evander said before beckoning Alice inside. She walked in and stood awkwardly behind him. “You can sit.”
Alice nodded and went to sit next to Evander. A maid quickly ran over with a bowl of oats. Alice tilted her head and stirred the spoon around the bowl, taking in its consistency before hesitantly taking a bite. Warm, soft, savory. She closed her eyes.
“The oats cannot hurt you,” Leopold scoffed, forcing her out of the moment and startling her.
“I-I know that—” she stuttered.
“Ignore him,” Evander said softly to her, before turning to Leopold. “If ye dinnae shut yer trap, I’ll see to it that yer gelding throws ye off into the loch when we ride later.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Leopold hissed.
“Wouldnae I?” Evander asked.
“You’re going for a ride later?” Alice asked, eyes wide.
“We are,” Evander nodded.
“Can… Can I come?” she asked. Evander opened his mouth to speak but Leopold spoke before him.
“No,” Leopold scoffed. “We shall be talking about business and important matters that you would not understand.”
“Since when do ye dictate my wife’s actions?” Evander asked darkly.
“Wh-I—” Leopold stuttered. “That is not—”
“O’ course ye can come with us, a Lady should see her lands,” Evander said, turning to her, ignoring Leopold.
“Thank you,” Alice said softly. She watched Leopold sputter with anger before he sat down, cursing under his breath. She could not help but smile at his frustration.
Evander found he could not help smiling as he watched her.