by Amanda Scott
She had to press her lips together to keep from replying aloud, but her thoughts surely made her opinion of Rab’s teasing clear to him.
“Ye should wear your white veil,” Corinne said, shaking out the kirtle.
“You know I don’t cover my hair unless I must,” Robina said tartly. Realizing that her irritation was with Rab, not Corinne, she added, “I don’t mean to snap at you. I just wish I knew why Sir David has returned so soon. He left his men here because he thought we had too few. We haven’t hired more in the meantime.”
“Dev made a promise, lass.”
Robina had her shift on, but a rap on the door startled her as she stepped into the lavender kirtle. Hastily slipping her arms into its sleeves and yanking it up, she held its unlaced bodice together with her free hand, extended the other to Corinne to button the sleeve, and said crisply, “Who is it?”
“It’s me,” Benjy said, pushing the door open. “I woke up.”
“Then go back to your room, wash your face, and tidy yourself,” Robina said. “I think Dev has returned. If he has, he will take supper with us.”
His eyes lighting, Benjy dashed back across the landing to his chamber, leaving her door and his own ajar.
Robina hastily tied her bodice laces, while Corinne moved toward the door to close it, but stopped when a female voice said from the landing, “Dinna shut it, Corinne. Sir David be here, and Greenlaw says to tell her ladyship they be in the inner chamber.”
“Ye’re blushing, mistress,” Corinne said with a grin as she shut the door. “Are ye sure he doesna interest ye just a wee bit? He’s a fine, strong chappie hisself, I’m thinking.”
Grimacing, Robina said, “I’m hot from hurrying. Prithee, help me with my hair.”
Dev had no sooner dismounted in the yard than Greenlaw strode from the stables to meet him with Jock Cranston and Jem Keith following him.
“Ye’re back gey soon, lad,” Greenlaw said, shaking his hand. “Come inside wi’ me. I’ve a few things I’d like to say to ye, and some questions I want to ask.”
Realizing that the steward had learned about his previous Sunday night’s visit—and had likely gleaned most of the information Monday morning, soon after he discovered he’d acquired two new men—Dev wondered if Greenlaw meant to take a high hand with him.
Whether he did or not, he knew he’d have to tread lightly until he revealed that Douglas had appointed him Warden of Coklaw. He knew, too, that he deserved to hear whatever Greenlaw was likely burning to say to him, especially if the older man knew that he’d skelped Robina… in her bedchamber.
Robby would not have told him that, Dev assured himself, only to recall Benjy’s innocent disclosure that he’d heard Dev “a-skelping her.” He didn’t know the boy as well as he knew her.
He remained thoughtful as he followed Greenlaw—still muscular and solidly built despite his gray hair—into the inner chamber and shut the door behind them.
“Ye must ken fine that I’ve learned near all there is to ken about your visit last Sunday night, sir,” Greenlaw said, moving to the center of the room.
Feeling his way, Dev said, “I agree that my visit came at a late hour, but it was fortunate that I came this way.”
“Aye, it was, although I’m glad ye didna run into our lads whilst they was a-gathering them sheep and cows. I’m told they’d returned afore ye arrived, but…”
When he paused Dev said carefully, “I did learn about the raid, aye.”
“Your lads will no ha’ talked about it elsewhere, though, I’m thinking.”
Dev relaxed. “They will not. The reason I count the visit fortunate is that I learned Monday that the Douglas was thinking of putting his own man in charge here.”
“Why? The late laird and his da trusted me. Does the Douglas distrust me?”
“No, John. He understands that if Coklaw were to suffer another siege, you’d defend it as fiercely as you did before. His concern is that, with a nine-year-old laird known to be here, Coklaw might become a target for Percy mischief.”
“So who’s he putting in charge, then?” Greenlaw demanded gruffly. “I doubt folks hereabouts will take kindly to any Douglas at Coklaw.”
“How do you think they’ll feel about an Ormiston?” Dev asked gently.
“An Ormiston? But your father—” He broke off, then smiled. “Sakes, lad, are ye telling me the Douglas ha’ put ye in charge?”
“Will it vex you sorely if I say that, yes, he appointed me warden here?”
Greenlaw drew a breath and let it out. With a rueful smile, he said, “I canna tell ye how worrit I ha’ been, sir, that he’d send someone like hisself, or worse. Ye’ve relieved me mind of a crushing weight.”
“I’ll try to deserve your confidence, John, and I’ll welcome your wisdom and support. I hope I can also earn her ladyship’s support.”
“That’s as may be, sir. That ’un has a mind of her own and does as she wills.”
“I hope you’ll let me know when I go amiss here,” Dev said. “We may not always agree, but I’ll always listen to your advice.”
“Me wife did say that Lady Robina would like me to begin teaching young Benjy what his duties as laird will be. I expect ye’ll want a say there, too, aye?”
“Aye,” Dev said, smiling. “Come to that, if you have advice to offer me and can weave it into what you tell the lad, you may help me save face from time to time.”
Greenlaw nodded. “I think we’ll get on well, sir.”
“I mean to do all I can toward that end. Now, I had better see her ladyship.”
“I already sent for her, sir. She… um… needed a few minutes to…”
“… to wash off the mud?” Dev suggested. “I saw her outside the wall when we came over the hill. She should not have been out there all alone as she was.”
“Her ladyship often goes out alone,” Greenlaw said evenly. “She has since she were a bairn. She knows the country and our people gey well.”
“I do recall Rab saying the same thing,” Dev admitted. “When we were together, she often rode with us.”
“When Master Rab were home, sir, they were nearly always together.”
“I see that I must make no hasty decisions,” Dev said.
“I’m glad you’ve come to us, Sir David. You’ll doubtless want to leave the household to Mistress Greenlaw and her ladyship, and you can leave daily management of the estates to me. Ye’ll also want to see the accounts, I expect, and to meet our tenants.”
“I want to learn all you can teach me,” Dev said.
“Aye, good, then. We’ve a month yet till Whitsun quarter day, so ye’ve nae need to think about that yet. However, although Sandy is a fine warrior and has done his best to train our lads, Master Rab always did so afore we lost him.”
“I can set Jock Cranston to training them with Sandy to aid him, then,” Dev said. “Jock is gey skilled himself and a good instructor.” The door opened rather abruptly then to reveal Robina, so Dev added, “We’ll talk more anon, John, thank you.”
As Greenlaw moved toward the doorway, Dev remembered Lady Meg’s concern for Robina’s virtue. It occurred to him, too, that she would be less likely to fire up in Greenlaw’s presence. “Don’t leave, John,” he said. “Stay whilst I talk with her ladyship.”
If Greenlaw gave him an odd look, Robby’s expression was odder. Her plump lips parted, and her beautiful green eyes widened.
“Prithee, my lady, sit down,” Dev said. “I have something to tell you.”
Robina stared at Dev, wondering what right he thought he had to give orders to her steward. When she looked from one to the other, Greenlaw avoided her gaze.
“What is it, sir?” she asked bluntly. She had never called him Dev in front of anyone except Benjy or Rab, but neither did she want to address him formally as Sir David, or let him loom over her. He was up to something.
He met her gaze and said just as bluntly, “It is useless to try softening this. Archie Douglas has named me Warden of Co
klaw.”
“But he cannot do that! Benjy is Laird of Gledstanes and Coklaw. Does the Douglas think he can seize our home?”
“No, nor would other barons allow that,” Dev said more gently than she had expected. In her experience, the man usually matched tone for tone.
“Aye, but that gentle tone is the one that should make you tread carefully.”
She remembered Rab warning her about that before, so she said evenly, “I suppose I do not know what a warden does, exactly.”
“He takes charge of a castle or other fortress when its owner is absent or unable, for reasons of youth or incapacity, to do so,” Dev explained.
“Then Greenlaw is already our warden,” she said, looking from one to the other.
“Nay, m’lady,” Greenlaw said when Dev gave him a nod. “I were nobbut your da’s squire years ago, when I had charge during the siege. Afterward, he named me his steward. In ordinary times, I look after the household and such. Your da and Master Rab, and their men, like our Sandy, ran the stables and looked after what crops and stock we have. A warden acts over all, in place of the laird.”
“I see.” She looked at Dev. “Does that mean you’ll be living here? Permanently?”
“It means I’ll be living here as much as any laird with men to lead might,” he replied. “However, Lady Meg and the other ladies at the Hall feared for your reputation. So until you have a suitable companion, I’ll sleep in the stable loft.”
“Nay, then, ye canna do that, sir,” Greenlaw said, looking shocked. When Dev frowned, the older man added hastily, “I beg pardon, sir, but if I may explain?”
Dev gestured for him to continue.
“Sithee, sir, your proper place as warden is in the master’s chambers. It wouldna be right for ye to sleep elsewhere, certainly not under the stable thatch. As to her ladyship’s virtue, I’d wager that she can protect herself. But Mistress Greenlaw and I both sleep in this tower, and near everyone in the Borders kens us. Nae one will concern themselves wi’ her ladyship’s repute whilst we live here.”
“I understand that many folks know your reputation, just as you know that her ladyship has nowt to fear from me. But Lady Meg insisted that she have someone of rank to bear her company. In fact…” He hesitated, looking speculatively at Robina.
“In fact,” she said grimly, “you have already selected someone. Who? Aunt Clara? Or, now that you have sealed my fate, am I even allowed to inquire?”
“Beany, behave yourself!”
Dev frowned as if he’d like to demand the same thing, and she would have loved to smack them both. That being impractical, due to the death of one and the proven ability of the other to retaliate in kind, she met Dev’s frown and matched it with one of her own.
He smiled then. “Is that how I look? Forgive me, Robby. I’m new to this position, but I’ll learn quickly. You do know Lady Meg, aye?”
“Aye, sure,” she said. “But if you’re going to tell me that you persuaded her—”
“I would not be so brash,” he said. “The woman terrifies me, and in this instance, the boot is on the other leg. She decided that you should have her sister, the lady Rosalie Percy, to stay with you for a time. Mayhap you know that Rosalie is visiting at the Hall.”
“I know she did so a year ago November and again last summer,” Robina said. “She spends a quarter or so with each of her three siblings, so I expect she is spending springtime with Wat and Molly now. I like Cousin Rosalie, but I don’t need her.”
“Nevertheless, she is coming,” he said. “So, unless you want to tell Lady Meg and Rosalie yourself that you won’t have her, you will welcome her.”
She began to object but his gaze caught hers, and she saw the flint in his eyes.
“You don’t want to fight this one, lassie. Trust me, you will lose.”
Robina exhaled, gritted her teeth, and tried to think of something to say that would not sound like utter capitulation.
The inner chamber door banged back against the wall, and Benjy stepped into the doorway, grinning. “Dev, you are here!” he exclaimed. Running to him, he added joyfully, “I’m so glad you’ve come back!”
Dev caught the boy when he leaped at him, and swung him up to look him in the eyes. “I’m glad to see you, too, laddie, but I heard that you were sick.”
“It was just a wee cold and a bit of the catarrh,” Benjy declared, hugging him. “I’m mostly all better now.”
“Did they make you sniff onion with mint and mustard?” Dev asked him. “My mam used to do that. It smelled odious, and I don’t think it helped much.”
The boy’s eyes widened. “Robina gave me honey in a bit of claret, that’s all. It tasted sweet and made me sleepy.”
“Well-watered claret,” Robina said. When Dev smiled, she relaxed, giving thanks for Benjy’s entrance. Under ordinary circumstances, she would have told Dev exactly what she thought of his issuing such orders to her. But with Greenlaw watching, and Rab’s hasty warning, the thought of drawing the wrath of all three…
It occurred to her that having another woman in the tower, a much older woman, might be beneficial. At least, Cousin Rosalie would not fling orders at her.
Dev had noted the wary look Robby gave him before Benjy burst into the room. He was sure that, just before then, she’d been about to rip up at him for what she doubtless perceived as his determination to rule her or ruin her life. With two sisters, he’d had many such accusations hurled at him, at his older brothers, and more rarely, at their father.
So, Dev decided as he put Benjy down, the boy had timed his entrance well.
He would avoid a fight with Robina as long as he could, but he had no doubt that the first time a decision of his went against her wishes, a fight would be necessary.
Touching Benjy’s shoulder, he said, “Have you eaten your supper, or do you mean to bear us company at the high table?”
“I haven’t eaten yet.” Benjy looked at Robina. Then his jaw set. He said calmly, “I will join you at the table.”
Dev looked to Robina, too, but she smiled and said, “I do agree that he seems well enough to join us. However,” she added with a minatory look at the boy, “you will go straight to bed the minute I see you yawning, sir.”
With a lopsided, wary smile, Benjy said, “Aye, sure, Beany.”
“Suppose you go and see if they are ready to serve us,” Dev suggested. When Greenlaw looked about to speak, Dev stopped him with a slight gesture.
Benjy was already running to the doorway. When he disappeared through it, Dev said quietly, “I know you might have saved him the task, John, but I need a moment without him.” Turning to Robina, he said, “Does Benjy usually sup on the dais? I don’t recall his joining us there before, but I don’t want to disturb his usual customs.”
Smiling naturally at last, she said, “He has been supping with me and Corrine since Rab…” Her eyes clouded. Swallowing, she went on more briskly, “It might not be suitable when we have company, of course. You should know, though, that he does try to exert his lairdship inappropriately from time to time.”
“As he should,” Dev said. “My brother Kenneth has acted the lord over the rest of us since he first understood what it meant to be my father’s heir. Father snubbed him often when we were small, but it had little effect. Ken still does it, but Father evidently thinks it’s good for him to acquire and polish a lordly manner.”
She nodded. “Our father gave Rab a good measure of such freedom, too, but I was less tolerant.” Giving him a straight, rather teasing look, she said, “I soon learned how to get even with him when he tried acting the lord over me.”
As she was speaking, she gave an odd start, as if someone had pinched her.
Frowning, Dev said, “Is aught amiss, lass?”
She shook her head but would not look at him.
“Robina, what is it?” he asked more sternly.
“Serves you right, Beany. If you jump every time I speak, you’re soon going to have to explain yourself to him
.”
“Robina, look at me.”
Forcing herself to focus on the impatient, now irked Dev, she struggled to recall what he’d asked her. “Naught is amiss, sir, truly,” she said. “I thought I heard something, but I expect it was only Benjy, chattering to someone near the doorway.”
He gave her an even sterner look. But, after a long pause during which she kept silent, he said, “John, where exactly do you and Mistress Greenlaw sleep?”
“At the top of the main stairs, sir, under the ramparts. We both sleep lightly.”
Recalling the night Dev had chased her to her bedchamber, Robina nearly smiled at that assertion.
Apparently, Dev was remembering, too, because one corner of his lips twitched, and his stern gaze slid away from her as he said, “Then I will take the master’s chambers, since you think it would cause talk if I do not.”
“I do think it would be best to begin as you mean to go on, sir,” Greenlaw said. “We all know that Lady Robina stands in no danger from you.”
“I’m certain of that,” Robina said, glaring at Dev.
Holding her gaze again, he said gently, “As long as you behave yourself.”
A chill touched her spine then, but irritation stirred, too.
Dev had just congratulated himself on getting the last word, when Robby’s chin came up and her mossy-green eyes narrowed and took on a catlike yellowish tint. “I trust you won’t interfere with the running of this household,” she said icily.
“I won’t. But it would not astonish me if Lady Rosalie should make a number of suggestions or take command of it herself, come to that.”
To his surprise, she smiled. “How well do you know her ladyship?”
He shrugged. “I’ve just met her.”
She grinned then. “I thought so,” she said.
Chapter 7
Robina excused herself and Benjy from the high table soon after the boy had eaten. Her feelings about Dev’s taking charge at Coklaw remained mixed. The news had shocked her, and she was still trying to accustom herself to it.
