thudding into the wall was too loud. On and on the bed creaked. Aleck bellowed a gut-wrenching roar. Every muscle in Helen’s body tensed. She sat upright for a moment, ready to flee. But just when Helen thought it would never end, all went quiet.
She moved her trembling hands over her face and coughed out a sob. God in heaven, I can take this no longer .
Chapter Five
By the next morning, Helen had made up her mind. She would confront Aleck and let her feelings be known. After dressing and breaking her fast, she gathered her wits and proceeded to the second floor solar. Along the way, she reminded herself of the important points—things that had kept her awake all night. Her first concern, of course, was Maggie. Helen would protect her daughter no matter what, but she would also speak her peace. She’d done nothing but serve and bow to her husband for the past five years. He owed her a modicum of respect.
It was time she made some demands of her own. But still, as she proceeded down the winding tower stairs, unease gripped her insides.
The bottom further dropped from her stomach when she arrived at her husband’s solar door. Summoning her fortitude, she knocked softly. When there was no answer, Helen stood a bit taller and gave two firm raps.
“Come.” The foreboding timber of Aleck’s voice was enough to make most lassies tremble.
Though Helen wanted to crack open the door and peer in like a mouse, she stepped inside and closed it with a deep, empowering inhale. “We must talk.”
Aleck looked up from the ledger. His black eyes narrowed with his disapproving frown. “Well? Out with it. I’ve things to attend,” he said, drumming his fingers to further make his impatience clear.
She clasped her palms together and stepped forward. There was no use trying to soothe him with flowery language. That had never worked in the past. “I request that you send Maggie and me to Iona.”
Aleck glared, the color of his face flushed like he’d held a fire to it. “Pardon?”
She’d seen that heated stare before and this time she would not allow him to intimidate her. “As you are aware, my brother, John, is Bishop of the Isles and resides at the abbey. He could help us secure a place in the nunnery. I would retire into the service of our Lord and raise our daughter with sound Christian values.”
“A nunnery? Have you lost your mind?” Aleck leaned forward in his seat, his scowl taking on a deadly glint. “No, wife. You’ll not be going anywhere, especially with my daughter.”
Beneath her heavy skirts, Helen clenched her bottom muscles and stared him in the eye. “Why ever not? You openly disdain me and you haven’t seen Maggie since the day she was born.”
“How dare you question me? What are you thinking with that feeble, female mind of yours? A nunnery?” Aleck braced his palms on the table and stood, leveraging his size for further intimidation. “You and the bairn are mine . My property . I’ll never allow either of you to leave Mingary.”
Her mind raced. She’d expected his refusal—had rehearsed her argument. “We could keep it quiet.” She spread her hands to her sides and took a bold step forward. “I simply ask to reside in a nunnery where I will no longer cause you consternation—or give you excuses to taunt me.”
He growled, but Helen continued before he had a chance to spew another rebuttal. “I’d hoped you might see reason after bashing the bed against the wall with Mary half the night. I-I understood when you took a leman upon my confinement. But if you persist—”
“So now you’re threatening me ?” He scoffed and sauntered toward her. “My God, you are a foolhardy woman.”
This time, his insult made the hackles at the back of her neck stand on end. “Why is it that every time I confront you, you manage to completely avoid the issue and try to make me out the bumbling idiot?”
“Because—”
“No.” Clenching her fists, Helen took another step
She moved her trembling hands over her face and coughed out a sob. God in heaven, I can take this no longer .
Chapter Five
By the next morning, Helen had made up her mind. She would confront Aleck and let her feelings be known. After dressing and breaking her fast, she gathered her wits and proceeded to the second floor solar. Along the way, she reminded herself of the important points—things that had kept her awake all night. Her first concern, of course, was Maggie. Helen would protect her daughter no matter what, but she would also speak her peace. She’d done nothing but serve and bow to her husband for the past five years. He owed her a modicum of respect.
It was time she made some demands of her own. But still, as she proceeded down the winding tower stairs, unease gripped her insides.
The bottom further dropped from her stomach when she arrived at her husband’s solar door. Summoning her fortitude, she knocked softly. When there was no answer, Helen stood a bit taller and gave two firm raps.
“Come.” The foreboding timber of Aleck’s voice was enough to make most lassies tremble.
Though Helen wanted to crack open the door and peer in like a mouse, she stepped inside and closed it with a deep, empowering inhale. “We must talk.”
Aleck looked up from the ledger. His black eyes narrowed with his disapproving frown. “Well? Out with it. I’ve things to attend,” he said, drumming his fingers to further make his impatience clear.
She clasped her palms together and stepped forward. There was no use trying to soothe him with flowery language. That had never worked in the past. “I request that you send Maggie and me to Iona.”
Aleck glared, the color of his face flushed like he’d held a fire to it. “Pardon?”
She’d seen that heated stare before and this time she would not allow him to intimidate her. “As you are aware, my brother, John, is Bishop of the Isles and resides at the abbey. He could help us secure a place in the nunnery. I would retire into the service of our Lord and raise our daughter with sound Christian values.”
“A nunnery? Have you lost your mind?” Aleck leaned forward in his seat, his scowl taking on a deadly glint. “No, wife. You’ll not be going anywhere, especially with my daughter.”
Beneath her heavy skirts, Helen clenched her bottom muscles and stared him in the eye. “Why ever not? You openly disdain me and you haven’t seen Maggie since the day she was born.”
“How dare you question me? What are you thinking with that feeble, female mind of yours? A nunnery?” Aleck braced his palms on the table and stood, leveraging his size for further intimidation. “You and the bairn are mine . My property . I’ll never allow either of you to leave Mingary.”
Her mind raced. She’d expected his refusal—had rehearsed her argument. “We could keep it quiet.” She spread her hands to her sides and took a bold step forward. “I simply ask to reside in a nunnery where I will no longer cause you consternation—or give you excuses to taunt me.”
He growled, but Helen continued before he had a chance to spew another rebuttal. “I’d hoped you might see reason after bashing the bed against the wall with Mary half the night. I-I understood when you took a leman upon my confinement. But if you persist—”
“So now you’re threatening me ?” He scoffed and sauntered toward her. “My God, you are a foolhardy woman.”
This time, his insult made the hackles at the back of her neck stand on end. “Why is it that every time I confront you, you manage to completely avoid the issue and try to make me out the bumbling idiot?”
“Because—”
“No.” Clenching her fists, Helen took another step
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