You've
been in it so long, you've probably forgotten that. But you've no cause to
spread the stench of it wherever you go."
Seconds
ticked by. His eyes narrowed, a muscle flexed involuntarily in his cheek.
"You're right, lass," he said softly. "I beg pardon."
The
ensuing silence was awkward. Jonet felt a strange emotion spreading through
her—oddly enough, it felt like pity.
A
knock sounded, and Madge bustled in bearing a tray of food and wine. Alexander
rose to his feet, but Jonet rolled over, turning her face to the wall. She felt
bruised somehow and battered from the engagement. She wished the man and the
old woman would just go away.
But
the woman was determinedly cheerful. "Sit up now, child. You'll be feelin'
better once you've eaten." She placed the tray on the bed and began
plumping the pillows behind Jonet. "It's food you'll need to hold your own
with this devil."
Jonet
shot a glance at Alexander, but he hadn't taken offense. Instead he was
smiling, one of the few genuine smiles Jonet had seen. It eased the tension
from his face and made him seem young and decidedly less dangerous.
"She's
holding her own quite well, Madge. And don't be giving her any ideas." He
put his hand on the woman's shoulder affectionately. "My thanks for all
the trouble you've been put to."
"Ah,
'twas a pleasure. She's a lovely slip of a lass, don't you think?"
Alexander's
eyes met Jonet's over the woman's shoulder. "Aye, Madge, I think. Get
yourself off now to supper and bed. I'll send Grant if I've need of anything
further."
Jonet
leaned forward and forced a smile. "My thanks, Madge —even if it wasn't a
horse."
The
woman chuckled and patted Jonet's hand. With another cheery smile for her lord,
she ambled from the room.
Alexander
stared after her. "Madge was my nurse," he explained. "And it's
next to impossible for me to get around her now. Whenever I get on my dignity,
she reminds me how often she swaddled my backside when I was a babe." He
turned. "And what was that about a horse?"
"A
joke," Jonet said nervously. Bending over, she began examining her supper.
There was enough food here for an army, and she was amazed to discover that her
mouth was watering and she was almost painfully hungry.
Alexander
poured two goblets of wine. Jonet stared at him suspiciously when he held one
out to her. Extending the other as well, he grinned. "I give you my word,
it's safe. But you choose. I'll take the other."
Jonet
took the wine. She sniffed it, then took an experimental sip. It tasted like
ordinary wine to her. A good quality too.
Alexander
sat down on the bed and began helping himself to the food. She gazed at him in
surprise. "Are you eating here?"
He
paused. "Well, lass, what's your guess?"
She
looked down to hide her embarrassment. Obviously, he was eating.
"No
one knows you're here," he explained. " 'Twould look a bit strange if
I had supper sent up to my chambers and then took a seat in the hall."
"Of
course." Jonet kept her eyes lowered. No one knew. Then he hadn't told
Murdoch Douglas... yet.
He
shoved a plate toward her. "Here, eat. Madge's orders. You want to hold
your own with the devil, don't you?"
The
words were said teasingly. The bitterness was gone from his voice. Jonet
noticed he was smiling at her and the look flooded her senses with an odd
melting sensation. "Were I fat as a sausage, I doubt I'd do that."
"I'm
not so sure of that, Jonet Maxwell." His eyes narrowed. Something dark
flickered and then was gone. "I shall have to think on it a bit."
She
hadn't the foggiest notion what he meant but she didn't dare ask. His angry
mood had obviously lifted, and she hadn't the ghost of an idea why, but she
turned her attention to the meal, sending up a quick prayer of thanks for
Madge's timely intervention.
The
food was delicious, better even than that at her uncle's table. She ate until
she couldn't swallow another bite and there was still some left over.
Darkness
had gradually overtaken the light in the room.
been in it so long, you've probably forgotten that. But you've no cause to
spread the stench of it wherever you go."
Seconds
ticked by. His eyes narrowed, a muscle flexed involuntarily in his cheek.
"You're right, lass," he said softly. "I beg pardon."
The
ensuing silence was awkward. Jonet felt a strange emotion spreading through
her—oddly enough, it felt like pity.
A
knock sounded, and Madge bustled in bearing a tray of food and wine. Alexander
rose to his feet, but Jonet rolled over, turning her face to the wall. She felt
bruised somehow and battered from the engagement. She wished the man and the
old woman would just go away.
But
the woman was determinedly cheerful. "Sit up now, child. You'll be feelin'
better once you've eaten." She placed the tray on the bed and began
plumping the pillows behind Jonet. "It's food you'll need to hold your own
with this devil."
Jonet
shot a glance at Alexander, but he hadn't taken offense. Instead he was
smiling, one of the few genuine smiles Jonet had seen. It eased the tension
from his face and made him seem young and decidedly less dangerous.
"She's
holding her own quite well, Madge. And don't be giving her any ideas." He
put his hand on the woman's shoulder affectionately. "My thanks for all
the trouble you've been put to."
"Ah,
'twas a pleasure. She's a lovely slip of a lass, don't you think?"
Alexander's
eyes met Jonet's over the woman's shoulder. "Aye, Madge, I think. Get
yourself off now to supper and bed. I'll send Grant if I've need of anything
further."
Jonet
leaned forward and forced a smile. "My thanks, Madge —even if it wasn't a
horse."
The
woman chuckled and patted Jonet's hand. With another cheery smile for her lord,
she ambled from the room.
Alexander
stared after her. "Madge was my nurse," he explained. "And it's
next to impossible for me to get around her now. Whenever I get on my dignity,
she reminds me how often she swaddled my backside when I was a babe." He
turned. "And what was that about a horse?"
"A
joke," Jonet said nervously. Bending over, she began examining her supper.
There was enough food here for an army, and she was amazed to discover that her
mouth was watering and she was almost painfully hungry.
Alexander
poured two goblets of wine. Jonet stared at him suspiciously when he held one
out to her. Extending the other as well, he grinned. "I give you my word,
it's safe. But you choose. I'll take the other."
Jonet
took the wine. She sniffed it, then took an experimental sip. It tasted like
ordinary wine to her. A good quality too.
Alexander
sat down on the bed and began helping himself to the food. She gazed at him in
surprise. "Are you eating here?"
He
paused. "Well, lass, what's your guess?"
She
looked down to hide her embarrassment. Obviously, he was eating.
"No
one knows you're here," he explained. " 'Twould look a bit strange if
I had supper sent up to my chambers and then took a seat in the hall."
"Of
course." Jonet kept her eyes lowered. No one knew. Then he hadn't told
Murdoch Douglas... yet.
He
shoved a plate toward her. "Here, eat. Madge's orders. You want to hold
your own with the devil, don't you?"
The
words were said teasingly. The bitterness was gone from his voice. Jonet
noticed he was smiling at her and the look flooded her senses with an odd
melting sensation. "Were I fat as a sausage, I doubt I'd do that."
"I'm
not so sure of that, Jonet Maxwell." His eyes narrowed. Something dark
flickered and then was gone. "I shall have to think on it a bit."
She
hadn't the foggiest notion what he meant but she didn't dare ask. His angry
mood had obviously lifted, and she hadn't the ghost of an idea why, but she
turned her attention to the meal, sending up a quick prayer of thanks for
Madge's timely intervention.
The
food was delicious, better even than that at her uncle's table. She ate until
she couldn't swallow another bite and there was still some left over.
Darkness
had gradually overtaken the light in the room.
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