night. It was not only her own misgivings that made her
uneasy. Now she feared for Master Lennox, who apparently intended to secret
himself inside the house where he was despised, in order to assist her. Never in
her life had she been in such a strange situation, but there was no way out of
it now.
Jean shifted in her seat and looked at her husband aghast. “I
am most surprised that the council received him.”
Tamhas continued to observe them both closely as he spoke. “The
council would not have received him if I had been in charge of proceedings.”
He pressed his lips together and looked at Chloris.
It was necessary to say something. She struggled with it. The
nature of the conversation was so unsettling, given that the man they spoke of
had said he would come to her that very night. “I’m afraid I did not recognize
the man’s name. Is he a newcomer to Saint Andrews?”
Tamhas nodded. “He first appeared in Saint Andrews after you
married and went to Edinburgh. He is a bad sort, and it ails me to know he is
abiding so close by my land.”
Tamhas returned his attention to his wife, who was still
looking indignant on his behalf. “Tell me, did he speak to you directly?”
“No,” she said, eyes rounding. “We crossed the street as soon
as I saw him.”
Mercifully Tamhas did not ask Chloris the same question.
Nevertheless it brought about an immense sense of unease about her secret
negotiations. She could not begin to imagine how she would respond if Tamhas
asked her.
“If he even looks at you,” Tamhas told his wife, “look away.
There is witchcraft in those eyes of his and no woman is safe when he is
around.”
Tamhas looked Chloris’s way again, obviously expecting a
reaction to his comment.
Chloris put down her cutlery. “Witchcraft?”
“The things that go on, cousin dear...” Tamhas narrowed his
eyes.
Was he thinking about Eithne? Chloris wondered.
His mood was dark. Tamhas was a distinguished-looking man and
could be quite charming at times, but he also had a temper on him and Chloris
had experienced it early on in life. As a result she was always a little tense
in his presence—always ready to stand up to him, if necessary.
Jean shook her head disapprovingly then gestured at the serving
girl who was standing by waiting to take the plates, indicating that she was
finished. The girl moved around the table, causing a minor distraction for which
Chloris was grateful.
After the serving girl had gone, Jean leaned closer to her
husband. “You fear for his influence over women? Do you think it is true, what
they say about them...when they gather together as a coven?”
There was a distinct look of curiosity in her eyes. Chloris
wondered if Jean was as eager to know what exactly went on when these people
came together as she was.
“Their activities obey no rules,” Tamhas replied, “no decent
bounds.”
Jean dabbed her neck with her handkerchief, her cheeks
flushing.
“No respect for the rules of the king or Church,” Tamhas
continued, his thoughts clearly deeply occupied. “They are heathens, no better
than animals.”
Chloris’s thoughts reeled. Could she stop Master Lennox
coming?
I have to go through with it, everything
depends upon it .
Her belief in his powers had grown solid and she had to
concentrate on his ability, not his dubious reputation. If she thought about the
potential result she could be brave. Yet there was no guarantee the ritual he
described would engender any change in her, and she risked great disapproval
from her cousin—who had allowed her to visit these past weeks, when her husband
was on the brink of casting her into the streets with nothing but the clothes
she stood up in.
“You would be wise to quell your curiosity about them,” Tamhas
told his wife. “Let the men deal with these vermin. The fair sex should mind
their doors and be wary.”
Everything he said only made Chloris more uncomfortable about
the arrangement she had made for that
uneasy. Now she feared for Master Lennox, who apparently intended to secret
himself inside the house where he was despised, in order to assist her. Never in
her life had she been in such a strange situation, but there was no way out of
it now.
Jean shifted in her seat and looked at her husband aghast. “I
am most surprised that the council received him.”
Tamhas continued to observe them both closely as he spoke. “The
council would not have received him if I had been in charge of proceedings.”
He pressed his lips together and looked at Chloris.
It was necessary to say something. She struggled with it. The
nature of the conversation was so unsettling, given that the man they spoke of
had said he would come to her that very night. “I’m afraid I did not recognize
the man’s name. Is he a newcomer to Saint Andrews?”
Tamhas nodded. “He first appeared in Saint Andrews after you
married and went to Edinburgh. He is a bad sort, and it ails me to know he is
abiding so close by my land.”
Tamhas returned his attention to his wife, who was still
looking indignant on his behalf. “Tell me, did he speak to you directly?”
“No,” she said, eyes rounding. “We crossed the street as soon
as I saw him.”
Mercifully Tamhas did not ask Chloris the same question.
Nevertheless it brought about an immense sense of unease about her secret
negotiations. She could not begin to imagine how she would respond if Tamhas
asked her.
“If he even looks at you,” Tamhas told his wife, “look away.
There is witchcraft in those eyes of his and no woman is safe when he is
around.”
Tamhas looked Chloris’s way again, obviously expecting a
reaction to his comment.
Chloris put down her cutlery. “Witchcraft?”
“The things that go on, cousin dear...” Tamhas narrowed his
eyes.
Was he thinking about Eithne? Chloris wondered.
His mood was dark. Tamhas was a distinguished-looking man and
could be quite charming at times, but he also had a temper on him and Chloris
had experienced it early on in life. As a result she was always a little tense
in his presence—always ready to stand up to him, if necessary.
Jean shook her head disapprovingly then gestured at the serving
girl who was standing by waiting to take the plates, indicating that she was
finished. The girl moved around the table, causing a minor distraction for which
Chloris was grateful.
After the serving girl had gone, Jean leaned closer to her
husband. “You fear for his influence over women? Do you think it is true, what
they say about them...when they gather together as a coven?”
There was a distinct look of curiosity in her eyes. Chloris
wondered if Jean was as eager to know what exactly went on when these people
came together as she was.
“Their activities obey no rules,” Tamhas replied, “no decent
bounds.”
Jean dabbed her neck with her handkerchief, her cheeks
flushing.
“No respect for the rules of the king or Church,” Tamhas
continued, his thoughts clearly deeply occupied. “They are heathens, no better
than animals.”
Chloris’s thoughts reeled. Could she stop Master Lennox
coming?
I have to go through with it, everything
depends upon it .
Her belief in his powers had grown solid and she had to
concentrate on his ability, not his dubious reputation. If she thought about the
potential result she could be brave. Yet there was no guarantee the ritual he
described would engender any change in her, and she risked great disapproval
from her cousin—who had allowed her to visit these past weeks, when her husband
was on the brink of casting her into the streets with nothing but the clothes
she stood up in.
“You would be wise to quell your curiosity about them,” Tamhas
told his wife. “Let the men deal with these vermin. The fair sex should mind
their doors and be wary.”
Everything he said only made Chloris more uncomfortable about
the arrangement she had made for that
Similar Books
