Page 29 of The Secret (Highlands' Lairds 1)

  She nudged lain again. “You may stop now.”

  lain did just that. It took a full minute for his clan to realize he was finished. Then they cheered his announcement. Soldiers who’d been standing by the side of the keep came forward to offer their laird congratulations.

  “That’s the longest speech I’ve ever heard you make,” one remarked.

  “It’s the only speech you’ve ever heard him make,” Patrick interjected.

  Judith wasn’t paying any attention to the men. She wanted to grab the boy before his mother took him away.

  “Please excuse me,” she requested.

  She was gone before lain could agree. She waved to Frances Catherine when she passed her, and hurried on through the crowd. Several young women stopped her to offer their felicitations. They seemed sincere. She responded with an invitation to come up to the keep for a visitation.

  Helen had taken hold of her son’s hand. The closer Judith got to her, the more terrified she looked.

  The son had obviously confessed his sin to his mother. Judith continued on until she reached the midwife. “Good afternoon, Helen,” she began.

  “We were on our way to speak to the laird,” she blurted out. “Then the announcement came for us to gather in the courtyard and I—”

  Her voice broke on a sob. Several women were watching, and Judith didn’t want them to know what was going on. “Helen,” she began in a whisper. “I have an important matter to discuss with your son. May I borrow him for a few minutes.”

  Helen’s eyes clouded with tears. “Andrew and I were about to tell the laird—”

  Judith interrupted her by shaking her head. “This matter is between your son and me,” she insisted. “Your laird need never become involved. My husband’s a very busy man, Helen. If the matter you wished to discuss concerns the throwing of some stones, then I think we should keep it amongst the three of us.”

  Helen finally understood. Her relief was so great, she looked ready to collapse. She vigorously nodded. “Shall I wait here?”

  “Why don’t you go back home? I’ll send Andrew along as soon as we’ve finished our talk.”

  Helen blinked away her tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  lain hadn’t taken his attention away from his wife. He wondered what she was talking to Helen about. Helen looked distressed, but Judith’s face was turned away from him and he didn’t know if she was upset or not.

  Brodick and Patrick were trying to get his attention. He was about to turn to the warriors when Judith caught his attention again. He watched her reach behind Helen and take hold of her son. The little boy wasn’t cooperating. Judith wasn’t deterred. She pulled him forward, then turned and walked toward the slope, dragging the wailing child behind her.

  “Where’s Judith going?” Patrick asked.

  lain didn’t answer fast enough to suit Brodick. “Should I follow her? Judith shouldn’t be left alone until the culprit’s found. It isn’t safe.”

  It wasn’t until his friend had asked that question that lain understood what was happening.

  “My brother can take care of his wife, Brodick. You needn’t get so riled on her behalf,” Patrick told him.

  lain finally turned to his brother and his friend. “There isn’t any need to go after Judith. I know who threw the stones. Judith’s safe.”

  “Who the hell did it?” Brodick demanded.

  “Helen’s boy.”

  Both warriors were stunned. “But she’s with him now,” Patrick said.

  lain nodded. “She must have seen him. Did you see the way she dragged him away? Oh, she knows all right. She’s probably giving him hell right now.”

  lain was right. Judith did give the boy hell. The lecture didn’t last long. Andrew was so remorseful, and so terribly afraid of her, she ended up comforting him. He had just turned seven years. He was big, strong too, for his tender years, but he was still only just a little boy.

  He was weeping all over Judith’s plaid now, begging her forgiveness. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Nay, his intent was to frighten her into wanting to go back to England.

  Judith was ready to beg his forgiveness for not leaving the Highlands when the little one sobbed out his reason.

  “You made my mama cry.”

  Judith didn’t know why she’d made Helen cry, and Andrew wasn’t making enough sense to give her a proper explanation. She decided she would have to talk to Helen in order to get the problem straightened out.

  She sat on a low boulder with the sobbing little boy on her lap. She was pleased he was properly contrite. Since he had already confessed his transgression to his mother, she told him she didn’t believe he needed to bother his laird with this matter.

  “What does your father think about your behavior?” Judith asked.

  “Papa died last summer,” Andrew told her. “I take care of mama now.”

  Judith’s heart went out to the little boy. “Andrew, you’ve given me your word you won’t get into any further mischief and I believe you mean it. This matter is settled now.”

  “But I have to tell the laird I’m sorry.”

  She thought that was very noble of the child. Courageous, too. “Are you worried about talking to your laird?”

  Andrew nodded.

  “Would you like me to tell him for you?” she asked.

  He hid his face in Judith’s shoulder. “Would you tell him now?” he whispered.

  “All right,” she agreed. “We’ll go back and—”

  “He’s here,” Andrew whispered in a voice shivering with fear.

  Judith turned and spotted her husband standing directly behind her. He was leaning against a tree with his arms folded across his chest.

  No wonder Andrew was trying to hide under her plaid. She could feel him shaking. She decided not to prolong the dreaded ordeal for him. She had to pull him away from her and force him to stand up. Then she took hold of his hand and led him over to lain.

  Andrew’s head was bowed low. lain must have looked like a giant to the boy. Judith smiled up at her husband, then squeezed Andrew’s hand.

  “Your laird is waiting to hear what you have to tell him,” she instructed.

  Andrew peeked up. He looked terrified. The freckles covering his face were more white than brown, and his brown eyes were filled with unshed tears.

  “I threw the rocks,” Andrew blurted out. “I didn’t mean to hurt your lady, just make her scared so she’d go back home. Then mama wouldn’t cry.” After making his speech, he lowered his head again until his chin was tucked in his chest. “I’m sorry,” he added in a mumble.

  lain didn’t say anything for a long while. Judith couldn’t stand to see the child suffer so. She was about to give her own defense of the child’s behavior when he raised his hand and shook his head at her.

  He didn’t want her interference. He slowly moved away from the tree he’d been leaning against and shook his head at Judith.

  He stood directly in front of Andrew. “You do not give your feet your apology,” he announced. “You give it to me.”

  Judith didn’t agree with her husband’s announcement. She was the one who had been injured, and Andrew had already given her his apology. Why did he have to tell his laird he was sorry?

  She didn’t think now was a good time to argue with lain, however. He might believe she was trying to undermine his authority.

  Andrew looked up at his laird again. His hold on Judith’s hand tightened. Couldn’t lain see how he was frightening the little boy?

  “I’m sorry I hurt your lady.”

  lain nodded. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared down at Andrew a long minute. Judith thought he was deliberately dragging out his torture.

  “You will walk with me,” he commanded. “Judith, wait here.”

  He didn’t give her time to argue with him, but started down the path. Andrew let go of her hand and went running after his laird.

  They were gone a long, long while. When they came back, lai

n still had his hands clasped behind his back. Andrew walked by his side. Judith smiled when she saw how the child imitated his laird. His hands were also clasped behind his back and his swagger was every bit as arrogant as Iain’s was. He was chattering away, and every now and then lain would nod.

  Andrew acted as though a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. lain dismissed him, waited until he was out of earshot and said, “I asked you if you saw anyone, Judith. Would you care to explain why you didn’t give me a proper answer?”

  “Actually you asked me if I saw a man or a woman standing nearby,” she reminded him. “I didn’t lie to you. I saw a child, not a man or a woman.”

  “Don’t use that lopsided logic on me,” he countered. “You knew what I was asking. Now I would like to know why you didn’t tell me.”

  She let out a sigh. “Because the matter was between the child and me,” she explained. “I didn’t feel the need to bother you with it.”

  “I’m your husband,” he reminded her. “What the hell do you mean, you didn’t feel the need to bother me?”

  “Iain, I was certain I could take care of it.”

  “That wasn’t your choice to make.”

  He wasn’t angry. He was simply instructing Judith in the proper way to handle her problems.

  She was trying not to get worked up over this issue, and failing miserably. She folded her arms across her waist and frowned. “Do I ever have any choices?”

  “It’s my duty to take care of you.”

  “And also to take care of my problems?”

  “Of course.”

  “That makes me no better than a child. God’s truth, I don’t believe I like being married very much. I had more freedom when I lived in England.”

  He let out a sigh. She was saying the most outrageous things and acting as though she’d only just realized her lot in life, as a woman. “Judith, no one is completely free.”

  “You are.”

  He shook his head. “As laird, I have far more restrictions than any of the warriors serving under me. My every action is accountable to the council. Everyone has a place here, responsibilities as well. Wife, I don’t like hearing you tell me you don’t like being married to me.”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t like being married to you, husband. I said I didn’t like being married very much. It’s most restrictive. There is a difference.”

  The look on his face indicated he didn’t agree. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “You will like being married to me, Judith. I command it.”

  It was a ridiculous order. She pulled back and looked up at him. She was certain he was jesting and his amusement would be there, in his expression.

  lain wasn’t jesting however. Lord, he looked . . . worried, vulnerable too. She was surprised by that notice, and very, very pleased. She went back into his arms. “I love you,” she whispered. “Of course I like being married to you.”

  He squeezed her tight. “And you will, therefore, like giving me your problems to solve,” he announced.

  “Sometimes I will,” she said, refusing to give him her full agreement. “And sometimes I will solve them myself.”

  “Judith—”

  She interrupted him. “Frances Catherine told me that you were more of a father to Patrick than an older brother. You grew up solving all his problems for him, didn’t you?”

  “Perhaps, when we were younger,” he admitted. “Now that we’re both adults, we decide together what’s to be done whenever a problem crops up. I rely on him as much as he relies on me. Tell me what my brother has to do with this discussion? You do want me to take care of you, don’t you?”

  “Yes, of course I do,” she answered. “I just don’t want to be a burden. I want to be able to share my problems with you, not hand them over. Do you understand? I want to belong, to be important enough to you that you would want to share your worries with me. Could you not learn to treat me with the same consideration you give Patrick?”

  lain didn’t know what to say to her. “I must consider this,” he announced.

  She leaned against him so he wouldn’t see her smile. “That is all I would ask.”

  “I try to be open to new ideas, Judith.”

  “Yes, of course you do.”

  She kissed him on his chin. He leaned down and captured her mouth for a long kiss. He was reluctant to stop touching her, but finally forced himself to pull away.

  Judith spotted Andrew standing a fair distance away from them.

  lain didn’t turn around when he called out, “Are you ready, Andrew?”

  “Yes, Laird,” he called back.

  “How did you know he was standing there?”

  “I heard him.”

  “I didn’t.”

  He smiled. “You didn’t need to hear,” he explained.

  His remark didn’t make any sense. He sounded terribly arrogant.

  “Where are you taking him?” she asked in a whisper, so the boy wouldn’t hear.

  “To the stables,” lain answered. “He’s going to help the stable master.”

  “Is this a punishment? lain, don’t you think—”

  “We’ll discuss this tonight,” he interrupted.

  She nodded. She was so pleased he hadn’t ordered her to stay out of the matter altogether, she felt like smiling. “As you wish,” she told him.

  “I wish for you to return to the keep.”

  She nodded. She bowed to her husband and started up the hill.

  “You will rest this afternoon,” he called after her.

  “Yes, Iain.”

  “I’m meaning what I say, Judith.”

  She realized then he expected an argument. Since she hadn’t given him one, he assumed she wasn’t going to obey. She tried not to laugh. Her husband was beginning to understand her.

  She did keep her promise. She had a nice visit with Frances Catherine first, and after Patrick had assisted his wife back down the hill to their cottage for her afternoon rest, Judith went upstairs to her room. Her mind was centered on the ever present worry about Frances Catherine’s birthing, and she believed she had finally come up with a solution. Judith didn’t believe she was knowledgeable enough to know what to do if the birthing became complicated, but Helen would surely have enough experience to know what to do, wouldn’t she? Andrew’s mother would have to soften in her attitude toward her now, Judith thought, and perhaps if she used the correct approach, she could gain the midwife’s cooperation without having to involve Agnes.

  Frances Catherine was bound to have a fit. Judith would have to convince her Helen would be a help and not a hindrance.

  She fell asleep praying it would be true.

  Chapter 12

  She slept throughout the night. When she awoke, lain had already left the chamber. Judith remembered that she needed to hurry to begin her day. She spotted her satchels neatly stacked in the corner and assumed lain had carried them up from Frances Catherine’s cottage.

  After putting her things away in the smaller chest and straightening the chamber, she went downstairs.

  Gelfrid was sitting with Duncan at the table, eating the morning meal. Both elders started to stand when she entered the room, but she waved them back into their chairs.

  “Aren’t you going to join us, lass?” Gelfrid asked.

  “I’ll just take this apple with me, thank you. I have an important errand to complete.”

  “You look just fine wearing our plaid,” Duncan muttered. He frowned while he gave his compliment, acting as though it was a painful chore to praise her.

  She didn’t laugh. She did smile, though. Duncan, she decided, was very like Gelfrid. He was all bluster on the outside, but full of tender feelings inside.

  “Her face still looks frightful,” Gelfrid remarked. “She could have had her eye torn clean out, Duncan,” he added with a nod.

  “Aye, she could have,” Duncan agreed.

  Judith hid her exasperation. “Gelfrid, was there anything you wished me t

o do before I leave?”

  He shook his head.

  “Have you seen Graham this morning?” she asked. “He might want something done, and I would like to get my duties organized in my mind before I start my day.”

  “Graham went hunting with Patrick and a few of the others,” Gelfrid explained. “He should be back in time for the nooning meal. They left right at dawn.”

  “Did lain go with them?”

  Duncan answered her question. “He and his men went in the opposite direction to have a word or two with the Macphersons. They border us on the west.”

  She caught the hesitation in his voice. “I’m not believing this ‘have a word or two,’ Duncan. Are we feuding with the Macphersons, too?”

  The elder nodded. “No need to get yourself worried. It’s only a halfhearted feud. The Macpherson laird is so inept, it isn’t worth the trouble fighting with them. There won’t be any bloodshed.”

  “You’re certain of this, Duncan?”

  “I am,” he answered. “There won’t be a battle.”

  “Aye, it’s more nuisance than amusement for Iain,” Gelfrid explained.

  “Your husband won’t be home until nightfall,” Duncan added.

  “Thank you for telling me,” Judith replied. She made a curtsy, then turned and hurried out of the hall.

  Judith was halfway down the hill before she realized she didn’t know where Helen lived. She wasn’t about to ask Frances Catherine for directions. Her friend would demand an immediate explanation as to why she would want to speak to the midwife. Judith was determined to talk to Helen first before broaching the topic with her friend.

  She turned toward Isabelle’s cottage. Remembering Agnes’s boast during the horrid inquisition that both she and Helen lived close enough to have heard screams during the birthing, Judith was certain Isabelle would be able to point the way for her.

  Spotting Father Laggan coming up the slope, she waved to the priest and hurried to meet him.

  “Did you put Merlin in the ground?” she asked.