“I ken what ye are trying to do,” Brodee said, “and there’s nae a need for ye to try to protectmywife.”
William grinned. “Ye’re verra possessive for a man with plans nae to care—”
“Will,” Brodee warned again.
“All right, all right,” William said and held his hands in the sign of peace, his palms facing Brodee. “What shall I tell the men? Ask for the public bedding or nay?”
“Nay,” Brodee replied, seeing William fight a relieved smile. “I detest the practice, as well.”
“I had hoped ye might,” William said.
“I dunnae have any intention of allowing it, and I’d already planned on telling the men at the conclusion of the wedding feast nae to call for it.”
“Excellent. I’ll give them yer orders.”
Brodee nodded as he stood. “I’ve another assignment for ye, too,” he said, his mind turning over all he had discovered in his short time at the castle.
“Aye, what’s that?”
“I want ye to take the next few days to discover—quietly—what ye can about Patience.”
William frowned. “Do ye fear she’s going to spy on ye for her father?”
“Nay.” He thought of what she’d said about her father when she’d not even realized she was speaking aloud.As if he has ever given me a choice or even cared.No, he did not think Patience was spying on him for her father. “I want ye to discern what people think of her, beyond them believing herban-druidh, thanks to Father Bisby. And what do they ken of that? Discover if she’s hated or liked, and if hated, is it more than the rumors surrounding her? How long was she wed to Silas? How long has she lived here?”
“I can do it, but ’tis interesting to me that ye wish me to discern things about a woman ye dunnae want to truly be part of yer life.”
Just because he did not believe her to be a spy did not mean he knew who she was. “I would ken all I can of anyone I’m to sleep next to,” he said.
“’Tis a well-made point,” William said, heading for the door. “I’ll start now. That lass Kinsey is verra fetching, and I’m certain with a little persuasion, I can get her to talk.”
“Careful with that one,” Brodee said. “Something about her makes me distrustful.”
William flashed a wolfish grin. “I can handle one wee lass. I’ll see ye at supper.”
“Aye,” Brodee agreed. He departed the solar after William but headed to the loch for a swim before the festivities. For once, old memories did not drive him to the icy waters for the oblivion the numbness offered.
Desire hastened his steps. He wanted to be in complete control of his yearning for Patience before tonight. There would not be a public bedding, but he would take his wife that night, as much for her protection—menwouldknow she was the wife of the Savage Slayer and fear hurting her—as for the lust that had flared to life within him.
Patience sank into the tub of warm water with a weary sigh. Her hands and back ached from carrying all the heavy buckets of water necessary to fill the tub for the bath Brodee had ordered her to take. Not that she minded washing—she didn’t. But she hated being ordered about as though she did not have any intelligence, and she detested swallowing how she really felt out of fear of what would happen if she spoke the words aloud.
Water sluiced over her skin and began to ease the tension that had built up from today. She spread her fingers under the water and swished them through the liquid, reveling in the instant soothing of the raw blisters she’d gotten from trudging up and down the back stairs, the ones only the servants took. It would have been faster to take the main stairwell, but she’d been afraid to chance Brodee, or any of his men—especially William, who seemed nearly as observant as Brodee—seeing her.
The servants had never actually served her, except Jane occasionally in the last few weeks, and that was simply because Silas was dead and Kinsey had instructed Jane to do so. Mostly Jane just left the goblets of wine Patience didn’t drink. Thoughts of the wine conjured recollections of her father. He always drank wine, and too much of it. It made him crueler than he naturally was, which was already terribly so.
The other servants had either ignored, feared, or belittled Patience since the day she’d arrived at the castle, and Silas had made it clear they were free to act that way. Still, she’d thought perhaps they might aid her with the water buckets today, out of fear of angering Brodee. Yet each person she’d asked had snickered at her, and she’d been unable to find Jane.
The heat rising from the water made sleep tug at her, sleep she could not relent to when she had to present herself in the great hall soon. Panic swiftly choked her at the thought of the public bedding she’d likely have to endure. She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled a long breath, trying to stave off the rising tide of terror. Blood roared in her ears, and her throat closed.
“Patience?”
She jerked at the voice and opened her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she twisted around to glance toward the voice. Kinsey stood behind her, looking down with an intense look on her face. Contemplation, perhaps? Then the expression gave way to one of concern, and she held a goblet toward Patience. “Wine?”
When had the woman come in? And what was she even doing in here?
Patience shook her head. “I dunnae drink wine.”
“So Jane tells me.”
