Brodee jerked William through the doorway to his bedchamber and slammed the door. “Dunnae think to offer me lectures or well-meaning advice this night, Will. I’m nae in the mood.”
Understanding lit William’s eyes, and then he grinned at Brodee. “Ye did nae bed yer wife.”
“I did nae,” Brodee confirmed. William was the only person he’d ever have this sort of discussion with other than his brother, Broch.
“Dare I ask—”
“She’s afraid,” Brodee supplied, turning and stalking to the washstand. He poured some wine. When he turned back to William, he found his friend studying him.
“Of ye?” William asked.
Brodee shrugged. “Perhaps. Actually, likely so, but I dunnae believe it’s simply because of my reputation.” He sat in a chair by the window and kicked his legs out in front of him, thinking on the events of the last day. “When we got to the bedchamber tonight she was violently trembling, and then she started talking to Kincaide’s ghost.”
William sat in the chair next to Brodee and cocked his eyebrows. “Another ruse? To avoid the bedding, perhaps?”
Brodee shook his head. “Nay. ’Twas obvious she did nae even realize she was talking to Kincaide’s ghost.”
“Maybe she really is crazy. Maybe we misjudged it, and—”
“Nay. ’Twas nae like that. He’s in her head, but I vow it’s because of things he did to her. And things perhaps Sutherland did to her. And her father.”
“Her father?” William arched an eyebrow.
“I think he was cruel to her, perhaps. Did ye find out anything yet?”
“Nae much. I could nae find Kinsey to get her alone and attempt to persuade her.”
“What do ye mean ye could nae find her?” Brodee asked.
“She was nae anywhere in the castle ye’d expect. Nae her bedchamber, the great hall, the kitchens, or the courtyard. I asked around, and the Kincaide who I questioned about her whereabouts did nae ken where she might be. I did have a little chat with a Mari, the woman who is head of the kitchens.”
“And?”
“Patience was wed to Kincaide four months ago and has lived here that long. According to Mari, Patience has nae ever stepped foot in the kitchens, as a good mistress would do—Mari’s words, nae mine. Mari says Patience has nae ever taken an interest in any of her duties as mistress and threatened to put a spell on Kincaide if he tried to force her to do so.”
Brodee laughed at that ridiculous notion. “Let me guess, Kincaide is the one who conveyed all this to Mari.”
“Aye, but ’tis widely believed by all the lasses in the kitchens, and I imagine by everyone in the castle. They think yer new wife thinks herself above them, is lazy, and basically likes to keep to herself. And they thought herban-druidhbefore ye dispelled that belief.”
Brodee could not reconcile any of those things with the woman he had just met, granted hehadjust met her. “Did any of them mention seeing Patience treated harshly by Kincaide? Perhaps they saw him hit her?”
“I did ask that, but nay. Though Mari did mention that since poor, beleaguered Kincaide did nae have a recourse to force his wife to do her duties, he’d informed the servants they were nae obligated to serve or aid Patience in any way, and they were to consider Kinsey the lady of the castle.”
Brodee thought immediately of Patience’s raw, rough hands from carrying her water buckets for a bath without aid.
“It also seems that he did nae punish men for being disrespectful to her, but rather encouraged the behavior by laughing when they leered at her or grabbed her or made a disrespectful comment to her. Mari, nor the other lasses gathered in the kitchens who were listening as I spoke to Mari, cared for Kincaide allowing that, but they also seemed to agree that Patience had caused her own problems by being so cold, conceited, and wicked.”
“Damn Kincaide.” Brodee’s fingers curled in a reflexive desire to throttle the dead man. “He was clever.”
“Aye,” William agreed.
“He purposely made her an outcast among his people while making sure he looked like he was a good husband. Why?”
“I dunnae, but I would think mayhap Kinsey does. Yet somehow I doubt the woman would tell ye.”
“Aye,” Brodee agreed.
“What are ye going to do about yer wife?” William asked.
