“Aye, though I ken if ye dunnae wish to give it to me after last night in the hall and my performance today in battle with ye.”
“Last night is forgotten. Ye gave yer pledge of fealty to my wife, and I consider that a binding lifetime pledge. I’m certain ye realize to ever betray that pledge would be a forfeit of yer life.”
“Aye, laird. I’ll nae ever betray it.”
The man’s voice resounded with sincerity. “Then consider yerself my wife’s personal guard.” He’d also appoint one of his men to shadow them until Cul became a much better fighter. He knew the perfect man, too—Fergus Blackswell. He was a huge man, who looked frightening and fought like the devil himself, but he was a gentle giant. Fergus had been devoted to Brodee ever since, at the age of ten, Brodee had saved him from the men who’d been torturing him.
“Truly?” Cul asked, his grin showing his youth.
“Truly,” Brodee assured him, “but on one condition.”
“Anything.”
“Ye will train here every morning with me before dawn until I say ye have mastered all ye need to ken.”
“Glady, laird.”
Brodee stood, and Cul followed suit. “This will nae excuse ye from the afternoon training.”
“Nay, laird.”
“And if anyone should challenge ye for the position at the tourney in a fortnight, ye’ll have to best them to keep the position. But if ye train hard, ye should be able to do so.”
“I will train harder than any man ever has.”
Cul’s sentiments echoed a familiar one Brodee had once said to his father, to prove to him that he was not worthless just because he was not the firstborn son. “Then go find my wife, and tell her I’ve appointed ye as her guard.” It occurred to him that he could also use Cul to discover information about Patience. “And while ye are with her, keep note of what she does and how she interacts with the rest of the clan. I’ll be calling the clan to the courtyard shortly for an announcement. Bring Patience there when the bell rings.” If things went as he planned, Patience would get an opportunity to prove herself to the clan, and he’d get a chance to discover who his new wife really was.
