She didn’t know why she’d asked it. She’d never suspected Marjorie might have a different opinion than her brother. But now she wasn’t so certain. And if William was the king’s supporter and there was an opportunity to escape Brothwell, they could take Marjorie with them.
“There is nae a choice there, as far as I can see. Bram has my heart, but I’d watch ye tortured before ever admitting I said it, so dunnae think of using my words against me.”
Before this conversation, Marjorie’s threat would have angered Ada, but she understood her stepsister a bit better now. She squeezed Marjorie’s hand. “I will nae ever tell Brothwell something to bring his anger upon ye. I vow it.”
Marjorie looked at her with surprise, but then she nodded. “I have wronged ye,” she admitted. “But ken this: I am sorry.”
“I am, too,” Ada said.
“Ada, come!” Brothwell called from the tournament ring. “We will retire to the solar so the men can have time to speak with ye.”
As Ada started to rise, Marjorie tugged her back. “Ye can ken an awful lot about a man by the way he kisses ye.” Ada felt her mouth slip open, and Marjorie laughed. “I’m nae suggesting ye kiss them both, but if I were ye, I’d prod William to kiss ye, though I dunnae believe it will take much effort. He stares at ye like a wolf stalking its prey.” Ada could not stop the smile that came to her lips, to which Marjorie gave a knowing nod. “If there’s going to be great passion between ye, ye will feel it all the way through ye with a simple kiss. I felt Bram’s kiss everywhere, even in my fingertips. But here—” she placed a hand on her heart “—is where I felt it the most.”
“Ada, now!” Brothwell boomed.
Ada jerked at his irritated tone. “I’ll bear that in mind,” she said, then quickly departed the dais.
As she started toward the three men awaiting her in the center of the tournament ring, edged with all the warriors who had fought and lost, and the clanspeople who had come to watch, she looked to William, drawn to him as if there were no one else there.
She was not surprised to find him staring back at her. She was getting used to it, but as she moved closer and could read his expression more clearly, her heart jolted. He looked at her as if he was memorizing every detail of her, as if he were ravenous and she were his meal. She was going to get William to kiss her when they were alone if it was the last thing she did. Then she would know for certain if her hope was foolhardy or the beginning of something wonderful.
It was all William could do to keep himself seated in the antechamber and not storm after Ada, who was disappearing into the solar with MacKinney close behind her. The man turned, gave William a smug smile, and then shut the door with a soft click. William briefly imagined his fist connecting with MacKinney’s nose, but Brothwell turned a searching gaze upon him. William focused on the man, forcing thoughts of Ada, and his concern for her, to the back of his mind. Instead, he concentrated on trying to ascertain what had happened to Bram.
As William was considering how to broach the subject without raising suspicion, Brothwell spoke. “I must admit I’m surprised ye have nae inquired about yer brother. Dunnae ye wonder where he is?”
William’s gut clenched. He inhaled a slow, steady breath to calm his nerves. “I assumed ye would tell me if and when ye trusted that ye could.”
Brothwell inclined his head at William’s words. “Ye are more patient than yer brother,” he said. “And a more skilled warrior, Wolf. That was a surprise.”
The man was testing him. “Was it?” William asked. “I did lay siege to castles on King David’s behalf for the past year, as I’m certain ye’re aware.”
“I’m aware. I ordered yer brother to kill ye and the king’s right hand Blackswell who ye laid sieges with.”
Willian stilled at the revelation. Was that why Bram had been sent away? He’d refused Brothwell’s order? Had Bram risked his own life to protect William and Brodee’s?”
Brothwell splayed his hands, as if in apology. “I could hardly have imagined one of the king’s favorites would turn traitor.”
“Could ye nae?” William asked, forcing himself to control his rising anger. “Many of the nobles have turned on the king for disregarding their counsel and giving away their land to commoners. Why should I be any different? My father was once laird of his own clan and castle, and then he was relegated to a lesser role, promised land by the king that he did nae deliver.”
“Aye, I ken it all, but why now? Why did ye finally decide the king would nae ever keep his promise to yer family?”
“Because after a year of faithful service and vow after vow, he gave the land he’d promised me to another,” William lied. “I thought my father and brother perhaps too rash, but now I see they were nae.”
A serving wench scurried in and placed two wine goblets before them. Brothwell raised his to his lips and took a long drink. “There were whispers that yer brother was nae truly for the Steward.”
William had to clench his teeth on a curse. It was as the king had suspected and as William had suspected. “Whoever whispered that was simply jealous. They must have wanted to be rid of Bram,” William said, thinking it could perhaps be true. “Everyone knows Bram turned against King David. He fought alongside ye in the Battle of Kirldine, for Christ’s sake.”
Brothwell set his goblet on the small table between them and leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. His eyes bore into William’s. “Aye. I believed as ye did, and some of the men did nae trust him. They said he did nae kill some of the king’s men when he had the chance.”
“That dunnae mean he still supports the king,” William argued, feeling as though he was arguing for Bram’s life. “Did he stop these men he did nae kill?”
“Aye.”
“Then maybe he did nae see the value in killing them.”
“The value, Wolf,” Brothwell said, his voice tight, “is that those men he injured will heal and rise again to take up arms against us. And I did nae send him away simply on the grumblings of my men.” Brothwell’s gaze searched William’s. “’Twas when Ada questioned his loyalty that I kenned I was ignoring signs simply because he had become my friend. Ada has nothing to gain by questioning if he is truly for the Steward, unlike some of my men.”
William was too stunned to respond.Adahad questioned his brother’s loyalty.Adawas the one responsible for Bram’s life being in danger. Anger swept him. Ada could not possibly be a supporter of King David in light of what she’d done. She had to have known her doubt about Bram could well get him killed.
