Page 48 of Bride of Ice
“Ian!” she barked. “What are you doing?”
The lad jumped. “What you asked. Taking the stones to the herb garden. I just spilled a few.”
“Oh aye? Then what’s that?” She nodded to the letter.
“How did that happen?” he marveled. “’Tis a perfect H.”
“Ian,” she warned, “were you teaching the hostage to read?”
He kicked at the wheel of the wheelbarrow. “Maybe.” In his defense, he added, “’Tis so boring to cart stones back and forth, Hallie. Besides, Da says the gift of knowledge is the best gift of all.”
Hallie sighed. Ian was bright and well-intentioned, but sometimes his affections were misplaced. “I don’t think he meant for you to give gifts to hostages.”
“Sorry.”
“So what is the H for?”
He hesitated, and then gave her a wide-eyed smile. “Hostage.”
Colban coughed.
Ian was a quick thinker. That was certain. But Colban didn’t suppose Hallie was going to allow him to continue his lessons.
Sensing she might punish the lad for his efforts, he told her, “’Tis my fault. I was restless. I asked the lad to entertain me.”
She arched a fine brow. “You’re lucky he didn’t entertain you with the trebuchet again. He might have knocked out your teeth.”
He chuckled.
Her eyes glimmered in response.
Hallie of Rivenloch was not coldhearted at all. Though why Isabel thought so was understandable. Like a rampaging Valkyrie, Hallie could steel herself to look fierce and full of icy threat.
But behind that shield was a woman of subtle wit and warm humor. A woman who certainly commanded his respect. But also a woman he could grow to like.
He hoped he wouldn’t need to betray her.
“You must be hungry,” she said. “Supper is on its way. I’ve no idea what the cook has made. The turnbrochie burned the roast, and the maidservant cracked the basket of eggs meant to replace it. But—”
She was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Rauve called out from the other side. “Supper for the hostage?”
“Come in,” she said.
It was Isabel who brought supper, though Colban was more interested in what was on the platter than who was carrying it. He hadn’t realized how hungry he’d become. But he did notice the array had been made up for two again.
“I’ve come to apologize,” she told him with a meek bow of her head, “for our shameful behavior this morn. The words you heard were spoken in the heat of battle. I assure you ’tis not our normal manner of speech and—”
Hallie choked over that obvious falsehood, but let her continue.
“And I assure you, ’twill not happen again.”
Colban gave her a nod of acceptance. “We’ll speak no more of it, aye?” He reached eagerly for the platter.
Hallie grasped his forearm to stop him and narrowed her eyes at her sister. “You didn’tflavorthe wine again, did you?”
Isabel shook her head.
