Page 111 of Laird of Steel
How long should she wait before telling him her secret? That Hew’s dagger hadn’t been the only thing she’d kicked out of his belt? That under her boot was the key to the shackles?
Perhaps it was best to let his temper cool. The last thing she wanted was for Gellir to race off after his cousin with violence on his mind. She’d wait perhaps an hour. Until Gellir’s anger subsided and there was a good distance between him and the meddling cousin he wished to murder.
Chapter 19
If Gellir’s hands hadn’t been shackled, he would have punched the stone wall of the armory in frustration.
Part of him wanted to throttle his cousin.
Part of him wanted to haul Hew off to safety.
When they were younger, Gellir had always been the one to rescue Hew, who was always getting himself into trouble over a lass.
Sometimes Hew had pursued another man’s mistress.
Sometimes he’d mistaken a harlot for an admirer.
Once he’d fallen in love with a nun.
With his heart laid bare and his cock as a compass, Hew was constantly wandering into dangerous quarters.
But this was a step too far.
First, Hew had never before interfered with Gellir’s romantic pursuits. It was a hard and fast Rivenloch rule to never let courting come before clan.
Second, the fact that Hew felt the need to protect Lady Carenza from him…his own cousin…That was a blow to Gellir’s pride.
But the situation was far worse than that. Hew was defying the king. What did he think would happen when King Malcolm found out Carenza was a runaway bride? That Hew had helped deliver her to another man?
Damn the fool! Malcolm would hunt Hew down. He would be punished. Carenza would probably be sent to a nunnery. God only knew what would happen to her lover. As for Gellir, all of Scotland would know he’d been spurned by his bride. And all of Rivenloch would have to bear the shame of what Hew had done.
Gellir had to stop him.
He jerked at the shackle yet again, hoping to find some weakness in the iron. But it held fast.
He could call out until someone found him. The heavy chain would eventually break under a sledgehammer. But he’d prefer to find a way to intercept Hew without alerting anyone to his sabotage. His cousin might be a fool, but he was a well-meaning fool.
Gellir had to protect him.
He had to protect the clan.
There was only one thing to do. One thing that would salvage Lady Carenza’s honor and keep the king’s eye off of Hew.
Gellir had to take the blame for Carenza’s desertion.
He had to claim it was his idea to call off the wedding.
He’d say he had rejected her, and that was why she’d run away.
It wasn’t a very convincing story. What man in his right mind would turn away a woman as beautiful and charming as Lady Carenza?
But he was Grim Gellir. He could speak the lie with a grave face. Especially considering what was at stake.
It would mean disappearing for a time. Avoiding the tournament circuit. Keeping to the shadows. He’d have to leave Darragh. Perhaps leave Scotland. Distance himself from the clan so as not to tarnish them with his dishonor. Live like a fugitive. Hide like an outlaw.
In a year or two, perhaps Gellir’s transgression would be forgiven and forgotten.
Perhaps King Malcolm would awaken from his dream of an English alliance and would no longer seek to marry his Scottish nobles to the enemy.
