Page 47 of The Scottish Bride
“I would like that.” She ran fingers through her hair. “I am so tired.”
“Indeed. This might help.” Grabbing the crockery jug from the shelf, he opened it, sniffed. As he thought, it was Holyoak’s ownuisge beatha, a strong drink made from barley. A little might help bring the lady around, for she seemed dazed still. He poured a dram into a wooden cup and handed it to her.
She drank, then coughed. “Please—do not tell anyone what happened.”
“You can trust me.”
She looked at him over the cup. “I want to. But I wonder.”
“My lady.” Liam took her by the shoulders. “Whatever I do elsewhere, you can trust me.” He emphasized the words.
“I am grateful to you, but I am cautious. You are a puzzle to me, sir.”
“And you,” he said, “bewilder me.”And enchant me,he thought, spin me round so I do not know what to think.He rubbed her shoulders, down her arms and up. She felt good under his hands. Warm, no longer shivering. She did not pull away, though they stood so close. “Sit,” he told her, leading her to the cot.
Seated, she sipped the drink again, then blinked. “Perhaps I would be better off in a convent. If I was a nun, or even an anchorite or a hermit in the forest, people would just think me mad and leave me to my books and my—verses.”
“You do not belong in a convent. So the episodes of yours prove true?”
She rubbed her arm, shivered a little. “Sometimes, aye. I saw my first husband wounded and dead on a field. But I was wrong. He was wounded, aye. But it was weeks before he died. The wound festered despite all we did. My sister came to Dalrinnie tohelp,” she added. “She has the greater gift, I think. Healing. But even she could not change his fate.”
“Death is death,” he said. “I am sorry. Your sister—did she come here to Holyoak? Gideon spoke highly of her.”
“She did. I miss her. I wonder what both my sisters would say of the kerfuffle I have made for myself. Well,” she said, shrugging. “Soon you will be free of me and my troubles—and my fits of truth, whatever they may be.”
“I am in no rush to be free of you. This day has not brought good fortune to Lady Tamsin. She needs a friend. I will stay.”
She smiled faintly. “I do want to trust you. I do.”
“And still do not?” He lifted a brow.
“Dare not.” She looked up. “The harper said he had a message for me from the king. But he vanished, then returned as a knight, who has not yet told me the message. Is it the same one I heard from Malise? Tell me. Here I am.” She sounded bitter, weary.
“Here you are.” He wondered how best to proceed. “I assumed, as Edward did, that the Rhymer’s daughter was an elderly lady, only to discover the great-granddaughter was the one I need.”Needsuddenly seemed the right word.
“I suppose I am like Thomas in some ways.”
“Far bonnier. I am told you have a book that belonged to the Rhymer. I am to take it from you.”
“That book again! Sir Malise wants it too. He showed me a writ and demanded the book. When I refused, he threatened to drag me to the king to recite from memory whatever Thomas wrote. He threatened other things as well.” She shrugged again. “So I went out the window.”
“Well done. He had an order?” He frowned, remembering the day Edward forced the task on him while Malise insisted he would find the lady instead.
“I saw it. Is your writ the same?”
“Similar, I imagine. I must ask—do you have this thing Edward wants?”
“Tell me why he wants it.” Cup in hand, she drank again, her eyes watering for a moment. It was strong stuff, Liam thought. And she was a slight thing.
“Easy, if you are not used to it. As for the book—he said something about it being the key to Scotland. A book of prophecies, from what I understand.”
“All neatly put together?” She shook her head. “The key to defeating Scotland? I would not give it to Edward even if I had it. What will the king do if I do not comply?”
“He is Edward of England. What do you think?”
“I think he will force me to his will if he can find a way. But he has already taken Dalrinnie from me. I thought he would banish me to a convent, but he ordered Malise to—” She pushed her hair back, looked away.
“Take the book? What more?”
