Page 76 of The Scottish Bride
“Gideon was a champion too. He went after them, even took one down with a tree branch and took the man’s horse!”
“He knows what he is about, does Sir Gideon.”
“He is trained to fight like that, yet he wishes to be a monk?”
“Or thinks he does. My brother feels he must atone for something, but others should atone to him. When the time comes, he will make the right decision.”
She nodded. “I am sorry I was not there. We thought we would have to meet you in the forest later. All are safe? The dogs and horses too?”
“The flames caught the thatch on the bake house and the cottage where you stayed. The place will smell of smoke for a while, but all is well.Providentia,”he murmured, “that you were gone, or you might have been inside the cottage.”
“You might have been there with me.” She shuddered, pressed against him.
“Tamsin.” He frowned. “You warned about fire in the abbey.”
“I am grateful that you listened and were not worried by the strangeness of it.”
He huffed a little laugh. “Me, I have seen this sort of thing before. I have a cousin who does such things. It is not strange in our family.”
“I am glad of it. But why would Malise order an attack on the abbey? That is, if he did this.”
“Oh, I do not doubt it. His men must have told him that you could be inside Holyoak. We met one of their patrols when we rode guard around the abbey. But I said the woman inside the enclosure was my wife, and that they should move on.”
“Wife! You claimed so in the tavern too. You are the soothsayer here.”
“Am I? Though I fear my claim may have raised their curiosity and brought them there rather than away.”
Did he feel guilt and regret for it, this strong and reserved man? She pressed closer. “Malise knew I had friends at the abbey. Or perhaps they saw the banns posted on the Holyoak chapel and the village kirk. But it would be lunacy for Sir Malise to order a monastery burned. He could be excommunicated for that.”
“He has a touch of madness, that one. I have seen it.”
“And I ran from him, which could have stirred his wrath.”
“My involvement would infuriate him too. Tamsin,” he went on, “does Malise know about your ability?”
“The visions? I do not think so. Unless—” She hesitated. “He met often with my husband—I mean, my late husband…” she amended, glancing at Liam. “I wonder if Sir John boasted to Malise that I had the gift of Sight. Sir John was proud of my ties with Thomas, though he disliked my intuition. It was sinful, he said, and I should beware. He was not pleased if I tried to warn him about a feeling I had, especially if it proved true. So I stopped trying to be helpful.”
“He would not appreciate Scottish frankness. Still, I wonder. Edward is sometimes hungry for soothsaying to point the way. Malise may be the same.”
“He never mentioned that, but he was certainly intent on the Rhymer’s book.”
“The king may want it for its predictions.”
“There are none in the pages. Just poetry, I assure you.”
“Well, we will be diligent. It is all we can do. Now, my lady, which of these horses will you have?” He gestured toward the knight’s horses grazing in the meadow.
“The smallest—the dappled one.”
Liam helped her slide down to the ground, then dismounted to approach the horse cautiously. Within moments, so effortlessly that she gaped in surprise, he had the horse’s rein and was patting its neck and muzzle, talking quietly. Whinnying, the horse tossed its head and stepped forward.
“He will allow it if we make sure he has a good home.”
“We will.” Liam helped her into the saddle and stood back to let her walk the horse in slow circles, letting him adjust to a different and lighter rider, Liam walked over to Gilchrist to speak with him. Then he came back as Gilchrist and Allan, too, waved.
Soon mounted with her skirts tucked, Tamsin rode beside Liam, stretching to become used to the larger saddle. Her hip felt bruised where the keg had slammed into it, but after a while, eased by the rocking motion, she relaxed into the ride.
“A bit further and we will be in the shelter of the forest,” Liam said.
