Page 8 of The Guardian's Bride
“Edward wants you to come to Lanercost Priory, where he is staying,” Henry said. “He is ill again with a malady that weakens him now and then. But he is furious with his doctors and the monks in attendance, shouting insults and dismissing them for fools. Recently he heard of your skill, so he wants you to treat him.”
“Who would tell him about me? Surely not you, but who?”
“I never would. Apparently, Sir Malise Comyn told the king you saved his life when he was injured. He recommended Edward consult you if he is unhappy with his doctors.”
“Sir Malise is back in Edward’s court? He should still be recovering.”
“Hardly a limp now. Others said he would never walk again, but you did well by him, and he told Edward so.”
“Likely he did not mention how he was injured,” she said wryly.
“Many know by now that a nun flattened him.” Henry chuckled. “But he seems grateful and told Edward you are very skilled. So you are summoned.”
“Oh dear. What more did Malise tell Edward? Henry—I think Malise saw the Rhymer’s charm stone. He was in a bad way and I dipped it in water to give him a drink. I did not use it otherwise, but he must have seen it. I feared he might never walk again.”
“You have a soft heart. I am not sure I would have helped him after what he did to our family and the Setons as well.”
“I just hope he did not see the stone and tell Edward about it.” Her siblings knew about the charm stone, as she knew what Thomas had given each of them, but for Henry, who had said little of his. “Though he might not know it came from Thomas.”
“Malise will do whatever gains him an advantage. He was part of the scheme to take the pages Tamsin owns, though none of it went to plan. If Malise suspects Thomas gave you something, such as a healing stone, aye, he could have told Edward.”
“But how would he know for sure?”
“Thomas made his will in the Selkirk courts. As a deputy sheriff, I have seen the record myself. Others might see it too, or hear of it.”
“You should steal the document out of there, Henry.” She frowned.
“Perhaps. But it remains that you must go to the king. A refusal could invite grave consequences. Tamsin faced a good deal of trouble, but thank the saints Sir Liam happened upon her and could help.”
“A blessing in disguise, as they later married.” Rowena smiled. “But I do not want to go, Henry. I have work here. One man here has been near death.”
“Gilchrist mentioned you are treating a man wounded at Loch Ryan. He was lucky to escape capture and end up here.”
“Aye. He is called Sir Aedan MacDuff. Have you heard the name?”
Henry stopped, a hand on her arm. “Aedan MacDuff of Fife?”
“Gilchrist and Gideon said he could be from Fife and might be kin to the earl.”
“He is. I know him. We met at Edward’s court as knights together, but I knew of him before that. Do you remember hearing his name at home?”
“I thought the name was familiar, but I could not place it.”
“You were just five then, and I was eleven. He was perhaps fifteen, but we did not meet him.” He exhaled. “Father tried to arrange a marriage between you and this MacDuff, who is related to the earls of Fife. Father was impressed with the lad. But the agreement was canceled when his kin decided against the marriage.”
A faded childhood memory surfaced; her first betrothal refused and forgotten. “I recall feeling sad about it, but that is all I remember.”
“Aedan and his older brother—a young earl then—were wards of the bishop of Saint Andrews and Fife after their father, the earl, was killed. Aedan’s brother later died in similar fashion, leaving his son Earl of Fife. The lad is Edward’s hostage in England.”
“How awful!”
“But not surprising. Edward seems determined to be rid of the MacDuffs.”
She shook her head, saddened again—was it the ghost of her childhood self? Then she realized that if the marriage hadproceeded, her husband would be the warrior now lying in the infirmary. Instead, she’d married another years later who died in battle just weeks after the wedding. Widowed over four years, she was content with the freedom to travel about and do the work she loved.
“How odd to think MacDuff and I—well, it was never meant to be. I have done all I could to help him, and pray he recovers.” She glanced toward the infirmary building. “I used the charm stone for him, Henry. He was delirious and could have died. But he seems improved today.”
“Then he needed the help you gave him. Just keep it to yourself, aye?”
