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"What?" Alex asked.
"Well, Merry said whatever it is ye're given makes ye slur and stumble about like a drunk, too, and at first she even thought ye were like her brothers and father."
"Aye," Alex said with a grimace, and then blinked as he realized where the man's thoughts were headed. "And so mayhap whatever I have been ingesting is not meant to make me bed her so much as appear like her father and brothers and cause strife between us."
Cullen nodded. "She'd hardly welcome ye to her bed did she think ye little more than a drunk."
"And under the influence of this drug I might very well have forced her had I not felt so bad about what I'd thought happened on the wedding night."
Cullen raised an eyebrow. "She said the need didna appear to be there the first three weeks though the slurring and clumsiness were."
"Oh, aye, 'twas there," Alex assured him dryly, and then added thoughtfully, "Though 'twas not as bad as last night, or the last night we were together," he corrected himself as he realized at least two days must have passed since the night the need had ridden him so relentlessly. "I could control it the first three weeks. But this last time..." He paused briefly, but then decided the man had been honest with him and he owed him the same back and admitted, "Had she refused me, I fear I would have ignored her refusal. I was barely able to slow down when I realized I was scaring her and she was not ready to accept me."
Cullen nodded solemnly, and then pointed out, "Medicinals and drugs are often a woman's weapon."
Alex eyed him narrowly. "I thought you did not think Merry behind this?"
"Nay. I doona," he assured him. "But I wouldna put it past Edda. That woman is a viper."
Alex wouldn't have put it past his stepmother, either, but pointed out, "She is back at d'Aumesbery, so could not have dosed me on the journey."
"But mayhap she has enlisted one of yer men," he pointed out. "If so, he may ha'e got the dose wrong and given ye too much. It may be why ye reacted so strongly this last time."
"Mayhap," Alex allowed, though he didn't like the idea that one of his men might be behind this. "Why would Edda bother? Causing trouble between Merry and me merely makes for a battle zone for a home. 'Tis not as if we can dissolve the marriage. And if the attacks are connected to the dosing, then what are they about? I'd swear that boulder incident was an attempt to kill me. Had I not moved it would have landed on my head. But the second time they knocked me out and tried to drag me away. I had just regained consciousness and was preparing to struggle when Merry found and fell on me."
"Did ye see who had ye?" Cullen asked, leaning eagerly forward.
Alex grimaced. "Nay. I was conscious but just barely and hadn't yet gathered the strength to lift my head."
Cullen nodded. "Mayhap they really didna mean to kill ye the first time, or mayhap they were dragging ye away to try to make yer death look like an accident the second time."
"Aye," Alex said thoughtfully. Either was a possibility. "An accident might have been believed...Still, why? Merry would be widowed, but still hold the title, and the king would see her married as quickly as possible to place a man there to hold the castle. Edda would hardly benefit from that."
"What would happen if both o' ye died?" Cullen asked curiously. "Wid Edda gain d'Aumesbery?"
Alex stiffened at the very suggestion, and then relaxed and shook his head. "Nay. Evelinde would inherit and d'Aumesbery would be your problem."
Cullen grimaced at the idea. "I ha'e me hands full with Donnachaidh. Ye can keep d'Aumesbery."
"Thank you," Alex said dryly, but found a reluctant smile claiming his lips when the man laughed.
"Well, 'tis quite a puzzle," Cullen said unhappily and then added, "And it appears I'm goin' to disappoint me wife by no' bein' able to help ye solve it."
"Well, you tried," Alex said quietly. "And I appreciate it."
"Hmm." Cullen nodded. "And the women ha'e tried, too. Merry has been fretting o'er it with me wife below. The trouble is that the two things, the attacks and the dosin', doona appear to work toward the same end." He shook his head. "I'll continue to give it thought, but in the meantime, I advise ye to be careful, keep a guard with ye, and no' to drink anything unless ye're sure it hasna been tampered with."
"Aye," Alex agreed.
"Good, then ye'll keep yerself alive and me wife happy as well as yer own."
"Then we shall all be happy," Alex said dryly.
chapter Twelve
Alex was absolutely miserable.
He closed his eyes and clutched his head against the pain that was being exacerbated by the arguing in the room. He finally covered his ears to block it out, but it helped little. His room had been full of people ever since Cullen and he had finished their talk. The Devil of Donnachaidh had left the room to speak to his wife, and the next thing Alex knew, Merry was there with Gerhard and Godfrey hard on her heels, and Evelinde; her maid, Mildrede; and Merry's maid, Una; as well as a woman introduced to him as Cullen's Aunt Biddy, not far behind.
It had been fine at first. The women had done most of the talking, and he'd actually enjoyed the light chatter and easy banter between his wife and sister. Gerhard and Godfrey had merely listened as Evelinde apprised Alex of all that had happened in the three years while he'd been away on crusade and of her life here at Donnachaidh. She was so obviously happy here that it warmed his heart. He'd also noted and enjoyed the easy affection she seemed to share with Aunt Biddy, though he wasn't surprised by it. The charm of the older woman and the twinkle in her eye as she'd told tales about life at Donnachaidh when Cullen was a boy made him quite like her.
Out of it all, however, the thing Alex had enjoyed the most was when Merry had opened up and told little anecdotes about her own childhood. It had helped him get to know her better, too, and the more he learned about his wife, the more he liked her.
When it was time to sup he tried to get up, but Alex found himself immediately pushed back into bed as Merry insisted she would bring him his meal there. She'd added that she would eat with him, and Evelinde suggested they wo
uld all eat above stairs. The next thing Alex knew, Cullen had joined them and maids were trooping in with trenchers piled high with food for one and all. The conversation continued to flow while they ate and then afterward...until a few moments ago when Merry caught him yawning and suggested it might be time for everyone to leave and let him rest.
Gerhard proposed that he remain and sleep on a pallet by the door to be sure Alex remained safe. The soldier's eyes had been fixed firmly on Merry and her maid when he'd said that. In the next moment, all hell had broken loose, with everyone talking at once and accusations and suspicions flying every which way.
Since covering his ears didn't help any, Alex wearily let his hands drop back to his lap and scowled at the people filling his room, as Gerhard said sarcastically, "Well, begging your pardon, my lady, but 'tis notable that the dosing and attacks did not start until after you and your maid arrived at d'Aumesbery."
"That is rather upsetting," Evelinde put in, biting her lip.
Merry turned a hurt expression to the woman. "Ye believe I would harm Alex, too?"
"Nay, of course not," his sister said quickly, and then added reluctantly, "But mayhap your maid, thinking you were married to a drunk and miserable--"
Merry brought her words to a halt with an irritated wave of the hand. "Oh, Una would never do that. Especially once she realized I was beginning to care for him."
"You care for me?" Alex asked, perking up on the bed.
Merry flushed, but scowled at him and murmured, "Hush."
"Still," Gerhard insisted, waving a finger at Merry. "The attacks did not start until after you arrived and you are the only one who would benefit from his death."
"Diya point that finger at me again, Gerhard, I'll surely snap it off," Merry said coldly. "Has it escaped yer notice that I am the one who dragged me husband's very heavy and unconscious body back from the waterfall? And what o' the other night when I scared off the one dragging him away and helped him stumble back to camp? I would hardly knock him out just to have to lug his huge, heavy body back."
