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"Mayhap you would, to steer the suspicion elsewhere when he is finally killed the next time," Gerhard snapped back, and then added, "And who would believe that a lady as little as you would scare off an attacker anyway? Why did he not just knock you out, too?"
"I have no idea," she said stiffly. "But I ken I didna harm Alex and never would. You on the other hand seem to be busy pointing the finger at me. Mayhap that is yer attempt to keep suspicion off yerself."
"Me?" Gerhard barked with disbelief. "Why the devil would I harm Alex? And I certainly would have no reason to dose him...unlike you."
"Oh, aye, but mayhap the dosin' was merely to point the guilty finger in me direction. As fer why ye'd harm him?" Her eyes narrowed. "I keep recallin' the day me family and I arrived at d'Aumesbery and ye had trouble introducing yerself. Ye hesitated and then just settled on referring to yerself as 'his man' and that a tad bitterly."
Alex glanced to Gerhard with surprise. "You are my first, Gerhard. Why would you even hesitate to say so?"
The soldier looked uncomfortable and then grimaced and admitted, "I was not sure I still was your first."
"What?" Alex asked with amazement.
"Well," he said a bit bitterly, "as your first, I should have been the one left behind to tend to d'Aumesbery while you were away on this journey, so when you trained someone else to run the keep while away and brought me along on this trip, I thought mayhap you felt I am too old for the position of first and were looking to replace me."
Alex clucked his tongue with irritation. "Why did you not just ask me? I left another in charge and brought you because d'Aumesbery is relatively safe and threat-free at the moment, but I was riding into an unknown situation here. If Evelinde was miserable and being abused I could not simply leave her here and not do anything about it, so brought my best and most trustworthy men, including you, my first, with me in case we had to battle to get her away."
"Oh, Alex, that is so sweet," Evelinde said, smiling on him widely.
Cullen looked less impressed and said dryly, "Ye'd need more men than ye brought with ye fer that, brother."
Alex grimaced. "I most like would have tried sneaking her away somehow rather than take on you and your men could it not wait until I could bring back my full army."
"Hmm." Cullen nodded and then glanced to the others. "'Tis obvious no one is above suspicion here."
Though his words and tone were hard, Alex noted that the man cast an apologetic glance Merry's way as he said it and recalled his stating his opinion that she was a fine woman. He didn't think Cullen truly thought her behind these attacks on him and was glad for it.
"And," Cullen went on, distracting him from his thoughts. "Since Alex needs his sleep and I like mine, and I ken I won't be gettin' any if Evelinde is up half the night fretting ower her brother, no one is sleeping in here with him. Merry, we'll fix ye a fine room down the hall," he said gently and then turned a less gentle glance to Gerhard and Godfrey. "And ye two may get yer arses below with the rest of yer men. I already have two of me own best men on the door guarding it and they'll remain there all night. Now, everyone out."
Alex saw Merry hesitate, but then she nodded and moved toward the door, only to pause there and wait until everyone else but Cullen and Evelinde had left before nodding a somewhat stiff good night to them and leaving herself.
"I fear I have hurt her feelings," Evelinde murmured as she watched her go.
"She will get over it," Cullen said gruffly and slipped his arm around his wife's shoulders to lead her to the door. "She kens is only out o' worry fer yer brother."
"Aye." Evelinde leaned into her husband as they walked. "Still I feel bad. I like her and truly do not think that she is behind it, but this all started after the wedding. I get the feeling that means something, but cannot sort out what. None of it makes any sense really. Why make Alex randy and then try to kill him? If they are trying to kill him," she added, worrying the problem fretfully.
Cullen rubbed his hand over his wife's back as he urged her through the door before him. "Let it go, wife. Ye'll no sort it out tonight. 'Twill just keep ye awake fretting, and I have better things fer ye to be doing in our bed than fretting."
"Oh, Cullen, I do love you." Evelinde chuckled as the door closed behind them.
Alex stared at the closed door as blissful silence fell around him and then shook his head with mild disgust. It seemed that taking a blow to the head made people think you'd lost your wits, because no one seemed to care what he thought or felt. They'd snapped and snarled at one another as if he was not even there, his wife even going so far as to hush him when he'd tried to speak. And Cullen hadn't even asked how he felt the sleeping arrangements should go. The man was laird here and his word was law, but not over Alex or his people. As Lord D'Aumesbery, he was the one in charge of them, but apparently the Devil of Donnachaidh didn't think so, and Alex suspected that was all down to his being stuck in this bed all day, appearing an invalid.
Well, Alex thought, he would correct that impression on the morrow. He was getting out of this bed first thing in the morning and taking charge of matters. And he would also sort out what was happening and who was behind it, he decided firmly and then blew out the candle still burning on the bedside and settled under the linens and furs.
However, it was a long time before Alex was able to find sleep. The room was incredibly quiet and the bed seemed extremely empty without Merry there. After tossing and turning for a while, he slipped from the bed and--relieved to find he wasn't quite as weak as the first time he'd tried to rise--made his way to the chair by the fire to think over the problem some more. It was near dawn before Alex gave it up and slipped back into the big empty bed. As he drifted off to sleep he decided he just didn't like not having Merry there and wasn't going to sleep alone again...even if he had to leave Donnachaidh to do it.
"I truly am sorry, Merry," Evelinde said for the third time in the last half hour since Merry had joined her at the trestle table to break her fast. "I really do like you and I do not believe you are behind any of these attacks on Alex, but--"
"'Tis all right," Merry interrupted quietly. "I do understand. Ye love yer brother and so ye're doing what's in his best interests."
"Aye, but I feel bad you went to bed last night thinking I suspect you. I just--"
"Well, I was a little hurt," Merry admitted quietly. "But I still understood even then. Ye've no need to keep apologizing like this." She patted her hand soothingly and then added, "Besides, 'twas Cullen who ordered the sleeping arrangements last night, and his suspicions were fair. He kept Gerhard from staying with Alex, too, and I am grateful for that."
"Aye."
Merry quirked one eyebrow at her troubled expression. "What is it?"
"'Tis just...Well, Gerhard was at d'Aumesbery my whole life and I thought I knew him well, but..."
"But?" Merry prompted.
"His time on the Crusades seems to have changed him somewhat. He is harder than I recall and yet softer in some ways as well." Evelinde scowled as she tried to explain and then burst out, saying, "Do you know when I came to the table this morning, he was telling Cullen he did not think there was any way Edda could be behind all of this. That she was not as bad as everyone thought, had nothing to gain from it, and was basically an unhappy woman who was sadly misunderstood."
Merry's eyebrows rose slightly at this news and she glanced around the great hall in search of the man.
"He was up talking to Alex with Cullen earlier and then went out to the bailey for some reason," Evelinde muttered unhappily, sending a glare in the general direction of the stairs. "I cannot believe the man would take her side like this. He saw how Edda was all those years after she married my father. Granted, he left with Cullen on crusade ere my father died and Edda did keep herself somewhat reined in while he still lived, but she was still unpleasant and cold to everyone. And yet he appears to be falling for her line about being unhappy and behaving badly and now regretting it. I mean, I understan
d you believing it. You never met her ere a month ago, but how Gerhard could--" Apparently realizing she was ranting, Evelinde reined herself in and smiled wryly. "I am sorry. I shall give you indigestion with such talk while you are trying to break your fast."
Merry smiled faintly but asked, "Is it not possible she has changed?"
Evelinde considered the suggestion and then nodded reluctantly. "I suppose 'tis possible. Howbeit it was only weeks ago that she arranged the marriage between Cullen and myself."
"Aye, and that obviously worked out well," Merry pointed out.
"But that was not her intent when she petitioned the king to arrange the marriage," Evelinde said solemnly. "All we knew of Cullen was that silly reputation he has as the Devil of Donnachaidh."
Merry had to repress a smile. That silly reputation was well-earned. Cullen had gained it in battle and he truly was a Devil under such circumstances, wielding his sword with deadly speed and accuracy. He was an opponent to be feared and respected. However, it appeared he was a much different person with those he cared about.
"Nay," Evelinde assured her solemnly, "Edda's intent when she arranged to marry me off to Cullen was not to see me happy. I merely got lucky that way. Howbeit, if you wish to see Edda's true face, then when you return to d'Aumesbery, you should tell her how blissfully happy I am. I doubt she will be able to maintain a sweet disposition then."
