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"And I was straightening your room," Bess finished dryly and shook her head as they reached the bottom of the stairs and crossed the great hall. "You're proving to be a sneaky one, my lady."
"Thank you, Bess," Averill said cheerfully, and the maid shook her head again.
"Is there anything you want done while you are gone?" Bess asked, as they stepped out onto the keep's front stairs and peered down at the bailey filled with Mortagne soldiers milling about aimlessly.
"Aye," Averill said grimly. "I would have the rushes and detritus cleared out of the great hall."
"And how do you expect me to do that with no servants?" Bess asked dryly, and frowned as she noted the way Averill was eyeing the English soldiers. "Oh nay! Surely you don't think they will listen to me and set their hand to cleaning?"
"They will if Will orders them to," Averill responded, then, spotting her brother crossing the bailey toward the keep, started down the steps, calling his name.
"I cannot believe you have my men acting like ladies' maids."
Kade smiled with amusement at Will's repeated complaint. He glanced to the man who rode on his left, then to his wife on the right when she gave an annoyed cluck.
"I do not have your men acting like ladies' maids," she said firmly, and pointed out, "Ladies' maids do not remove nasty old rushes from a great hall."
"Neither do soldiers," Will shot back.
"Mayhap, but 'tis not as if they had anything else to do," she pointed out with exasperation. "'Twill keep them busy and help pass the time."
Kade shook his head and let them go at it. It was obvious the pair were siblings. They had been bickering about Averill's request that Will have the men help clean out the great hall since leaving Stewart. Although, "request" was not exactly the proper description, he supposed. His wife had made the request sweetly and, when Will had steadfastly refused, had then browbeat him just as sweetly into agreeing. Kade had been impressed with her perseverance. She could be a stubborn lass when she got the bit between her teeth.
"This is all beside the point anyway, Will," Averill said now. "You agreed. The men are helping, and I appreciate it very much. 'Tis no sense carping about it now."
"Aye," Will agreed morosely. "And 'twill be all your fault do they never speak to me again. They were less than pleased at the order."
Averill shrugged, unconcerned. "They will get over it. There are many things in life that one would rather not do, but must...Which reminds me," she added, turning a small frown to Kade, "are you sure we should go to Donnachaidh for supplies? Surely we have other neighbors we could approach?"
"Aye," he acknowledged.
"Then might it not be better to go to one of them?" she asked hopefully.
"Why do ye so dislike the idea o' going to Donnachaidh fer it?" Kade asked patiently.
"Because he is a devil," Averill said at once.
"Ha'e ye met him?" he asked curiously.
"Nay," she admitted.
"Then how can ye ken he's a devil?" Kade asked, reasonably enough he thought.
"Because they call him the Devil of Donnachaidh, husband," Averill said with exasperation, then added, "I doubt he was given the name for his kindness."
"Nay, he wasna," he acknowledged, then added, "he gained the name because he is fierce in battle."
"Aye, but--"
"And," Kade interrupted her, "we are going to him because Donnachaidh is no' far to journey and his wife is sister to the husband of my sister. As such, of all our neighbors, he is the one most likely to give us the aid we need."
"Oh," Averill murmured, seeming soothed by this news. "I had not realized there was a family connection."
Kade merely shrugged. He was a little annoyed at having to explain himself. He was not used to that and did not think he would like to make it a habit. However, they were newly married, and Averill was still getting to know him. Hopefully, in the future, she would trust his judgment and not question his decisions.
They crested the hill then and found themselves looking down on a forested valley that surrounded another hill. Crouching on top of it stood Donnachaidh castle. Kade eyed the intimidating edifice for a moment and turned in the saddle to peer back and be sure the cart and the dozen soldiers they'd brought along to guard the hoped-for goods on their way back were keeping pace. Finding them virtually on their heels, he nodded his satisfaction and started down the hill.
Despite their English dress, they did not find the gates closed and drawbridge down when they reached Donnachaidh. Instead, they were greeted by a party of three men who rode down to meet them halfway up the hill. The lead man was a fellow named Tavis, a fair-haired, bonnie man whom Kade had run into before in battle. Fortunately, they had been on the same side as the Donnachaidh warriors for that excursion, and Kade knew this man to be the cousin of Cullen Duncan, or the Devil of Donnachaidh, as they called him.
The last time he'd met Tavis, the man had been full of smiles and had managed to charm his way under every skirt they'd encountered...which was a surprising number considering the circumstances. This time, however, he was quiet and almost stern. He also hardly looked at Averill, which seemed terribly out of character as Kade knew Tavis had a weakness for redheads. Wondering about the change in the man, he explained his presence and followed him up the hill into the bailey at a leisurely pace while the other two men rode ahead to warn the lord and lady of their arrival.
By the time they halted at the foot of the steps, Cullen Duncan and his wife, Evelinde, were starting down the stairs. Kade eyed the smiling, petite blonde briefly, but then turned his gaze to the taller, dark-haired man and offered a nod of greeting before swinging out of the saddle and moving to lift Averill off her mount. By the time he set her on the ground and turned, Will was at his side and the Devil of Donnachaidh and his wife were stepping off the stairs and moving toward them.
"Stewart," Cullen
greeted with a nod.
"Duncan," Kade said, nodding back.
A moment passed, then Kade's eye was drawn to the petite blonde as she poked an elbow into the man's side.
"Me wife," Cullen introduced with a grimace, hauling the woman up to his side with an arm around her waist.
Kade nodded at the woman and caught Averill's hand and tugged her to his side to announce, "Me wife." Nodding to Will, he added, "And her brother."
The introduction was purely for Lady Duncan's sake. Will had told him when he'd first mentioned coming here that he'd met Cullen Duncan at court some years ago and liked him.
"Oh, for pity's sake, you shall be beating your chests next," Evelinde muttered with exasperation, then smiled at Averill, and announced, "I am Evelinde."
"You are English," Averill said with surprise.
"Aye. As are you."
They beamed at each other, then his wife recalled herself, and said, "I am Averill."
"Good morn, Averill," Evelinde said politely, and gestured to the man at her side. "This is my husband, Cullen."
Averill turned to peer up at the man, bit her lip, then nodded, and said, "M-my l-lord." She winced at her own stuttering, but then turned back to Evelinde and forged on saying, "Th-this is m-my br-rother W-will, and--"
She glanced up with surprise when Kade drew her around to face him. He then ducked his head and kissed her. He was quick, but thorough in the doing, gathering her close and thrusting his tongue into her mouth quickly a time or two before lifting his head and letting her go.
Averill stood before him, eyes closed and expression soft, until he murmured, "Wife."
"Aye, husband?" she asked dreamily, eyes slowly opening.
"Finish the introductions."
"Oh, aye," she breathed, then, still peering up at him, said almost absently, "Evelinde, this is my husband, Kade."
"I am glad to hear he is your husband," Evelinde said, and he heard the amusement in her voice but didn't care. He was nodding with satisfaction that his kiss had sufficiently distracted his wife that her stammering had subsided again. He had thought it might.
Bending, he gave her a kiss on the forehead, then turned her toward Evelinde. "Go visit with Lady Duncan while I speak to her husband."
