“A Scottish husband,” Kieran muttered.
William fought off a grin at Kieran’s honest remark but he knew it was a subject that could deteriorate into an argument, so he sought to change the subject.
“Speaking of fine knights,” he said. “I just received a missive from Bamburgh Castle. I came to tell you that we are to have visitors from Bamburgh, very soon.”
“Oh?” Jordan said, interested. “Who is coming?”
“Sir Warwick Herringthorpe,” William said. “He’s the new commander of Bamburgh Castle, appointed by Henry. I invited him to Castle Questing in order to introduce him to some of the local warlords. I will take him to Northwood Castle and to Roxburgh. Possibly even to Berwick.”
Jordan paused mid-stitch. “Bamburgh,” she said thoughtfully. “Werena they part of the battle at Etal around the first of the new year?”
William nodded. “They were.”
“The battle ye sat out.”
“I could not take sides,” he told her what she already knew. “It was the Scotts against Etal and I was not going to take sides in it. I had no choice but to abstain and my garrisons and allies with me.”
Jordan nodded as she remembered that particular battle. “Northwood abstained also,” she said as she resumed her stitching. “With Paris married tae Callie, he couldna command a battle against her kin.”
William took a big slab of bread and cheese, extended to him by Kieran, who was still picking over the food on the table. “That’s the complication when we marry Scots,” he said, taking a big bite and chewing. “Now, you want to marry Annie to another English knight? If we keep this up, we’ll have every fortress on the border related to the Clan Scott and we’ll never be able to participate in a battle ever again.”
Jordan grinned. “It would be one way to guarantee peace,” she said. Then, she looked at him as if a great idea had just occurred to her. “What about this Herringthorpe? Is he married?”
William knew exactly what she was driving at and he put up a hand to stop her in her tracks. “I do not know and it is none of our affair,” he said. “I am not going to shake the man’s hand in greeting and then in the next breath, ask if him if he would like to court your cousin. I will not do it.”
“I dinna ask ye tae,” Jordan said, putting her head down to continue sewing. “Jemma and I will.”
She said it almost under her breath, but not quite. William looked at Kieran in exasperation, who simply shook his head in resignation.
“If you do that, I will bundle you up and send you back to Langton Castle,” William said. “I’ll send you back where you came from.”
Jordan was struggling not to laugh. “Ye canna send me back,” she said. “We’ve had eight children together.”
“I’ll find another wife.”
“Who would tolerate ye, ye stubborn man?”
“She has a point,” Kieran said. “No one else would want you, so you’d better not send her away.”
William rolled his eye before finishing his bread and cheese as the women continued to sew. When he was finished, he downed some of the watered wine before turning to his wife.
“I beg you not to embarrass me in front of Herringthorpe,” he said seriously. “All jesting aside, it would be most humiliating for you to approach the man about Annie, so please don’t do it. This is Henry’s most prestigious knight, a young man rising to power and a young man I would like to form a good relationship with. The last thing I need is my wife embarrassing me in any fashion.”
Jordan stopped sewing. “Enough with ye,” she said. “When have I ever embarrassed ye? Of course I willna say anything. But that doesna mean I willna look the man over if he’s unmarried. Why would it be so terrible tae marry Annie tae the commander of Bamburgh? It would create an unbreakable alliance.”
William nodded wearily. “I realize that, but if that is a possibility– and I sayif– it will be far in the future,” he said. “I’ve barely met Herringthorpe. I do not even know what kind of character the man has, so let me make my own judgment about him before we even speak of this again.”
Jordan waved him off and continued with her sewing. Now that the food was gone, William and Kieran no longer had any reason to be in the women’s solar so they bid their wives farewell and quit the chamber. As their boots could be heard descending the steps, Jemma turned to Jordan.
“Ye’re going tae do it, are ye not?” she muttered.
Jordan never missed a stitch. “Of course I am.”
“If William finds out…”
“He willna,” Jordan said confidently. “I willna be obvious with Herringthorpe. Whatever I do or say, it will be subtle. But Annie needs a husband and if Talus and Anthony dunna catch her fancy, then mayhap another knight will.”
Jemma lifted her eyebrows. “Ye’d better see what Herringthorpe looks like before ye say anything tae him,” she said. “If the man looks like a troll and is missing all his teeth, we dunna want him for Annie.”
