“But you suggested a gesture of friendship; I suppose that means a marriage proposition,” Brendan answered slowly, having thought the matter over for a moment or two. “I have no siblings, no children old enough.”
“I have thought of that,” the old man admitted. “Why not offer our Captain?”
A stillness spread through Senga’s limbs, freezing her in place. Noah’s face stiffened, but he said nothing.
Brendan’s eyebrows shot up. “Noah?”
“Aye. He is yer Captain of the Guard, yer right-hand man. He is handsome and strong, and a renowned warrior. Everybody knows ye have no children to offer, and Clan Hector is not large and powerful enough to demand a better proposition. Laird Hector has a flock of daughters, and the eldest has visited here before on diplomatic envoys.”
“Oh, aye, I remember now,” Freya murmured, the frown between her brows deepening. “Her name is Molly, aye?”
“She was most taken with Noah on her last visit,” the old man added. “I believe that the proposition would be acceptable to her and to her father, and then we have a link to Clan Hector. A valuable link.”
Senga’s mouth had dried out. She stared at Noah, waiting for him to say something. Why was he not saying anything? Why did he not tell everybody that he had no intention of marrying that Molly Hector woman?
He just stayed quiet and still, poised and at attention behind Brendan’s chair.
Doesn’t he care that he’s being married off to a stranger?
“I cannot command Noah in such a way,” Brendan said at last, drumming his fingers on the table. “We will have to consider this at length. But your suggestion is good, Maurice. Thank you.”
The old man—Maurice—bowed and sat down, completely unaware of what he had just done.
Senga’s head spun. She felt sick. She hadn’t eaten anything before coming here, since it had taken her so long to change out of her wet, icy clothes, her fingers numb and clumsy, and into new clothes. Now her empty stomach roared, and the hunger in the pit of her stomach sent bile rippling up through her throat.
I have to leave.
Abruptly, Senga pushed herself away from the wall, stumbling through the crowd. She had meant to leave unobtrusively but accidentally shoved several people, creating something of a stir.
She heard her name shouted.
“Senga!”
It was unmistakably Noah, but she put her head down and walked faster.
Outside, the hallways were cold after the sticky heat of the council room, full of too many bodies and too much breath.Senga was about twenty or thirty paces away from the council door before she heard her name being called once more.
“Senga, please wait!”
She glanced over her shoulder and saw Noah hurrying after her.
“Please, wait,” he repeated, and there was an almost desperate edge in his voice now. Senga swallowed thickly, turning to face him.
“Ye said nothing,” Senga burst out, before he had even reached her. “They talked about marrying ye off to another woman, and ye saidnothing?”
Noah reddened. “I did not give my consent! Did ye read consent in what I did?”
She covered her face with her hands. “Nay, but I did not hear denial, either.”
“That is not fair. I did not agree to it. I would have told Brendan privately that I did not agree to the match, rather than shaming him and Maurice publicly with my defiance.” Noah lifted his chin. “This is politics, lass. Brendan cannot afford to look weak. He’d never force me into a match against my will, but it cannot look as though I rule him, rather than the other way around. He is the Laird, after all.”
Senga let out a ragged breath. “Perhaps ye are right.”
Noah reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing her shoulders. “I never considered marrying that woman for an instant. It never crossed my mind, not once.”
“Ye say that thinking of the future is futile, but ye say nothing when yer marriage is spoken of,” Senga responded bitterly.
“Senga, lass, I just told ye my reasons for staying silent. I will go to Brendan now and tell him that the wedding can never happen. Will that suit ye? Eh?” He gripped her shoulders gently, tilting up her chin so that she looked up at him. “Senga, will yeunderstand then? Ye can come with me to speak to Brendan if ye like.”
