“Then ye hae chosen sides, my lord,” William Hamilton said stiffly, and he moved away from the earl and his wife.
“What if by some miracle Mary were restored to her throne?” Annabella asked her husband in low tones. “Would Duin be at risk?”
“Nay, sweetheart, we would not,” he replied. “We are neither a great nor a powerful clan. Mary Stuart, when not ruled by her heart, is an intelligent woman, which unfortunately few men realize. She would understand my position, and then too, the kindness I did her and her mother is nae something she will ever forget.”
“That kindness was rendered long ago, Angus,” Annabella reminded him.
“Aye, it was,” he agreed, “but while I will nae allow Duin to become a post stop for treason against Scotland’s king, neither will I act aggressively toward Mary Stuart. I hold to my position, as the Fergusons of Duin always have.”
“Ye’re a wily fellow, Angus Ferguson,” Annabella told him with a smile.
He took her hand up and kissed it. Then he said as he looked across the hall, “Do ye think that Matthew seems in deep conversation wi’ young Hamilton?”
“They are of an age,” Annabella replied. But she had noticed it too.
In the morning after William Hamilton had gone on his way, disappointed, Angus took Matthew aside, but before he might speak his younger brother did.
“Are ye mad?” Matthew demanded. “Ye hae refused the queen’s request to allow Duin to be a resting place for her messengers?”
“It was nae the queen’s request, but the Hamiltons’,” Angus said. “I would remind ye that Duin is nae above the law. Mary Stuart, for good or for ill, hae been deposed. ’Tis her son who is crowned king of Scotland. To aid Mary Stuart would be seen as treason. Would ye hae me put us all in danger?”
“She is Scotland’s anointed queen,” Matthew responded. “Where is the treason in helping her, Angus?”
“Her son is now anointed king,” Angus said quietly.
“In a Protestant ceremony,” Matthew answered scornfully. “Is that even legal?”
“In Scotland it is,” the earl replied, amused by Matthew’s suddenly deep faith.
“Yer Protestant wife influences ye, I fear, brother,” the younger man said.
“Does nae yer Protestant wife influence ye?” Angus replied mockingly.
“Agnes hae repented of her lapsed faith. Would that that plain-faced wife of yers would do so,” Matthew snapped. “How long hae ye been wed, and but twin bairns to show for it, one a lass. I know the woman is nae fair, but ye need to apply yerself to her more often, that ye may get another son or two on her. Or will she nae do her duty?”
Angus Ferguson felt his anger rising. Matthew had always had difficulty in accepting Annabella, but his words were intolerable. Still, he held himself in check. “Why is it that ye canna get along with my wife?” he asked his brother.
“She is too bold, nae at all womanly, like my Aggie. She speaks her mind even when she knows a woman should keep silent unless required to speak. She is nae a good wife to ye, Angus,” Matthew said. “Why, I believe she considers herself yer equal, if such a thing can be tolerated.”
“She is my equal,” the earl told his younger brother. “It is nae yer place to judge me, or Annabella, by yer own narrow standards, Matthew. I love my wife, and I do for Duin what I believe is the right thing to do. Ye will nae criticize either of us again. Ye forget yer place, brother.”
“They call the Fergusons of Duin sorcerers,my lord,” Matthew said scathingly, “but ’tis yer wife who is the witch, for she hae be-sorceled ye.”
They both heard the gasp of shock, and turned to see Annabella standing there. She was paler than usual.
“Leave the hall,” the Earl of Duin said in icy tones. “For now ye will keep yer place, but dinna show yer face to me until ye are prepared to apologize to my countess, Matthew. I would remind ye that ye hae nae the right to speak for Duin.”
“Angus, nay! Ye must nae quarrel wi’ yer brother,” Annabella cried.
“Ye see!” Matthew’s tone was accusatory. “She canna keep her place!” He stormed from the hall.
“Oh, my lord, I am so sorry to be the cause of dissension between ye and Matthew,” Annabella said.
“He is jealous,” Angus told her. “Until we wed it was always his counsel that I listened to, sweetheart. Now I listen to yers, for ye are thoughtful and wise. He is a good steward, and he is loyal to Duin. But he hae his own wife, and must learn to accept mine.”
“He loves ye dearly,” she said. “He feels ye could hae made a better match than me, I fear. And especially as he now is wed to my beautiful sister, I seem even plainer by comparison.” She laughed ruefully. “But ye must reconcile yerself with him, Angus.”
“Nay! He must reconcile himself wi’ me, sweetheart,” the earl said. “I wed wi’ the best woman in this world. The virtues ye possess, Annabella, dinna—” He took her in his arms, looking down into her plain face with a warm smile. His eyes met hers as he told her once again, “I love ye.” It was said simply. Then their lips met in a tender kiss.
