“Are you mad?Tearloch, as your king, I command you to marry her. I have already announced it—to the world!”
“Ye should not have betrothed us before our meeting. If our places were reversed, I would not have done the same to ye.” Tearloch sat comfortably on the king’s bed as the other man paced around the room. There was no formality between them when alone. They were as close as true brothers, not just sword-brothers, and the king often needed the honest advice of someone he trusted completely.
“You know that is not true. It was an honor to promise her to you, and you ken it. It was done hastily, I admit, but how else was I to thank you for all you have done, while at the same time put the lass into safe hands?” The king stopped in his tracks with a sudden idea. “Bed her. Bed her right now so you can see that you will suit. I give ye permission.”
“Malcolm Canmore, get a hold of yerself. Ye cannae go orderin’ people to bed one another. I’ll not do it. And she is yer sister. Have ye no shame?”
“You refuse to bed a woman you have a right to. Are you feelin’ well?” Malcolm studied his friend with a tilted head and a contorted face, earning a laugh.
“I love the other one,” he confessed. “The woman I believed was your Kenna. I will not take another to wife.” Tearloch tried not to sound cheerful as he refused his king. “You will love her too. You will see.”
“Oh? Just how muchwouldI like her?”
“Oh, nay! Keep yer ring-encrusted hands to yerself. She is mine!”
“Oh, butyouare about to wed another. I think this mystery lass best be scrutinized before I make my choice for a wife.”
“Ye would not want her, Malcolm. She has already shared my bed.” Tearloch was turning red, but with anger. He knew his friend was teasing, but like a hungry fish that knows better, he could not keep from rising to the bait.
“You bedded her?”
He should admit the truth, but in the moment, he worried he would lose her. “Aye, I have.”
“Andwhendid ye take her?” Malcolm was getting red now, only due to his lighter complexion, his flush was more evident.
“The first time?”
“Aye, the first time.”
“Weel, ye see, she was a bit hard to handle on our way home. And Duncan suggested that mayhap if I bed her, it might produce feelings for me and she might want to behave.” Tearloch studied his hands as he listened to the inanity of what he was saying.
Malcolm lowered his voice to his most menacing. “Duncansuggested…and ye took her on yer way home, believing she was my sister, ye took her by the side of the road.” He was incensed, but Tearloch didn’t know if it was because he had bedded a woman he had not the king’s permission to bed, or if the king were angry that he hadn’t had first chance at her.
“It was not by the side of the road.” Tearloch straightened to his full height, matching intimidation for intimidation. “And I willnae claim to regret it.”
As usual, Malcolm backed down and dropped the menace. “I can see that ye do not.” He paced around the room once more. “I have decided that yewillmarry yer betrothed, as planned. And I will hold off my own choice until I have met this woman.” Malcolm ignored the emphatic shaking of Tearloch's head and continued. “Where is she now?”
“Who?” asked Tearloch icily.
“The woman ye thought was my Kenna.”
“What woman?” Tearloch stood defiantly with his arms crossed.
Malcolm walked out the door for a moment and came back in to stand opposite Tearloch, who expected more than a few of the king’s guard to come haul him away. When the door opened, however, it was Jamie.
“Jamie, where is the woman whom ye all thought was my sister?”
Jamie glanced nervously at Tearloch, completely missed the warning in his eyes, then nodded to the king. “In the dungeon at Lochahearn, yer Majesty.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Edinburgh Castle was in such an uproar, Jamie half-suspected Lady Fia was somewhere on the grounds. The king sent a small army to Lochahearn to free her and then locked Tearloch in a room in the tower to cool his temper. When His Majesty grew tired of the man’s incessant bellowing, he locked Tearloch’s betrothed inside with him. The bellowing promptly stopped.
Malcolm was instantly smug and unbearable, explaining to anyone who would listen just how wise he was.
Tearloch gesturedfor his fellow captive to sit upon the cot while he leaned back against the table by the wall. They both faced the door, waiting for the king’s next stroke of inspiration.
“I realize ye dinnae wish to marry me,” said the woman.
