Roderick stood, then walked to the cave opening. He held his hand out in the snow. “Nay, lass, worse. It’s sleet. If it keeps up, we’ll have to spend the night. I dinna think that we would have sleet today or we wouldna have ridden out.” He ran his hands through his hair. We could make a dash toward the castle, but I’m still hoping ye’ll see somethin’. ’Tis all downhill and we dinna want to endanger our mounts. I’d rather wait. Let’s hope it snows over the sleet tonight which will make it easier goin’ tomorrow.”
Alone with Roderick … it was highly improper, but she’d spent so much time with him that she didn’t feel strange. Because he’d been so kind to her, and she had no fear of him. “Will your men worry?”
Roderick glanced at her like she had just insulted him, then he said, “I think I can protect us, lass. Besides we can see the castle from here, so I’m no worried about attacks.”
He went outside and retrieved a small barrel, which he dragged inside. Withdrawing a dirk from his sock, he broke the ice, so the animals would have something to drink. Next, he unsaddled both animals and gave them some feed that was stored in a barrel in the corner of the cave.
“I must say you have this place well prepared, even food for the animals,” Siena said as she started to get to her feet. “Can I help you do something?”
“Nay, lass.” He pulled a torch out of a bracket and went to the mouth of the cave. He waved it several times before putting it back into place. Then he strolled back over to her with a sack in his hand, which he dropped on the blanket.
“Why did you do that?”
“I was afraid something like this might happen. The torch was a signal to let my guards ken we are spendin’ the night.” He smiled at her. “Remember, I am with the White Witch.”
Siena straightened and gasped. “I don’t believe you said that.”
Roderick grinned. She saw such a different man than the more serious one she’d seen before, and he was quite handsome with a square jaw and a hint of dimple in his left cheek.
She couldn’t believe he was actually joking with her. Well two could play at the game. “Then you best remember, my lord, I am a White Witch, so you could leave this cave as a toad.”
Roderick threw back his head and laughed. A sound Siena found very appealing.
“I brought some bannocks and cheese in case we were stuck here. But we’ll have to share the whisky. It will help keep us warm. Ye do drink whisky?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Ye’ll be in for a treat then.”
After he placed a couple of logs on the fire, Roderick joined her, and they leaned back against the furs that covered the timbers and began to eat.
Siena pinched off a piece of bread. It hung in her throat, so she waved her hand and pointed to her throat. Roderick handed her his pouch and she took a big swallow of whisky which burned her throat all the way down. She began to cough, so Roderick patted her on the back.
“It takes some gettin’ used to, lass.”
“It sure does. It is different from ale.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “W--why don’t you tell me a little bit about your family? The more I know the sooner I can help you.”
Roderick would have normally refused. He didn’t like talking about himself, but he’d had several healthy sips of whisky and he was a bit more relaxed. “Let me see. I have four younger brothers, Galen, Gillard, Patrick, and Angus. My parents died several years ago in a fire. Since I’m the oldest, I became laird, however, my brothers are verra independent and they set up their own holdings. All just a stone’s throw from here.”
“I’m sorry about your parents.”
“I was too. They were fine people, but sometime accidents happen, and we have no control over them. Being the oldest, I had to step in and take over the clan at a young age.”
“That must have been hard.”
“Aye, it makes a mon of ye fast.”
“Were you and Gillian married long?”
“Five years. My wife and I grew up together, so it was a natural thing to wed.” He sighed. “She was a good woman and a good mother who died much too young.” Roderick frowned over his memories. “Enough about me. Tell me somethin’ about yerself.”
“There isn’t much to tell. I’ve never done anything exciting or traveled anywhere.” Siena hated talking about her life when she only wanted to forget it, however, as she rolled the stones together in her pocket, a peace came over her and she began to relax. “I was born a twin, but my mother and brother died at my birth, which some have blamed on me.” She took a sip of whisky and sighed. “Like a baby could do something like that.”
“Nonsense.”
“Nevertheless, my older brother, who was a good fifteen years older than me, helped fuel the rumors, and said the devil had marked me.” She stuck out her arm. “See. I hate it. I try to keep it hidden because I do feel marked.”
Roderick rubbed his thumb over the strange mark and something deep inside him stirred. Was it only compassion or something more? He wasn’t sure. He’d been so full of hate these last few years that there had been little room for anything else, but now he found he wanted to comfort Siena. He wanted to erase the hurt he saw in her eyes. “’Tis a birthmark nothing more, lass.”
