“If Sandy attacked ye and ye were a man, ye would have challenged him and killed him on the field.” Anise nodded in agreement. “But, because yer a woman, ye dinna have that choice. Ye must bear what yer husband seeks to give ye—be it good or bad. Dinna allow yerself to be fooled into thinking that just because ye must bear it, ’tis right and just.”
Anice reeled at the words. She had carried her guilt so long, it was difficult to let go of it. For now, she would try to accept what both Moira and Robena had said and leave it at that. She had much to think about.
“I have much to do this day, Anice. So, if ye dinna need me...?” Moira stood and began walking to the door of her cottage.
Anice rose from her seat and waited for her wobbly legs togain strength. She, too, had many duties to carry out this day, the first of which was to feed the babe who was probably even now screaming out his hunger. She walked briskly back to the keep, but could not stop herself from staring at Robena’s cottage as she passed by it once more.
The commotion beganin the back of the room and spread slowly to the front, gaining his attention. He sat at the end of the table on the dais, as far away from Struan as he could get without leaving the table. And far enough away from Anice that he could breathe without detecting the scent that clung to her these days. ’Twas not of babe as she suspected, but of whatever herbs she added to her bath. He could smell their fragrance in her hair whenever she walked by him. He snorted, disappointed in how he’d allowed things to change so much.
The last weeks had been hell—pure and simple hell for him. It seemed that Anice was invading his life more and more each day. Even as he drew back and tried to keep his thoughts and desires under control, she pushed her way in. His room had been refurbished: first a new mattress had appeared and then clean, sweet-smelling rushes covered the floor of his chamber every few days. His meager assortment of clothing had grown and those pieces which were fraying or torn were now repaired and cleaned. If he did not sit to eat with them in the hall, a tray of food appeared in his room later.
The worst part of it was that she did not understand the impact her actions were having. He had it from a good source that she was doing these things to show her gratitude for his actions the night she had the bairn. And, even though he knew her motives were certainly innocent, it did not stop the wanting from growing within him once more. He was more the fool than he thought was possible.
Robert searched through the room for the reason behind the wave of murmuring and saw the cause. Robena had entered the hall. Not once in his months in Dunnedin had she ever done so; she had told him that Anice would not permit her within the keep. Now, there she stood in the doorway. He looked over toAnice to see what she would do, now that she had been openly defied before the clan.
Anice motioned to one of the servants standing behind her and whispered some instructions to him. Robert was impressed that she would handle this discreetly. Tales of her temper, not seen for months and months and now reasserting itself, had been shared with him and he did not want to see his friend humiliated here before the whole clan. Those attending dinner were not going to allow this to be handled quietly, for all eyes and ears followed the servant’s path through the hall to where Robena stood. And to their audible surprise, instead of leaving after the servant delivered the lady’s message, Robena followed the man up to the front of the room and stood before the table.
Anice did not look angry at all as she looked down where Robena stood. Robert held his breath, as did many in the hall, waiting for Anice’s words.
“So you have come to the hall after all.”
“Aye, my lady,” Robena answered and curtsied to Anice.
“Do you have a place to sit?” Anice looked at the tables below theirs and then back to Robena. “No one you can eat with?”
A gasp moved through the crowd. This was unheard of— the lady inviting the village whore to join their company. Outside the presence of Anice, the villagers granted her a grudging acceptance; no one went out of their way to hurt or harm or harass her. Most of the women even spoke freely to her. But Anice, the Lady Anice, had long ago forbidden this woman, his friend, from entering.
“I think that they fear ye, milady, if they let me sit with them.” Robena’s soft voice carried far due to the eerie silence around them. More murmuring filled the room as the people waited for Anice’s reaction to what could be considered an insult from Robena.
“You are most probably correct, Robena.” Raising her voice, Anice continued, “Robena is welcome in the keep and at meals. Find a seat for her now.”
Robert watched in stupefied muteness as there was some shifting at one of the tables and a space opened on the benchnext to it. Robena smiled at Anice and walked to the seat as though this were something that happened every day. Soon the meal continued and he looked back at Anice. Why? Why had she done this?
“’Tis true, then? Ye had words with the whore today?” Struan’s gruff voice was low enough not to bring attention but loud enough for all at table to hear. Robert then noticed that Struan had aged considerably since Sandy’s death—his skin had lost some of its healthy color and his hair was now more white than gray.
“I did visit her, Struan. We had matters to discuss.” Anice’s voice was even and calm, but he could feel the tension rising between her and her father-by-marriage.
“’Tis unseemly for ye, the daughter of an earl and maither to another, to be calling on the village whore, Anice. Remember yer place, lass.” Struan motioned for the tray of meats to be brought and he pulled a small bird from it. Tearing into the roasted carcass, he said, “Ye are a lady and must keep yer distance from those no’ worthy of yer attentions.”
Although the subject was Robena, Robert felt certain that Struan spoke about him. Anice’s many kindnesses had not gone unnoticed by the older man. He met his father’s gaze without flinching.
“I assure you, Laird, I do not plan to consort with whores. This was something I needed to do. I will remember my place.” Anice nodded and lowered her eyes to her plate, but that did nothing to ease the rigidity in her posture.
“Ye are a good lass, Anice. Ye have done yer duty well by the clan.”
There was an odd tone to his voice that made Robert look once more at Struan. The laird simply nodded to Anice and turned his attention back to his plate, leaving Robert to ponder the meaning behind his words. A little while later, Struan stood and pushed back his chair.
“The elders meet with me this eve in the solar. Anice, would ye have some ale brought there before we begin?” At her nod, he added, “And make certain we are no’ disturbed.”
Anice leaned back in her chair and motioned to Connor, who was standing off to one side. In a seamless effort, nowords were passed yet orders were given with nothing more than the wave of a hand and the nod of a head. Anice was clearly back in her position and back in control of all that went on within the keep. And, good God, how she reveled in it!
He realized that she had spent a good portion of her life in charge or in training to be in charge of Dunnedin. That she and Struan had long ago worked out a system between them for handling the duties each one was responsible for. Now that she was completely recovered, she was stepping back into the place she had made for herself.
Once Struan left the table, the servants began clearing away the dishes and cups. Robert looked among the people for his friend and found her in the midst of a lively discussion where she sat. Deciding to find out the reasons behind Anice’s actions, he moved to the seat at her side, now vacated by Firtha.
“She is so much the outcast here, it does my heart good to see her included. I thank ye for yer kindness to her.”
A blush began to color her neck and face. She smiled at him and then seemed to struggle to find the words she wanted. Finally, she spoke.
