Chapter Sixteen
Holding back a smile Islaen fought not to look at Storm knowing she would see laughter in the woman's eyes and lose her control on her own. Gamel Brodie, the youth she and Storm had rescued, was vowing his undying devotion, swearing to sacrifice all in their service. Islaen decided the youth had listened to too many minstrel's tales of knights and chivalry. Worse, he had taken it all to heart.
As soon as they could, she and Storm left him. When they felt they were far enough away so that he could not hear them, they gave into their laughter. They were still giggling over the matter when they entered the hall where Tavis and Iain awaited them. They told their husbands, who exchanged rueful glances, what they found so amusing, for it was clear that neither Tavis nor Iain saw the humor of it. That lack became clearer as the days passed and Gamel healed enough to start trying to prove his devotion.
Iain glared at young Gamel when he found the youth singing love songs to Islaen as Islaen sat by the fire in the hall doing her mending. He sat next to Islaen and continued to glower at the youth but Gamel paid him no heed. It was not only the way Gamel paid such attention to Islaen, for the youth paid equal attention to Storm, but the handsome young man made Iain all too aware of the years that separated himself from his young bride. He could not stop himself wondering if Gamel would make Islaen aware of it too.
"Storm is having a wee bit of trouble settling her bairns for the night,” he lied smoothly. “Mayhaps ye can soothe them with your singing, Gamel.” He smiled with satisfaction when Gamel left.
"I was enjoying that, Iain."
"That drivel?"
"Aye, Gamel has a sweet voice. I also ken that Storm ne'er has trouble settling her bairns."
"Are ye saying that I lied?"
Looking at him in wide-eyed innocence, Islaen said sweetly, “Nay, merely that ye may have been mistaken. I also feel sure that ye but forgot Tavis's threat to make Gamel eat his lute an he doesnae cease singing love songs to Storm."
Sprawling more comfortably on the settle, Iain smiled faintly, “Nay, I didnae."
"The boy means weel, Iain."
"Islaen, that boy is near one and twenty."
"Aye but he is a boy still in many ways."
"Nay in the ones I think on."
"Gamel doesnae think on that. To him, Storm and I are the ladies of his songs. He plays at the old courtly love, love pure and from afar."
"Hah. I have seen courtly love. So have ye, in the halls e'en. T'was neither pure nor from afar."
"Ah, aye, weel, I did say the ‘old’ sort of courtly love.” She sighed for, while it was nice to see this jealousy in Iain, it was not something she wished to go on for too long nor to worsen. “I admit he can be tiresome but he means weel. He feels he owes us his life."
"He does."
"Aye, I suppose. He has no one, Iain. I cannot toss him out."
"He has kin."
"Iain, ye ken weel that they tossed him out."
"Aye, for nearly causing a bloody feud by singing love songs to anither mon's wife. The lad didnae learn by it, ‘tis clear."
"Actually, I think t'was more that he challenged the mon because the mon had raised his voice to the lady.” She giggled when Iain cursed softly. “So, ye best not yell at me, Iain."
"I ne'er yell at ye,” he bellowed.
"Nay, of course not,” she murmured, then laughed.
His lips twitched with suppressed laughter. “Ye are a brat and that lad is fast becoming a nuisance beyond bearing."
She nodded and frowned in thought. Soon the humor would vanish from the situation. Since she could not simply throw the youth out she had to think of somewhere to send him. Her eyes widened as she suddenly saw the perfect solution to it all.
"Iain,” she cried, dropping her mending to throw her arms about his neck, “I have the answer. We will send him to my kin."
Lightly putting his arms around her, he smiled crookedly. “I would be glad to see the back of him, but I think your brothers may object to having him underfoot. They too have wives he can swear vows to and sing to."
