“Aye, his face is bonny, so bonny it can make me feel dim-witted when I look at it, for it so completely scatters my thought. I dinna think there is a bonnier man in all of Scotland. However, ‘tis just a face when all is said and quiet. It could be burned or scarred into real ugliness in but a blinking. It makes very little difference to how I do and dinna feel for the man. As for a sweet tongue”—she laughed—“the man lost that skill years ago, and it hasna returned in much strength. I hear few sweet words from him.”
“Yet I can see, I can sense, that ye give him such fire. That fire is what I want from ye.”
“I canna give it to ye. It comes from the heart of me, and although I think we might someday be friends, I have no room in my heart for another lover.” She shook her head. “Ye mean to take everything from me, and yet willna even gain what ye seek.”
“Everything? What do ye mean, I will take everything from ye? I ask for but one night.”
“And what happens come the dawn?” Ailis wondered how the man could be so blind to her feelings.
“Ye go back to the man with the bonniest face in all of Scotland, and all is forgotten.”
“Ye mean go back and lie.”
“Ye wouldna tell him, would ye?” Malcolm asked with shock softening his voice.
“I wouldna have to say anything. He would be able to tell. There would be a change in me. I would ken what secret lay between us, and I fear I would hold it there. I would forever feel that he would find out that I had betrayed him. I would also feel soiled, and ‘tisna because it was ye who touched me, but because some other man had touched me—any other man. That, too, would come between Alexander and me. I dinna think I can explain it. What ye ask for I can only give to Alexander MacDubh.”
Malcolm leaned nearer to her, gently cupped the back of her head in his hand and pulled her face closer to his. “Then pretend that I am your precious Alexander.” He touched his mouth to hers.
Ailis was just thinking that, despite how it could destroy her life, she at least did not find Malcolm’s touch completely repulsive. Then he tensed. She waited for him to continue the kiss, but he slowly pulled away instead. She opened her eyes and gasped at what she saw. Alexander stood beside them with his swordpoint hard up against Malcolm’s throat. Ailis felt all the color leave her face as she leaned back and looked into his fury-bright eyes.
“So, my wife, this is why ye had such an interest in Edinburgh?” Alexander knew Ailis had done no real wrong, but seeing her being kissed by Malcolm had stirred his jealousy.
Before Ailis could reply, there was a soft cry of alarm and Giorsal raced into the room. The girl pushed aside a startled Alexander, then placed herself between him and Malcolm. Giorsal was deathly pale and trembling, but she stood firm, determined to protect the man she loved.
“Giorsal, are ye mad?” complained Malcolm, but when he grasped her by her tiny waist to push her away, he found that she was not so easy to move. “Lass, ye are not to concern yourself with this.”
“Not concern myself?” Giorsal snapped, surprising Malcolm into speechlessness. “Who do ye think will be left to bury ye if ye get yourself killed trying to steal something ye can never have?”
“I regret to say that I willna be killing the man,” Alexander said, sheathing his sword, then taking Ailis by the arm and tugging her to her feet. “I should very much like to, but I do owe him a life. So, now I give him his.” He turned to Jaime, who stood quietly behind him, and gently nudged Ailis toward him. “Take my foolish wife home.”
“Alexander—“ Ailis began as Jaime took her by the arm and started to leave.
“We will talk at home.”
Ailis felt her heart contract and just nodded, allowing Jaime to lead her away. If she were not so despondent, so close to weeping, she could almost laugh, although the humor that prompted it was a bitter one. She had not done what she had agreed to, but she was going to pay the penalty anyway. It was the cruelest of jests.
The moment Ailis left, Alexander looked at Malcolm, and despite his fury at the man, he had to smile. An extremely irritated Malcolm sat shielded by the tiny Giorsal, who refused to be moved. When it came to women, Malcolm was clearly as blind as Alex himself had been.
“Ye survive this insult, Malcolm, because of what I owe ye. There will be no second chance.”
“Your wife wouldna give him one anyway,” said Giorsal.
Alexander smiled. “Nay, I ken it.” He grew serious as he looked at Malcolm again. “I canna deride ye as much as I would like, for I have played the fool a lot lately. But, heed me in this, Malcolm MacCordy, if ye would but consider it for a moment, I believe ye have been trying to steal what is already nearly sitting in your lap.” He heard Giorsal gasp and gave the girl a brief wink before he walked away.
As he strode back to his own home, Alexander wondered how he was to deal with Ailis. He had stepped so wrong so often that he no longer felt confident about his own decisions. He could not believe that he had once dared to counsel his friends about how to deal with their wives. If they could see him now, they would have a hearty laugh. Alexander prayed that this confrontation would force him and Ailis both to speak with an honesty they desperately needed.
Ailis sat on the bed in the chambers she shared with Alexander, wondering if she should even be there. As she listened to him approach the room, she stiffened her spine, determined to speak up for herself. She did not really believe that she would be allowed to defend herself or that she would even be believed, but she had to try. When Alexander strode into the room and looked at her, she felt her courage falter badly.
“So, ye made a bargain with Malcolm MacCordy.” Alexander stood right in front of her, his hands on his hips.
“Aye.” Ailis looked up at his stern face and inwardly sighed. She knew that his outer beauty was not why she loved him, but she was going to sorely miss it when she could no longer look upon it. “I needed shelter. There was a price Malcolm demanded for it—one night with me. Since without that protection my child was doomed, I agreed to the demand.”
“Did it ever occur to ye to ignore it, that ye didna have to fulfill such a promise?”
“It was what bought our son’s life. Ihadto pay the price.”
Alexander shook his head as he sat down beside her and yanked off his boots. “I think a part of ye is aware that it was a price ye didna have to pay. It was one of those demands ye could agree to to save your life, then scorn when ye are free. What was Malcolm to do if ye said nay? He could tell no one about the bargain without shaming himself, not ye. He certainly couldna come and complain to me that ye had refused to honor a debt.”
