When did Maldie become the laird of Donncoill?” Nigel asked, glancing at his brothers and James as Maldie herded the four of them toward the head table in the great hall, pausing only to order a page to bring them all some food.
James smiled faintly as he sat down across from Nigel. “I suspect it wasnae long after she first rode through these gates. We were just a wee bit slow to see that we had lost the power.” He then gave the younger man a stern look. “I think ye havenae accounted yourself well in this, laddie.”
Maldie gave out a sharp, derisive noise as she took her seat on Balfour’s right. “I think he has behaved like a bastard, and probably a big fool,” she said, ignoring the murmurs of protest from Nigel’s brothers and James. “But, ere we tear that bone apart, mayhap ye can tell us just who our guest is, and why she has traveled all this way.”
After briefly considering running from the room, Nigel took a deep breath and related Gisele’s story. He only hesitated a moment before also telling them what he knew about her time with the brutal Michael DeVeaux. These people would never betray her confidences. By the time he was through he had no doubt that they would put all the strength of Donncoill between Gisele and the DeVeaux. Nigel just wished she were there to see their determination for herself.
“And when did ye decide she hadnae killed the mon?” asked James, idly filling his plate with some of the food the page had brought.
Nigel stared at the man, wondering how he could have forgotten James’s ability to see straight to the heart. “It took me a wee while. I didnae fault her for killing the bastard, as I could see why she would be driven to do it. Then, when she insisted on learning how to use a sword, there came the moment when I saw clearly that the lass couldnae kill a mon. Oh, she might do it if there was a true threat to her life or mine, as was proven the day I was wounded. But to murder and mutilate a mon when he was drunk nearly senseless? Nay, she could ne’er do that, no matter how much the bastard deserved it. I think it was the kinsmen of some lass he took and probably beat half to death.”
“If Gisele’s kinsmen prove her innocent, it may mean that those people pay dearly for what was no more than justice,” Balfour said.
“Aye,” Nigel agreed reluctantly, “but at least they are the true killers. If someone else isnae shown to have done the deed, then an innocent lass will pay for it with her life. In truth, I believe they deserve punishment for saying naught when she was accused, and continuing to do naught while she was running and hiding for a year.”
“There is that,” agreed Balfour.
“And now, may we talk about the newest crime done to that lass?” demanded Maldie, glaring at Nigel.
“Loving, he has saved that lass’s life,” Balfour said quietly, gently patting Maldie on the hand.
“I ken it, and for that he should be praised, although I suspect he may not have had the purest of motives at the beginning. All that doesnae matter. I find this hard to say, but we all ken why ye left seven years ago. Now ye return bringing a lass who looks enough like me to be my sister. I truly hope, nay, pray, that ye havenae—” She stuttered to a halt, unable to put the thought into words.
Balfour looked at his brother “Ye havenae used the wee lass that way, have ye, Nigel?”
Nigel grimaced, then almost smiled at the way they all tried so hard not to say exactly what they thought. “Nay, I havenae tried to replace the woman I wanted with that poor girl.” He saw Maldie wince, and felt honestly sorry that she was discomforted by the discussion, but at least this once they had to speak the blunt ugly truth.
“Are ye sure, Nigel?” asked Eric, his almost pretty face solemn. “If we can see the likeness, ye cannae say ye didnae.”
“Oh, aye, I saw it. Even with her hair cut short, even in lad’s clothes which she wore for most of our flight across France, and even with that odd little way she speaks our language. Aye, I saw it verra clearly, and it has troubled me every step of the way. Each time I thought I kenned what I felt for the lass, I found myself doubting it. How could I not?”
“Ye should have told her. E’en if ye had to confess to your own confusion, ye should have told her.”
“Lad, we have e’er admired your honesty, and wish we could be as quick to speak the truth as ye are, but sometimes it just isnae that simple.”
“Ye are lovers. The lass has kenned a lot of betrayal in the last year or so. By nay telling her, ye have added to that in her mind. She had no word of warning from you, no hint that ye were torn in your feelings, and yet I suspect she kenned ye had left this land because of a woman. And so, she comes here thinking her lover is taking her to a place where she might find safety and peace, and what does she find? His ghosts. The moment she set eyes upon our Maldie, she kenned who ye had left, why ye had left, and quite quickly decided why ye took up with her.”
“Eric is right,” Maldie said quietly. “Ye let her come to this place with nay a word of explanation, nay a word to give her some feeling that all ye have shared during your time together meant anything to you. Even if she had convinced herself that ye cared in some small way, it was all proven false when she saw me. Nigel, think. The lass must feel something for you, as she allowed ye to become her lover despite all the hurt and betrayal she has suffered. Who kens what she had decided in her mind, but I doubt she ever thought she was just being used as some replacement for the one ye wanted. And I can promise ye, that is what she is thinking right now. She is feeling like the greatest of fools.”
“’Tis clear ye decided that wasnae how it was ere ye got here,” said Balfour. “So, why didnae ye tell her that? If ye had, all ye would have to do now is soothe a few doubts.”
“I didnae ken it for sure until I was here, until I actually saw Maldie and Gisele together,” he answered quietly.
“Jesu,” Maldie softly cursed. “Ye waited until ye could compare us?”
“Nay, it wasnae quite that base. It was the only way I could clear away the last of my confusion. I couldnae hurt her by telling her what might well have turned out to be lies.” He grimaced in self-disgust. “Instead, I remained silent, and have probably hurt her in a far worse way.”
“Do ye want the lass?” asked James.
Nigel smiled crookedly. “Aye, I want the lass.”
“Then ye are going to have to woo her.”
“James, I dinnae think she will allow me to come within sight of her. ’Twill be verra hard to woo her from a distance.”
“She has to stay here. She has nowhere to go, and people are looking for her to fit a noose about her bonny neck. It may not be easy to get her to sit and listen, but that is what ye must do. Now ye must tell her the whole truth, and ye have to show her that ye want her and her alone. Come, lad, ye have ne’er had trouble with the lasses before. If ye put your mind to it, I think ye can win this one. ’Twill take time, but isnae she worth it?”
“Oh, aye, she is. I am just not sure she will think I am worth anything after this.”
