“Idinnae ken why we are discussing her as if she is one of my choices for a wife,”snapped Ruari.
Herefilled his tankard and took a long drink to ease his anger. It did not helpto lighten his mood to realize that he liked the idea of Sorcha as his wife. Itwas tempting, far too tempting.
“SorchaHay suits ye better than the others ye have looked o’er. Aye, and ye want her,”Rosse said.
“Carnally,aye,” Ruari agreed. “That isnae a good reason to marry a lass.”
“Asgood as any of the ones ye list.”
“Thisis a waste of words and time. Sorcha Hay could meet every one of myrequirements for a wife, and I still wouldnae wed her. She held me for ransomand emptied Gartmhor’s coffers of a goodly sum of money. She allowed me tobelieve I was being rescued, then informed me at the gates of Dunweare that Iwas a prisoner.”
“Thatsounds a clever lass to me. She and her cousin couldnae fight you.”
Hewas right, but Ruari was not about to admit it. “Let us just say I can forgiveand forget her treachery and the strange beliefs she holds, even the way shetalks to the air. It would make no difference. She wouldnae have me.”
“Thelass shared your bed. Why wouldnae she wed a mon she took as her lover?”
Ruariwished he had not confided that to Rosse. He knew it was why the man keptpinching at him about Sorcha. In one drunken moment of weepy confession about alost and much-missed passion, he had given Rosse a good-sized club to useagainst him. Now, to get the man to stop worrying the subject of Sorcha, he wasgoing to have to confess something he found both painful and embarrassing. Hislife had never been so complicated or emotionally trying, and he freely blamedSorcha for the unpleasant changes.
“Shedoesnae want me for a lover or a husband,” he finally said.
“Ihavenae formed that opinion from all ye have told me.”
“Ididnae tell ye everything, although ‘tis clear I told ye far too much. When Iwas leaving, she made it verra clear that she just used me for stud.”
“What?”Rosse asked, his shock and confusion clear in his voice.
“Shesaid, and these are her exact words, ‘Who can say, mayhap your wee efforts willreplenish some of the monly stock of Dunweare.’” Rosse said nothing, juststared at him, so Ruari continued. “I asked her plainly if she was trying tosay she had used me for stud. Her reply was: ‘I dinnatryto say it. Ijust did. Quite plainly, I thought.’”
Ruarifrowned when an odd choking noise escaped Rosse. The man looked away thenstared down at the table. Ruari suddenly noticed that the man’s broad shoulderswere shaking, and he gaped at his closest friend.
“Areye laughing?” Ruari demanded, outrage roughening his voice.
“Aye.”Rosse choked out then roared with laughter, no longer able to hide it.
Itwas difficult for Ruari to suppress the strong urge to strike his friend, buthe knew it would solve nothing nor did the man really deserve it. That the manhe considered as close to him as a brother would laugh so heartily at an insultto him was disconcerting and a little painful. He had expected sympathy andinstead he got hilarity. When Rosse’s laughter faded to chuckles and he wipedthe tears from his eyes, Ruari glared at him.
“Iam pleased to have been able to provide you with such enjoyment,” he said, hisvoice cool as he struggled with a sense of betrayal.
“Come,Ruari, ye didnae really take the lass’s words to heart, did ye?” Rosse asked inastonishment.
“Andhow else should I take them?”
“Asangry words spat out to respond to some unkind thing ye said. Think. What didye say just before Sorcha implied that ye were no more than some convenientstallion?”
Ruarithought over the entire conversation and felt the first flickerings of unease. “Weel,I may have spoken unkindly.”
Rossemade a sharp noise of disgust. “Whatdid ye say?”
“Imay have indicated that our time together was, weel, ill advised.”
“Verraweel said, Cousin. I suspect ye made it verra clear indeed. Sweet Mary, whatdid ye expect a lass with pride to do? Thank ye sweetly for stealing hermaidenhead then spitting on such a gift?”
“Yedinnae understand. Aye, we were lovers, but—“ Ruari stopped as he struggled toexplain, only to discover he did not really have the words. “Sorcha and Ididnae and cannae follow the rules most lovers follow.”
“Thatis plain to see,” Rosse shook his head. “I have been talking to ye as if ye hadthe wit to ken what was right beneath your nose, but I begin to doubt that yedo.”
“Andso now ye feel free to insult me, too? First my lover, then ye and that foolBeatham. Weel, now that winter is here at least that morose boy willnae belurking at every turn casting reproachful looks my way.” When Rosse coughednervously, Ruari tensed. “Beatham returned home, didnae he?”
