His inbred bitterness made an instant, familiar appearance. “Not by cage or animal caravan, I assure you. I was born in England. England is my home.”
Her shock subsided somewhat with his biting response and she sought to ease his displeasure. Even if he was a peculiarity, she had no desire to offend him. “As England is my home as well. I apologize if I offended you by asking. It’s just that I have never seen a black…. man before.”
Alec’s own smile had long since faded as he watched Ali react to Peyton’s inquiry. As was usual, he refrained from intervening simply because Ali was better adept at handling discrimination than he was. But listening to Peyton’s even reply to Ali’s biting statement, he found himself praying that the woman seated before him would somehow be different than the rest.
God only knew he was used to the way women treated Ali; it had never varied much from woman to woman; if they weren’t outright denouncing him as an ape, they were showering him with a peculiar blend of pity reserved for cripples and orphaned children. Both reactions usually spurred a deep anger within Alec, a fierce protectiveness to defend his friend from the cruelty of the fairer sex.
He did not want Peyton to follow the familiar path. He found that he wanted her to accept Ali for what he was; no reservations, no questions, no hesitation. He did so want his future wife and his best friend to be companionable, and he realized with dismay that it was because he couldn’t bringhimself to hate her. Bad temper, bitterness and all, he did not want to hate her.
Ali, too, was studying Peyton guardedly. Her answer to his harsh reply had been honest and calm, a combination rarely seen where it pertained to him. His natural reaction was to protect himself, to remain aloof and to prove to the woman that nothing she could say could harm him. But, somehow, the sapphire blue eyes weren’t immediately intent on harming him, and that in itself was very puzzling.
Still, it was difficult to let his guard down, as she truthfully hadn’t given him any reason to. “You did not offend me, demoiselle. There is nothing you could possibly say that would offend me. And as for the fact that you have never seen a black man before, I would wager to say that you never will again, either. I am something of a deviation.”
The tone was still sharp but Peyton did not flinch. Instead, her apprehensive expression had become most curious. After several moments, she cocked her head thoughtfully. “Are you black all over? Or just your face?”
Ali nearly choked with surprise, fighting the sudden urge to laugh loudly at the question. Alec cleared his throat, determining that it was time he enter the conversation.
“Ali must go and find your sister before the day progresses any further,” he said firmly. “Ali, we will meet you back at the keep.”
“Wait, my lord,” she stopped him, still eyeing Ali. “Ivy is likely to run from him. Mayhap we should accompany him in the search.”
He cast a long glance at Ali, knowing Peyton’s words to be the truth. “Very well, then.” He reined his destrier into the trees as Ali ordered the soldiers that had accompanied him to return homeward.
“Which direction did she take?” Alec asked as the canopy of trees swallowed them up.
Peyton pointed south. “That way. I saw her go into the forest. Is it possible that she has made it home already?”
The corner of Alec’s lips twitched. “If she is anything like you, I doubt it. She is probably sitting on a stump somewhere, arguing with a bird.”
She made a face at him as he drove his destrier into the trees in search of Ivy.
Ali caught up to them after sending the soldiers back to Blackstone, maintaining his raised visor and continuing to eye Peyton as if her mild reaction to his color confused him. As they rode in search of Ivy, he caught an occasional glance now and again, but the lady would quickly look away when their eyes met. Her expression wasn’t hostile in the least, or condescending in any way. But she was definitely bewildered.
Ali could deal with bewilderment; a moderate enough emotion that usually did not precede screaming or taunts. He began to wonder if her sister would react in the same mild fashion. It was the very first time in a long while he could remember feeling the least bit of encouragement. Hope for the wild dream of acceptance he never truly hoped to attain, and couldn’t dare to believe.
CHAPTER FOUR
Peyton, Alec andAli were at St. Cloven by noon. As they entered the fortified manse, Alec greedily drank in the sight of what was to become his. In front of him, Peyton was already squirming from his grasp and he lowered her to the ground. Anxious for her sister’s safety, Peyton gathered her skirts and immediately made haste to the storehouse. Alec and Ali dismounted and followed.
The ale storehouse was a huge barn, the hard-packed floor covered with straw and stocked with barrels of ale maturing in sectioned lots. The servants who tended the ripening liquor were nowhere to be found as Peyton pushed open the great door and went inside.
“Ivy?” she called loudly. “Are you here?”
Immediately, there was a loud thump. “Peyton!” Ivy jumped from her hiding place up on a small loft and rounded a pyramid of ale barrels. But her gleeful expression was immediately cut short by the sight of Alec and Ali. “Peyton! They caught you!”
“Nay,” Peyton assured her quickly, but Ivy was already moving for a weapon. An iron implement used to open the barrels was within her grasp and she wielded it threatening.
“Let her go,” Ivy snarled.
“Cease, Ivy,” Peyton advanced on her sister. “Put that down. They’ve not captured me.”
Ivy refused to do as she was told. When Peyton came within arm’s length, she reached out and attempted to disarm her sister. Ivy, however, was not at all convinced of her sister’s sincerity and instantly the two of them were struggling for the weapon.
Alec and Ali looked at each other, wondering if they should intervene in the physical confrontation. They listened to Peyton plead, coax, and finally scold her sister harshly for her foolishness. Frustrated and angry, Peyton had been dealt enough of Ivy’s refusals and gave the iron length a sharp twist, breaking her sister’s grip. Tossing it away, she slapped Ivy on the side of the head.
“Stupid cow! Why do you not listen to me?”
Ivy slapped her back. “Do not hit me!”
