Heavy footsteps on the stairs made Judith turn. Raine stood just inside the doorway, grinning. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?” he said fondly, looking at Alyx. “Too bad her voice is gone, but I’m sure it’s only temporary.”
“No thanks to you,” Judith said, leading Alyx to a chair.
“What does that mean?” Raine asked, bewildered. “I rescued her.”
Judith whirled on him. “From what? From Pagnell’s trap? She was used as bait to lure you to him. Raine,” she calmed, “I think you should leave now. I don’t think your sweet little wife wants to hear what I plan to say to you.”
“Sweet!” Raine snorted. “And what reason do you have to be angry with me?” He was offended.
“You are trying my patience, Raine,” she warned. “Alyx, are you hungry?”
“Look, Judith, if you have something to say, say it.”
“All right, then we’ll leave this room. Your wife needs her rest.”
Alyx was beginning to get an idea of what Judith had to say. She grabbed her sister-in-law’s hand and with her eyes urged her to continue. There were so many things she would like to say to Raine.
Judith blinked in understanding and whirled back to face Raine. “All right, I shall tell you what I have to say. You men, all of you, all four of you brothers, think nothing of dragging a woman all over England with no thought to her safety or comfort.”
Raine’s jaw jutted out. “We stayed in a very comfortable inn last night.”
“You what! You took your lady wife into a public place dressed like that? How dare you, Raine? How dare you treat any woman like that?”
“What was I supposed to do, shop for clothes? Perhaps I should have ridden to London and asked the King for a bit of silk.”
“Don’t try to gain sympathy from me for being declared a traitor. It was your own Montgomery hotheadedness that caused all your problems.”
At this Alyx began to clap her hands.
Judith flashed an understanding half-smile at her while Raine glared.
“I can see I’m not needed here,” Raine said.
“You’re not running away from this,” Judith said. “I want you to run downstairs, pull Joan from whatever corner—or bed—she’s lounging in, then order a bath sent up here. Oh, Raine, how could you do this to this poor child? The mother of your baby? It’s been days since the fire and she’s still covered with soot, and how you must have ridden to get here so fast! Now go along and get yourself cleaned up and dressed properly.”
With his jaw still out, refusing to speak, Raine left the room, the door slamming behind him.
With a sigh, Judith looked back at Alyx. “You have to stand up for yourself or men will take advantage. Are you well? Raine didn’t harm you in his haste, did he?”
Alyx only shook her head, looking at Judith with admiration and the beginnings of love.
“It’s a good thing the three of us are all sturdy and strong or else we’d be dead by now.”
Alyx held up three fingers, frowned in question.
“Bronwyn, Stephen’s wife. You’ll have to meet her. She is lovely, absolutely lovely, but Stephen drags her everywhere, makes her sleep on the ground rolled up in a wool blanket. It’s really dreadful.”
A knock on the door interrupted Judith, and seconds later servants arrived with a tub and pails of hot water. “I should send Raine more often,” Judith said. “He certainly gets things done quickly.”
Alyx gave a little giggle and Judith smiled back.
“They are good men. I wouldn’t trade Gavin for anyone, but sometimes you have to raise your voice a bit. Someday you’ll get over your awe of your husband and you’ll find yourself shouting right back at him. You may not think so now, but you will.”
Alyx merely smiled and allowed herself to be led to the tub.
Chapter Sixteen
RAINE, UP TOhis neck in a tub of hot water, his eyes still blazing with anger, looked up hostilely as the door to his room opened. Gavin burst in.
