Today they were in the solar Joanna shared with her husband on the second floor above the Hall. It was the most spacious chamber, with an enormous four-poster bed, a large fireplace, two large cushioned chairs, a desk, a bench, and two small windows that overlooked the courtyard. As in the other solars, the furnishings were surprisingly fine and comfortable for the castle of the family of a man who was supposedly an outlaw.
Since Cliff’s garrison at the nearby destroyed Douglas Castle had been sent home the year before, he had not attempted to fill it again. The English garrisons in the surrounding areas made periodic sweeps of Douglas, but Elizabeth told her they were more for show than anything else. The rebels left when warned and returned as soon as the English soldiers were gone. Cliff and King Edward might not agree, but the land had effectively been conceded to the Scots.
Elizabeth was asking about Rosalin’s previous trip to Scotland when the door suddenly burst open and the Black Douglas stormed into the room. Like Robbie, he had a way of making a big room suddenly feel small. Unlike Robbie, however, it made Rosalin’s skin tingle with fright, not excitement.
She did her best to sink into her chair and disappear. But it wasn’t necessary, Sir James Douglas only had eyes for his wife. He strode over and leaned down to brush a kiss over her cheek. “I’m sorry to disturb yourrest, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be riding out for a few hours.”
From the way he saidrest, Rosalin could tell he was displeased to find his wife out of bed. The Black Douglas’s tender affection toward his wife still took some getting used to. Around Joanna, he seemed almost human.
Joanna brushed off the reprimand with a roll of her eyes. “Is something wrong?”
Rosalin didn’t miss the way his gaze slid in her direction. “Nay, just a short scouting trip. I’ll be back before nightfall.”
Joanna frowned, looking as if she wanted to question him further. But she must have sensed that he would not elaborate with Rosalin in the room and let the matter drop.
“No standing on your feet for too long today,mo ghrá,” Douglas said sternly, but with something in his voice that bespoke real concern. “You should not overtire yourself. You need to rest.”
Joanna reached up and put a hand on her husband’s glowering face. “I’m fine, James. The babe is fine.”
Their eyes held, and something so strong and powerful passed between them that Rosalin had to turn away, feeling as if she were intruding.
A moment later, the terrifying warrior left the room and Rosalin could breathe again.
Joanna must have noticed her reaction. She smiled. “You have nothing to fear from my husband, you know. He would never hurt you. He would never hurtanywoman.”
Although she sensed that Joanna spoke true, Rosalin had heard too many terrifying stories and was too cognizant of his hatred toward her brother to ever be completely relaxed in Sir James Douglas’s presence. The same could be said for Robbie, she realized, but he was different. She’d seen the noble side of him before she’d heard the stories.
“Jamie has always had a chivalrous streak,” Elizabeth said. “Remember when we were caught on the other side of the burn near Boradleeholm, and the swell made it too wide to cross, and he and Thommy decided to carry us—”
She stopped so suddenly that Rosalin looked up from her needlework. Elizabeth’s faerie-princess-beautiful face looked as if it were made of ice and about to crack.
Joanna covered the awkward pause. “Aye, they carried us across. I remember.”
Elizabeth recovered and managed a small smile. “It was a long time ago. We were children.” She seemed to be telling herself this.
“Aye, but the important things do not change,” Joanna said softly.
Elizabeth met her sister-in-law’s gaze for an instant, and then turned away as if she didn’t want to hear whatever she was trying to say. She turned to Rosalin. “Jo is right. You have nothing to fear from my brother—reputation notwithstanding.” She smiled cheekily. “Besides, with the way Boyd looks at you, I suspect he’d kill James for frowning at you the wrong way.”
Rosalin tried not to blush but couldn’t help but be pleased that Elizabeth had noticed. Elizabeth stood near the window peering out into the yard. “Your Boyd is quite handsome in a fierce, imposing sort of way. Every time he arrives with James he causes quite a stir. All the young women from the village are quite put out, you know. There’s been a lot of talk.”
“Gossip, you mean,” Joanna said sternly. “You should not listen to the maidservants, Lizzie.”
Rosalin was dying to ask her what they were saying but managed to refrain.
Elizabeth moved away from the window, and Rosalin had to resist the urge to jump up and change places with her, realizing that Robbie was probably outside.
“How else would I learn anything?” Elizabeth grinned.
They spoke of other matters for a while, but eventually Rosalin managed to find a way to ask Joanna something that had piqued her curiosity the first time she’d heard James Douglas greet his wife, and then again today. “Joanna, what doesmo ghrámean?”
Joanna smiled. “It’s a term of affection—an endearment. It means ‘my love.’”
Rosalin felt her heart rise up high in her chest and lock in her throat, cutting off her breath.My love. Not “my beautiful one.” The sneaky devil! He’d lied to her!Lied!
And she’d never been more happy in her life. He did love her. Her unease about his reasons for marrying faded away, and all that remained was happiness and excitement. She couldn’t wait for Cliff’s response to arrive.
Robbie felt as if his soul had been trapped halfway between heaven and hell, and the devil and God were battling over his fate. The wait for Clifford’s response was agonizing. The separation from Rosalin was unbearable. Literally. As in he couldn’t bear it any longer.
