“You…eat.”
She looked like a squirrel with her cheeks so full of bread. Gabriel hoped she wouldn’t choke as he obliged her and ate what she’d given him, but when she offered him the half empty bowl, his guard went up.
What was she thinking? What was she plotting? He could almost hear her mind whirling as she glanced from him to the door as if gauging how fast she could run there. To thwart her, he edged the chair closer to the bed and straddled her legs with his knees, all the while finishing the delicious soup in two hearty gulps.
When he lowered the bowl, he saw that she was glowering at him, which almost made him laugh aloud.
Aye, it was a fine game of chess the two of them were playing now, and he wondered how long it would take before she realized he knew exactly what she was up to.
Her ruse discovered. Her lunacy feigned. He was tempted to end the charade right then and there, but in truth he was enjoying himself by playing along—and besides, the day was still young.
What else could he do to soothe her, to calm her fears, and mayhap have her come to the understanding that she hadn’t been married to a monster at all? She had eaten, thankfully, one crisis averted, and without a doubt her constitution was stronger than Clovis had imagined, to go without food for several days.
Poor wee lass? He had expected to find her abed, pale and weak, and not wrestling on the floor with one of his maidservants. Poor Donella and her stinging scalp was more the truth of it!
“You…go away.”
Gabriel had to stifle a chuckle at the defiant lift of her chin, though her eyes held more than a hint of concern now at whatheintended to do next.
He longed so much for the day when she would speak to him in a normal fashion, but he knew just sitting there with her would get them no closer.
He glanced across the room to the carved armoire his brother had imported from France, the ornate furnishing still filled with gowns that had belonged to Anna.
His sister-in-law had been a bit taller than Magdalene, but very close to the same size. Magdalene needed to change clothes, but since Donella and Euna had flown off to who knew where, the task was left to him.
“Did they show you what was in the armoire?” he asked as nonchalantly as he could, setting the empty bowl on the floor and rising from the chair. “Sister Agnes told me you had only a few gowns, but there are plenty more for you tae choose from. They once belonged tae my sister-in-law, God rest her, the finest gowns you’ll see anywhere. Come, let’s get you dressed so we can go for a ride.”
She looked from him to the armoire, and as if suddenly guessing what he intended to do, she began to shift backward upon the bed. He caught her, not roughly but firmly, and drew her up to stand in front of him.
“Go on. Pick out a gown and change. I’ll be right here tae help you.”
Her eyes widening, Gabriel thought she might attempt to flee again for she glanced past him to the door.
“Maggie, dinna you want tae enjoy some fresh air? I’ll even let you ride your own horse. Would that please you?”
She glanced back at him so sharply that he chuckled, knowing full well she had taken the bait.
He might regret it. Her riding skill was already well proven, but he was anxious to show her some of why he’d agreed to take her as his bride.
If there was any way to earn her trust and put an end to the ruse she seemed determined to continue, a ride into the village was a good place to start.
“Here, I’ll pick out a gown for you—”
“No!”
She pushed against him so suddenly that he staggered backward, Magdalene once again proving to him that she was anything but predictable.
She flew to the armoire and flung open the doors, wildly rummaging through the gowns and even tossing several onto the floor. Her outcry told him that she had found the one she wanted, the same gown that she’d worn during the journey from the convent.
The blue fabric still water-stained from her thwarted attempt to escape across a creek, which told him then—Gabriel sighing heavily—that she must have another such plan in mind.
She positioned one of the doors of the armoire so she could dress behind it, hidden from his view, and in only moments she was ready to go after digging for a pair of slippers in a lower drawer. With a flourish, she whisked around her shoulders the same cloak that she’d worn, too, and then hastened to the bedchamber door.
“Go…please go!”
She looked so elated, almost giddy, and threw back her head to utter the same crazed laughter he’d heard before.
God help him, right then and there he almost reconsidered their outing, Gabriel deciding that the next time he saw Clovis, he might box the man’s ears.
