Lisette leaned her head against his shoulder as his strong arms tightened around her, and she even went so far as to wave gaily at the old priest, who waved back at her, while Conall’s incredulous curse rang in her ear.
“Do you know the caliber of the man you’ve married, lass?Mayhap Conall isna as famed as his former commander, Gabriel MacLachlan, or his older brother Cameron, but he’s as fearsome as they come on the battlefield.I’ve seen it myself from fighting alongside him!A toast tae you and your bride, Campbell!”
Conall raised his ale cup along with James Douglas, a dark-haired giant of a man who tossed down the foamy brew with one long swallow and then slammed the empty vessel upon the table.
“More ale for my honored guests and be quick about it!”
At once servants scurried to obey him, Laird Douglas’s booming command echoing from the rafters of the great hall as he leaned closer to Conall and lowered his voice.
“Didna you say your new wife understood our language?She hasna uttered a peep since we sat down at the table—och, man, look at her!I’ve rarely seen such an appetite in a lass, have you?”
Conall shook his head, feeling guilty that he hadn’t had more to offer Lisette than days’ old oakcakes since they had left the church that morning.
Sitting across from him with her hair tousled and her gown mussed from their long ride, she dug into a second bowl of venison stew, her mouth full to bursting as a platter of roast pig was offered to her.She came close to tumbling from her chair in her eagerness to skewer a slice with her table knife, while James slapped Conall on the back and roared with mirth.
“Aye, she’ll bear you sons for certain with that appetite!My wife was the same, God rest her.Have you ever seen such fine strapping lads asmysons?Stand up, the lot of you, so Laird Campbell can take a good look at you.”
Chairs grated upon the stone floor as four young men at the end of the table stood up and bowed their heads in deference to Conall, which he had never experienced before.Yet he supposed he must become accustomed to such acknowledgement now that he would soon have a castle and lands of his own.
“My eldest, Roger, just turned twenty and my heir—aye, and chomping at the bit tae become laird of Douglas Castle if I ever fall in battle,” James said in what Conall sensed was part jest, part stark reality.“Next tae him, William, barely a year between them.I’ll not part with either of the lads for if Roger doesna outlast me, then his younger brother will become the laird.”
Conall saw a look pass between Roger and William—both of them dark-haired and strapping like their father—that evidenced a simmering rivalry, but such was the way of the world.
As the youngest two of nine brothers, he and Cameron had no reason for jealousy and had always been close, their stern father having cast them out of the house as youths to make their way as hired warriors.Who would have imagined life would change so abruptly for them just from saving King Robert’s life?James must have guessed his thoughts, for once again he leaned closer to Conall.
“Aye, you and Cameron have done well for yourselves—barons now, the two of you.”
“Baron?”Conall echoed with surprise, noting that Lisette was close to finishing her stew, and mopped up the last wee bit of gravy with a crusty slice of bread.Something told him that she was listening to every word, though she focused intently upon her supper.“The king said nothing of that tae me—”
“Mayhap, but his message that you and your bride would stop here on your way north said as much—another well-deserved reward for securing his revenge against Euan MacCulloch, the fiend!Does the lass know that her once intended husband helped tae bring two of King Robert’s brothers, Thomas and Alexander, tae their doom?The poor wretches hung by the neck and then drawn and quartered, their severed heads stuck high up on pikes for all tae see?”
If James Douglas’s voice had been filled with good humor before, now he was glaring at Lisette as if daring her to answer.Conall saw her gulp and hastily swallow her food, her face flushing so bright red that he feared she might choke.A sudden rush of protectiveness overcame him, and he spoke up for her before Lisette could utter a word.
“Aye, how could she not know?She was tae marry the man, after all, but she’s my wife now and all of that is behind her.Aye, Lisette?”
She bobbed her head and shoved away her bowl, her appetite clearly having fled.One of James’s sons coughed as if to dispel the tension, a somber-looking young man with a crucifix hanging from a gold chain around his neck.
“A moment of prayer for the king’s brothers, Father?”he queried, which made James sink back against his chair and throw a look of apology at Conall.
“Forgive me, Campbell, and your lovely lady, too.It’s not her fault, just as you said—though I wish you’d cut MacCulloch’s throat as well as steal his bride.That’s my third son, Evander, who wishes tae become a priest.Say your prayers later in the chapel, lad, we’ve dampened the mood enough for our guests as it is—”
“Iwill cut his throat one day, Father, if King Robert will grant me the task!”
Conall glanced at the fourth son who looked no more than fifteen, but already stood head to head with his elder brothers.His brown hair lighter and his eyes a steely gray, the lad brandished a gleaming knife he had pulled from his belt as James threw a look of great fondness at him.
“My youngest, David.Aye, and mayhap the fiercest of spirit, too.I’m thinking of sending him north tae Campbell Castle tae train as a warrior with your brother’s men.Would Cameron have him?”
Conall nodded, though before he could speak, James rushed on.
“David’s a fine boy, but impetuous and strong-willed and far too eager tae fight, as you can see.There’s more tae being a warrior than wielding a sword, aye, Conall?At least if you want tae live long enough tae marry and sire a bairn or two—or more.By God, the hour is growing late!Go on, man, you and your new bride.If it was my wedding night all over again, I would have taken the lass tae bed already.”
Conall heard Lisette’s small gasp, but she didn’t lift her eyes even when he arose and held out his hand to her.
For all the gaiety she had shown earlier in the day, perplexing him even now at what might have lain at the heart of it, now she appeared as nervous as any bride at what lay ahead.He could see that she trembled, which made him walk around the table and help her up from her chair.
What could he say that wouldn’t fluster her further in front of James, his sons, their servants, and all the warriors, his own men and those of Clan Douglas, present in the hall?
“Come.”
