“Your brother, Laird…not Father Petros, but the other one. We’d gone tae fetch supper and came back just as he left your son’s room. The poor bairn was crying and your lady holding him in her arms, trembling from head tae foot—”
“By God, I will kill him.”
CHAPTER12
Roger lunged down the tower steps, so furious that all he’d mustered to the wide-eyed maidservant was a terse command to remain with Julianna before he had stormed from his bedchamber.
Other startled servants scattered out of his way as he strode across the foyer and into the great hall, the torchlit space already empty after the evening meal.
Empty except for William and Evander sitting near a fireplace massive enough to warm much of the room, their backs to him and their exchange growing heated.
“You’re a fool tae have gone tae Aran’s room!” came Evander’s voice, only to be answered by William’s mocking laugh.
“Why? Julianna is our sister now, aye? Why wouldna I wish tae see how Roger’s son is faring and his English wife, too? I welcomed her tae the family, is all—”
“All?” Roger roared in disbelief, both men jumping up from their chairs to face him. “Why, then, did the servants find my son wailing and my wife shaking with fright?”
No answer readily came, though he could see William’s jaw had tightened, Evander glancing from him to Roger.
“I told William tae leave her alone—a sick child in her care and four days tending tae him—”
“The boy looked fine tae me,” William countered, lifting his ale cup to Roger. “You should be glad and not blustering like a jealous husband that I paid her a visit. Let’s drink tae Aran’s renewed health!”
Roger stepped forward so suddenly to knock the cup from William’s hand—ale splashing high into the air—that his younger brothers looked stunned, William wiping his hand over his wet face as Roger glared at him.
“Stay away from my bride. Do you understand me? You’ve remained at Douglas Castle only by my good graces and our father’s dying request that you and Evander have a place here—but my patience with your blatant resentment is at an end. The order of your birth was ordained by God and you spit into the wind tae wish otherwise. Now get out of my sight.”
William glaring back at him, he nonetheless brushed past Roger and left the great hall while Evander sighed heavily and sank into his chair.
“You’re only making him resent you more, brother—”
“Then it’s time he go elsewhere, aye?” Roger shoved the chair that William had occupied closer to the fire, the heavy wooden legs scraping upon the stone floor with so jarring a sound that Evander grimaced.
To Roger, though, it only fueled the anger that had not lessened with William’s departure. He swore vehemently as he sat down and stared into the crackling flames.
“Gabriel MacLachlan and his men escorted us most of the way home, and he’s made an offer for William tae join him in Argyll as one of his captains. I would have told him by now if not for my son…”
Roger didn’t finish, his throat growing tight at how close he had come to losing Aran. If he and Julianna had arrived a day later or even a half day—
“I fear William will never accept your bride, Roger. You know how he hates the English. That border raid years ago awakened a bloodlust in him that has never abated…so aye, you must tell him soon of Gabriel’s offer.”
Another heavy sigh came from Evander, who rose and excused himself—Roger knew, to the chapel for evening prayers and then to bed.
Hearing his priestly brother speak of that fateful incursion into Cumberland was jarring to him, but not intentional.
Roger had purposely told Evander no more about Julianna than William, though Evander, always so perceptive, had searched his eyes as if sensing that he was keeping something from them. For William, though, it clearly hadn’t been enough so he must have sought her out to discover more about her—by God, what had he said to her to upset her so?
Roger’s hands clenched into fists, the hissing logs echoing the anger seething inside him as he vowed to himself that his brother would be on his way to Argyll within days.
No choice in the matter, the decision already made as far as Roger was concerned.
He had managed to evade William and any questions about Julianna thanks to how busy he had kept himself these past days, at her urging, which had held the worst of his anguish about Aran at bay.
Castle repairs to be made.
Retainers coming to him again with their concerns.
Training resumed in the bailey with his warriors to strengthen their battle skills, though his healing ribs had hindered him.
