“I’ve nothing to say to ye.” He continued to gather his things without looking at her.
“I don’t want it to be like this between us,” she said.
“You’re my wife,” he said, “and ye don’t have to like it.”
“Let me understand the terms of this marriage,” she said, becoming irritated.
“What don’t ye understand?” he asked, turning eyes like green ice on her.
“Am I to warm your bed, bear you an heir, and that is all?”
“Aye,” he said, holding her gaze as he shoved another dirk into his belt.
Without another word, he turned and strode out of the room.
A short time later, Alison stood on the steps of the keep watching the men prepare to ride out.
“Do ye know where they’re going?” she asked Will when he appeared at her side.
“To meet the Frenchman.”
“Lord D’Orsey?”
“Aye,” Will said. “David is going to force him to release my mother.”
Alarm ran through her.
“I asked to go,” Will said, “but David said my turn will come later.”
“What does he intend to do?”
“I don’t know,” Will said, “but I heard the men say ’tis a bold plan. Perhaps his boldest yet, though it would be hard to surpass what he did in Edinburgh.”
Alison flew down the steps. She had to stop him. Even her brother, with all his men, had not challenged the Crown’s forces directly.
When David saw her coming toward him, he clenched his jaw.
“Please, let me have a word in private.” She glanced at the others who were preparing to ride out with him. “I don’t want to embarrass ye in front of your men.”
“By the saints, woman,” he hissed, “ye don’t think running off with my enemy did that? For God’s sake, these are the same men who had to help me chase ye down.”
Well, she couldn’t undo that now.
“Listen to me,” she said, desperate to persuade him. “D’Orsey acts with the authority of the Crown, and he’ll have hundreds of warriors with him.”
David looked at her as if he were waiting for her to make her point. Ach, he was a stubborn, prideful man.
“Besting D’Orsey will take more than sneaking into Edinburgh in a dark cloak.”
Blurting that out was a grave error, judging by the withering glare David gave her.
“I didn’t mean that,” she said quickly. “Going into Edinburgh alone as ye did took great courage—far more than good sense would allow. But courage will not be enough to defeat D’Orsey. I’m afraid you’ll get yourself killed.”
“No wonder ye left me,” he said. “Ye have no faith in me at all.”
“I do. But even if ye prevail, what then?” she asked. “Ye know what happened to your father and uncle when they crossed the Crown’s forces.”
“No one knows that better than I,” he said in a cold voice. “It will not happen to me.”
