Rhoswyn did, but she was prejudiced. She really did want Gar to have a solid Scots wife, not a polished English bride. Women like that had never accepted Rhoswyn easily and she was just a little biased. But the marriage had commenced and there was no going back.
No matter how torn she was.
“I suppose,” she said.
Troy kissed her before dropping his hand from her face. “Come inside with me,” he said. “I think that my mother is taking Mattie around to show her the castle, but it would be nice if you went along, also. I’m sure the girl thinks that you do not like her, considering the way you left things.”
“Does Gar think that?”
“Probably.”
Rhoswyn winced. “Well, I canna have that,” she said. “I’ll go find the women.”
Troy nodded, giving her an encouraging smile. “Everything will be well, I promise,” he said. “Gar truly likes his new wife. She makes him happy. Give her a chance to show you that, Rhos. That’s the best thing you can hope for with your son—that the marriage makes him happy.”
Rhoswyn simply nodded as Troy winked at her and headed back toward the keep. She watched him go, thinking on his words and on the pretty lass her son had married.
Give her a chance to show you.
Rhoswyn supposed that was only fair. She would give the English lass the chance that other Englishwomen had never given her. Even if she’d had a rocky experience with some English-born women, that didn’t mean she would have one with Mattie. And, as Troy had said, Gar’s happiness meant everything.
That was all that mattered.
With a sigh, Rhoswyn headed off to find the women and her new daughter-in-law.
She had some amends to make.
CHAPTER TEN
“What’s amiss, Poppy?”Gar asked as he settled down with a cup of wine at a feasting table that had seen better days. “What things did you hear? And shouldn’t Papa be here, too?”
William was seated beside his grandson, a full cup of wine in hand. “He will return in a moment,” he said. “Meanwhile, your wife is with Matha and is well tended for now. We have business to attend to.”
“Where is Reed? I thought he would be here.”
“I sent him and Linus back to Hell’s Guardhouse,” William said. “With Andreas away, his castle was in need of a couple of strong knights. They were more than happy to go.”
Gar grunted. “Dray will be lucky if Reed relinquishes command.”
“I think Dray can convince him otherwise should it come to it,” William said. “Dray is meaner and bigger and more experienced than Reed. That is why he is needed here, Gar. His sword is worth as much as two junior knights.”
That was true. Andreas was nothing to be trifled with and not even power-hungry Reed could truly stand against him if it camedown to it. But the way William declared that Andreas would be needed more at Gleann na Fola had Gar a little worried.
That meant something was in the air.
Gar took a big drink from his cup as he looked around the table at the other knights now gathered. His Uncle Scott was directly across from him, seated next to his son, Tor. Next to Tor were Uncle Blayth and Andreas. As they sat there, waiting for Troy to return, someone else entered the great hall.
The mere sight made Gar grin.
Atreus de Norville came to the top of the stairs, his gaze seeking out the table with the men around it. Atreus was the son of William’s daughter, Evelyn, and her husband, Hector, who was the son of William’s best friend, Paris de Norville. Atreus had a younger brother, Hermes, and the two of them were well known in the north. The stories of their antics, their fighting—against enemies or each other—were positively legendary. Wilder, braver, and more reckless knights had never existed and Gar was glad to see that one half of the duo was now at his disposal.
He stood up to greet him.
“Atreus,” he said, embracing a man who was quite literally family. “’Tis good to see you, lad. When did you arrive?”
Atreus hugged Gar so hard that he caused the man to grunt as the air was forced from his lungs. “Yesterday,” he said. “What’s this I hear? You have married?”
Gar nodded, a smirk playing on his lips. “I have,” he said. “A de Reyne daughter. She has come home with me, in fact.”
