It was a rebuke, turning Adelaide’s pale cheeks a dull red. She was embarrassed. “I simply meant that I would have loaned her a dress, my lady.”
“Did ye, now?”
The rapid response in a doubtful tone caused Adelaide’s eyes to widen. It was clear that Lady de Wolfe, the matriarch of avery powerful family, was displeased, and even Adelaide wasn’t stupid enough to provoke her.
“I did not mean anything by it, Lady de Wolfe, truly,” she said, looking over to Maitland. “If… if I offended, I did not mean to.”
Maitland nodded, but next to her, Desmond was holding back guffaws. Only Lady de Wolfe could put Adelaide in her proper place enough for the woman to stay there. But Maitland, still trying to be polite, spoke.
“I am sure you have a beautiful wardrobe and your offer is very kind,” she said. “But for my life of piety and service, this is the best I am allowed. I am sure you understand.”
Adelaide simply turned back to her food, fearful to say anything more lest she provoke the wrath of Lady de Wolfe. As she began to eat her bread and butter, Thomas returned to the table and resumed his seat.
“Caria found a litter of puppies over near the hearth,” he told his mother. “She is very happy right now.”
Jordan turned to the hearth, straining to catch a glimpse of Caria, laying on the warm stones and letting the puppies lick all over her. She grinned.
“Ye shouldna have done that,” she said. “The lass will want tae take them all home with her.”
Thomas grinned, reaching for his cup of wine and catching a glimpse of Maitland’s trencher. It was nearly empty and he pointed to it.
“Are you satisfied, my lady?” he asked. “I can have more food brought forth if you are still hungry.”
Maitland shook her head. “I have had my fill, thank you,” she said. “It was delicious. Your cook is to be commended.”
He grinned, taking the half-empty pitcher as he filled her cup. “The cook is an old man who is twice my size, but he knows well how to cook for an army,” he said. “He served with myfather back in the days when William de Wolfe would lead his armies.”
Maitland’s attention drifted over to the handsome elderly knight, deep in conversation with Adelaide’s father. “He does not fight any longer?”
Thomas shook his head. “He is still capable for the most part, but my mother will not allow it. She says he has done his service for king and country and if he tries to go out with the army again, she’ll break both of his legs.”
Maitland laughed softly but before she could reply, Adelaide spoke. “When I am chatelaine of Wark Castle, I shall bring a cook all the way from France,” she said. “We will need a more refined cook, as I intend to do much entertaining as Lady de Wolfe. It would not do for the fine nobility of England to return to their homes and spread gossip that we have a soldier doing our cooking for us.”
Thomas heard her voice, grating on his nerves. He was certain she had said that to remind him of what her place would soon be and it only served to infuriate him.
“I am quite happy with my cook,” he said. “I have no intention of changing.”
Adelaide huffed sharply. “I was only suggesting…”
He cut her off. “I know what you were suggesting.”
He glared at her, daring her to argue with him, but it occurred to him that it would be poor behavior to display in front of Maitland. Poor behavior on his part, at any rate. He had a temper, and especially with Adelaide, and for some reason, he didn’t want Maitland to think he treated all women so shabbily.
He didn’t want her to think ill of him.
Since when did he care what others thought of him?
Taking a deep breath, Thomas calmed his building annoyance at Adelaide and struggled to be civil.
“I simply meant we can discuss it at another time,” he said evenly before returning his attention to Maitland. “Tonight, I simply wish to feast and enjoy the evening. I noticed there was a brilliant moon out tonight. The land looks as if it is bathed in silver.”
As Thomas tried to pretend that there was no issue with Lady Adelaide, Maitland was starting to see that there was more to that relationship than met the eye. Maitland was very intuitive and what she first thought was merely a guest at Wark Castle was clearly much more than that.
When I am chatelaine of Wark Castle.
That told Maitland that Lady Adelaide was something more, indeed, and the truth was that the realization caused Maitland great disappointment. It shouldn’t; she knew it shouldn’t. Thomas was a de Wolfe and commander of his own outpost, and that made him a man most worthy of the best bride. Lady Adelaide seemed to be that bride, but it was clear that Thomas had no love for the woman. Neither did Desmond. If anything, there was a good deal of animosity there and Maitland could see why. The woman, though lovely in a pale sort of way, was as friendly as a shrew.
But, God… the foolish, giddy woman in Maitland wished that Thomas was not attached.
