Page 8 of Scottish Rose: Coira

“I . . . I . . . nay, my lord.” Coira lowered her head, feeling ashamed of her reaction. Still, her body shook with fear.

“I think what we all need is a good meal and a tankard of ale,” said Lance, yawning at the end of his sentence. “Come. We’ll go to the great hall.”

Coira let him lead her away, glancing back to Zara, silently begging her to follow and not leave her alone with the man.

“Go on, Coira. I’ll make sure our things get to our bedchamber.” Zara nodded and waved her hand through the air.

“Jack, take my wife’s things to my solar,” Lance called over his shoulder. “She’ll be staying with me now that we’re married.”

“But – but my handmaid,” said Coira, terrified of thinking of spending the night alone with the man. He was a stranger to her even though they were married. Coira’s head filled with all sorts of thoughts, every one of them being that she had made a mistake by agreeing to this alliance.

“The gypsy – Zara,” said Lance, stressing her name, “can sleep in any of the empty rooms she chooses. But you are my wife, and I don’t want anyone else in my bedchamber but you.”

“Aye, my lord,” said Coira, since she didn’t have a choice.

“The reason I was late to the wedding was that I wanted to clean up the surroundings of my new castle,” he explained. “It looked like a battle had taken place here, and everything was so disheveled.”

“Ye have no idea how right ye are.” Coira took a deep breath and released it, remembering when Aidan had come to this courtyard to help Effie and her escape. It was as if the stones in the walls of the castle could talk and she heard every voice from the past echoing in her head at once. She stopped and closed her eyes, willing the bad memories to leave her.

“Ah, I see you must be feeling the effects of the Mountain Magic as well,” said Lance. “Come, Coira, we will have something to eat and then we will retire early to the bedchamber.”

“The – the bedchamber?” asked Coira, looking over her shoulder for Zara for strength. Zara was talking with Lance’s squire, showing him which bags were hers and which ones were Coira’s.

“My lord, you’ve returned.” A man approached and bowed his head.

“Godfrey, this is my new wife, Coira,” said Lance.

“My lady.” Godfrey bowed to her as well. He was a tall man with blond hair, about the same age as her husband.

“Och, I’m no’ a lady,” said Coira, being taken by surprise.

“Aye, you are, now that you are married to me.” Lance reached up and tenderly caressed her cheek. Then he looked at his hand, lowered it and tried to wipe off the dirt on his tunic. “Godfrey is my steward,” he told Coira. “Godfrey, see to it that the meal is served anon. And I want a hot bath sent to my bedchamber afterward. I cannot take my new bride to the wedding bed while I am caked with dirt.”

“Or smelling like whisky,” mumbled Zara, walking past them with a canvas bag in her hands. Jack was right behind her, carrying Coira’s trunk that held some of her things as well as cloth and spices that were part of her dowry.

“I think I could use some ale,” Coira interrupted, not wanting her new husband to become angry with Zara.

“Aye. I think we all can use some.” Lance led her to the dais and pulled out the chair for her to sit. No one had ever done this for her before.

“Thank ye,” she said, looking up at Lance as she sat down. When his blue eyes met hers, she quickly looked away. How was she going to consummate the marriage when she couldn’t even look into his eyes? She wished she were anywhere other than Liddel Castle and, mayhap then, she’d have the courage she needed.

The food was served faster than she expected. The hall filled up with Lance’s men, servants, and even an occasional lady that was married to one of the knights. Coira spied Zara sitting at one of the long tables closest to the kitchen. She conversed with Jack and some of the others while she ate. Coira tried to get her attention, but she wasn’t looking in her direction.

“Is there something more interesting across the hall than there is right here?” Lance asked, making her jump in her seat.

“Nay, my lord.” She looked down to her trencher and pushed her food around with her spoon.

“Tell me about yourself, Coira.”

“Me?” She glanced up at him and then back over to Zara. She had a hard time talking to men in general. Now that she was married to a stranger, it only caused more anxiety. Why couldn’t she be brave and outgoing like her sister, Effie?

“What is it you’re afraid of? Is it me?” He brought the tankard up to his mouth to take a drink and perused her over the rim.

How could she tell him it wasn’t only him but so much more? She found herself tongue-tied, not wanting to talk about her past experiences at Liddel Castle. Instead, she decided to talk about him.

“I dinna ken ye, and yet we are married. Aye, that scares me . . . as well as other things, my lord.”

“Don’t be frightened.” His hand covered hers, sharing his warmth. When she quickly glanced up at him, she saw him smiling down at her. “I assure you, in time you will feel comfortable here.”