wouldn’t meet Jamie’s gaze. Jamie’s curiosity grew.
“Well?”
“Och, Jamie, she wouldna come down here until I convinced her you wouldna be around. She had locked herself in the south tower and wouldna open the door to me until—”
Jamie was frowning. “You put her in the south tower?”
“Aye.”
“Why?”
Colen finally turned to his brother, and his eyes, so like Jamie’s, darkened. “I dinna like the drift of your thoughts, Jamie. I’ve told you I’ve no’ touched the lass. Nor will I till she’s my wife. I dinna know if she’s a maiden. I didna ask. But it doesna matter to me if she is or no’.”
Jamie didn’t apologize. He was simply relieved. “What else was I to think, lad, when you kept her locked in your room?”
“But I slept elsewhere.”
“Very well. Why did you move her?”
“She didna like staying in my room. She felt ’twas no’ proper, and she was right.”
“But why the tower? There were plenty of other rooms you could have put her in.”
“She wanted a room with a lock on the inside. Mother’s tower room is the only one.”
Jamie was amused but warned himself not to show it. The room high in the south tower was indeed the only one that could be locked from the inside. Their mother had gone there often, whenever she and Robbie argued, and she had ordered the lock just so she could annoy their father by locking him out. It was ever a source of amusement throughout the castle when it was known the south tower was occupied. Here was another woman locking herself in.
“You say the lass wouldna open the door to you. Now why is that? She may no’ want to marry you, but she seemed to like you well enough.”
Once again Colen looked away. “I came to escort her to the hall. She didna want to come. She…she was afeared of seeing you.”
Jamie’s scowl darkened. “Why?”
“Och, Jamie, I dinna ken her fear. She has more spunk at times than any lass I know. Then, of a sudden, this crazy fear takes hold of her—like last night. It took me hours to coax her to leave the tower this morning. And she only consented when I swore she wouldna be seeing you. Yet here you are. Why?”
“Never mind why,” Jamie replied curtly, his anger mounting. “Does the lass want to leave here or no’?”
“She does.”
“So I thought. Then her avoiding me doesna make sense. She needs to talk with me if she wants the matter settled.”
“She knows that,” Colen replied. “Have you made a decision?”
“Bring her here.”
“Now?” Colen frowned.
“Aye, now.”
“But you’re riled, Jamie,” Colen protested. “Dinna send her away just because she displeases you.”
Jamie leaned back and sighed. “She angers me with her fear of me, ’tis true, for I did naught tocause it. But I’ll no’ send her away for that. I’ve heard your arguments, Colen. Now I’ll hear hers.”
“But she has none, none that make any sense.” Colen pressed his cause. “In good conscience, Jamie, you canna send her back to a beggar’s life.”
“If she stays, lad, there’s no guarantee she’ll marry you,” Jamie pointed out.
“I know. But I’d rather see her settled here, even married to another, than prey to scoundrels on the streets of Aberdeen. She’s too lovely for that.”
“’Tis glad I am to hear you say that, for I dinna want to see you hurt,” Jamie replied thoughtfully. “’Tis well you realize now that, if she stays, you’ll no’ be the only one trying to win her. Many will fall under the spell of her beauty, just as you have.”
“I’ve no doubt of that.” Colen grinned, apparently unconcerned.
Jamie was reflective for a moment, then decided to admit, “’Tis only fair I warn you, lad—she has an effect on me, as well.”
Colen raised a brow, then chuckled. “I dinna know why that should surprise me. So! No wonder her fear of you riles you.”
“That we should both desire the same woman is no’ a laughing matter,” Jamie said gruffly.
“I
“Well?”
“Och, Jamie, she wouldna come down here until I convinced her you wouldna be around. She had locked herself in the south tower and wouldna open the door to me until—”
Jamie was frowning. “You put her in the south tower?”
“Aye.”
“Why?”
Colen finally turned to his brother, and his eyes, so like Jamie’s, darkened. “I dinna like the drift of your thoughts, Jamie. I’ve told you I’ve no’ touched the lass. Nor will I till she’s my wife. I dinna know if she’s a maiden. I didna ask. But it doesna matter to me if she is or no’.”
Jamie didn’t apologize. He was simply relieved. “What else was I to think, lad, when you kept her locked in your room?”
“But I slept elsewhere.”
“Very well. Why did you move her?”
“She didna like staying in my room. She felt ’twas no’ proper, and she was right.”
“But why the tower? There were plenty of other rooms you could have put her in.”
“She wanted a room with a lock on the inside. Mother’s tower room is the only one.”
Jamie was amused but warned himself not to show it. The room high in the south tower was indeed the only one that could be locked from the inside. Their mother had gone there often, whenever she and Robbie argued, and she had ordered the lock just so she could annoy their father by locking him out. It was ever a source of amusement throughout the castle when it was known the south tower was occupied. Here was another woman locking herself in.
“You say the lass wouldna open the door to you. Now why is that? She may no’ want to marry you, but she seemed to like you well enough.”
Once again Colen looked away. “I came to escort her to the hall. She didna want to come. She…she was afeared of seeing you.”
Jamie’s scowl darkened. “Why?”
“Och, Jamie, I dinna ken her fear. She has more spunk at times than any lass I know. Then, of a sudden, this crazy fear takes hold of her—like last night. It took me hours to coax her to leave the tower this morning. And she only consented when I swore she wouldna be seeing you. Yet here you are. Why?”
“Never mind why,” Jamie replied curtly, his anger mounting. “Does the lass want to leave here or no’?”
“She does.”
“So I thought. Then her avoiding me doesna make sense. She needs to talk with me if she wants the matter settled.”
“She knows that,” Colen replied. “Have you made a decision?”
“Bring her here.”
“Now?” Colen frowned.
“Aye, now.”
“But you’re riled, Jamie,” Colen protested. “Dinna send her away just because she displeases you.”
Jamie leaned back and sighed. “She angers me with her fear of me, ’tis true, for I did naught tocause it. But I’ll no’ send her away for that. I’ve heard your arguments, Colen. Now I’ll hear hers.”
“But she has none, none that make any sense.” Colen pressed his cause. “In good conscience, Jamie, you canna send her back to a beggar’s life.”
“If she stays, lad, there’s no guarantee she’ll marry you,” Jamie pointed out.
“I know. But I’d rather see her settled here, even married to another, than prey to scoundrels on the streets of Aberdeen. She’s too lovely for that.”
“’Tis glad I am to hear you say that, for I dinna want to see you hurt,” Jamie replied thoughtfully. “’Tis well you realize now that, if she stays, you’ll no’ be the only one trying to win her. Many will fall under the spell of her beauty, just as you have.”
“I’ve no doubt of that.” Colen grinned, apparently unconcerned.
Jamie was reflective for a moment, then decided to admit, “’Tis only fair I warn you, lad—she has an effect on me, as well.”
Colen raised a brow, then chuckled. “I dinna know why that should surprise me. So! No wonder her fear of you riles you.”
“That we should both desire the same woman is no’ a laughing matter,” Jamie said gruffly.
“I
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