favor. She dared besmirch her reputation by fostering a bedraggled waif, and she had been ridiculously patient with the annoying Lord Halwart.
Would a murderess do any of those things?
Chapter 6
"I feared ye might not be coming, Rachel," Shona said.
The solar was lit with a trio of candles set high on a three-pronged iron stand which cast sleepy shadows over the upholstered couch where two of the three women sat.
"The games begin tomorrow," Rachel commented, "and I did not wish to miss seeing the men make fools of themselves over ye. By the by, who was that likely looking fellow near the door of the great hall when I arrived?''
"He is called Dugald the Dragon," Sara said, turning her gaze to where Shona sat on the floor.
"The dragon, aye?" Rachel laughed. "And is he so clever and alluring as the name suggests?"
"Aye," Shona agreed sarcastically. Even her cousin's much missed presence could not keep her from feeling grumpy when that dark-haired cur was mentioned. "He is as alluring as a boil on my a..."
Shona glanced at the three children who had long ago fallen asleep on the floor, Kelvin with his red hair tousled, Maggie beside her hound, and wee Thomas, no more than three years of age. "As a boil on my ankle," she finished poorly.
"Oh? And why is that? He looked to be quite dashing," Rachel said.
"Aye, I'd like to dash him on the head," Shona muttered.
Rachel's brows rose questioningly. "What was that?"
"I believe she said she'd like to dash him on the head," Sara replied.
"Our Shona? Surely not. Never have I met a lass who gloried in men's attention more than she.
Can ye shed some light on this, Sunshine?''
Sara laughed, at both the use of her old nickname and Rachel's shocked demeanor. "All I know is that on the night of my arrival I found Shona in some disarray..."
"Disarray? With our Shona, that might mean anything from a missing button to unleashed Bedlam."
"In actuality, it was a torn bodice and a pale-faced suitor slumped over his saddle and fleeing for his life."
"Ahh. I can only assume Pale Face was not one Dugald the Dragon."
"Nay, indeed. In fact—"
"In truth," Shona interrupted irritably, "this tale is not all that entertaining."
"I beg to differ," said Rachel. "In fact what, Sara?"
"In fact, Dugald was the one without a plaid and calling at her window well after dark."
"Without a plaid?"
"It seems he lent his to Shona."
"Truly?"
There was an evil twinkle in Sara's eye. It really wasn't fair that everyone thought her so sweet, for in truth she had a nasty side which was evidenced even now by her glee over Shona's misfortune.
After all, things just happened to Shona. She couldn't help it. And it was hardly just that her cousins, who were supposed to care for her, would feel such joy over her misadventures.
"I would not lie about something so serious," Sara said.
"I must say I rather wish I had arrived earlier," Rachel commented. "To be here to see Dragon Dugald at the window."
Shona bristled. "If ye find him so appealing, Cousin, mayhap ye should pursue him yourself. He is quite a catch. Or so he seems to think."
The room was utterly quiet, and then her cousins laughed out loud.
"It is not like her to get so prickly," Rachel said.
"Indeed not. Could it be there is something about this Dugald that our dear cousin has failed to mention."
"Mayhap."
"And mayhap ye should quit talking about me as if I'm not in the room," Shona snapped.
They laughed again. Why in the world had she been so anxious to see them? Shona wondered.
They were an irritating duo and always had been.
"Perhaps we should change the subject," Sara said. "We might provoke her to violence. I hear she's been continuing her swordsmanship lessons."
"And dunna ye forget it," Shona grumbled.
"Aye, should we vex her too greatly, we may find a half score of smitten swains threatening our existence."
"I fear my Boden might be amongst the first," Sara said, but Shona snorted.
"If I had to exist on your Boden's paltry
Would a murderess do any of those things?
Chapter 6
"I feared ye might not be coming, Rachel," Shona said.
The solar was lit with a trio of candles set high on a three-pronged iron stand which cast sleepy shadows over the upholstered couch where two of the three women sat.
"The games begin tomorrow," Rachel commented, "and I did not wish to miss seeing the men make fools of themselves over ye. By the by, who was that likely looking fellow near the door of the great hall when I arrived?''
"He is called Dugald the Dragon," Sara said, turning her gaze to where Shona sat on the floor.
"The dragon, aye?" Rachel laughed. "And is he so clever and alluring as the name suggests?"
"Aye," Shona agreed sarcastically. Even her cousin's much missed presence could not keep her from feeling grumpy when that dark-haired cur was mentioned. "He is as alluring as a boil on my a..."
Shona glanced at the three children who had long ago fallen asleep on the floor, Kelvin with his red hair tousled, Maggie beside her hound, and wee Thomas, no more than three years of age. "As a boil on my ankle," she finished poorly.
"Oh? And why is that? He looked to be quite dashing," Rachel said.
"Aye, I'd like to dash him on the head," Shona muttered.
Rachel's brows rose questioningly. "What was that?"
"I believe she said she'd like to dash him on the head," Sara replied.
"Our Shona? Surely not. Never have I met a lass who gloried in men's attention more than she.
Can ye shed some light on this, Sunshine?''
Sara laughed, at both the use of her old nickname and Rachel's shocked demeanor. "All I know is that on the night of my arrival I found Shona in some disarray..."
"Disarray? With our Shona, that might mean anything from a missing button to unleashed Bedlam."
"In actuality, it was a torn bodice and a pale-faced suitor slumped over his saddle and fleeing for his life."
"Ahh. I can only assume Pale Face was not one Dugald the Dragon."
"Nay, indeed. In fact—"
"In truth," Shona interrupted irritably, "this tale is not all that entertaining."
"I beg to differ," said Rachel. "In fact what, Sara?"
"In fact, Dugald was the one without a plaid and calling at her window well after dark."
"Without a plaid?"
"It seems he lent his to Shona."
"Truly?"
There was an evil twinkle in Sara's eye. It really wasn't fair that everyone thought her so sweet, for in truth she had a nasty side which was evidenced even now by her glee over Shona's misfortune.
After all, things just happened to Shona. She couldn't help it. And it was hardly just that her cousins, who were supposed to care for her, would feel such joy over her misadventures.
"I would not lie about something so serious," Sara said.
"I must say I rather wish I had arrived earlier," Rachel commented. "To be here to see Dragon Dugald at the window."
Shona bristled. "If ye find him so appealing, Cousin, mayhap ye should pursue him yourself. He is quite a catch. Or so he seems to think."
The room was utterly quiet, and then her cousins laughed out loud.
"It is not like her to get so prickly," Rachel said.
"Indeed not. Could it be there is something about this Dugald that our dear cousin has failed to mention."
"Mayhap."
"And mayhap ye should quit talking about me as if I'm not in the room," Shona snapped.
They laughed again. Why in the world had she been so anxious to see them? Shona wondered.
They were an irritating duo and always had been.
"Perhaps we should change the subject," Sara said. "We might provoke her to violence. I hear she's been continuing her swordsmanship lessons."
"And dunna ye forget it," Shona grumbled.
"Aye, should we vex her too greatly, we may find a half score of smitten swains threatening our existence."
"I fear my Boden might be amongst the first," Sara said, but Shona snorted.
"If I had to exist on your Boden's paltry
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