out of his path, and muttering followed in his wake. He pushed his way between Erik and Rhys, neither of whom granted him any quarter, then reached for Eleanor’s elbow. How did he know her?
Eleanor never glanced up, but she pulled her arm abruptly out of his reach.
“Well met, sister,” Alan said, interrupting the priest.
“Is that the truth of it?” Eleanor murmured.
“Hardly well met at all,” Alexander said, wondering at the link between these two. Were they siblings? “Have you no respect for the divine offices?”
“Earthly matters are of greater import in this moment,” Alan said, then seized Eleanor’s left hand, lifting it so that the light played in the gem Alexander had just placed upon her finger. “Ah, I see that I interrupt nuptial pledges.” His smile turned cruel as he studied Eleanor. “I always knew that you were a shrewd bitch, but this is cunning beyond expectation.”
Alexander’s sisters gasped as one. Rhys and Erik stepped forward at the insult offered to Alexander’s lady. Father Malachy caught his breath that such language would be used in church, but none had a chance to respond.
Alexander had already struck Alan. His fist landed solidly upon Alan’s nose. Alexander was not dissatisfied to hear a bone crack beneath his blow. Alan fell back, blood erupting from one nostril, and no one stepped forward to aid him.
Alan steadied himself and glanced over the watchful company. Eleanor said nothing, though her gaze flicked between the men, seemingly missing no nuance of response. Alan’s men made to move forward, but Alexander’s men blocked their progress.
Alan fingered his nose, which was swelling even as it reddened. He glared at Alexander. “I had always thought that you were not overly keen of wit.”
“And I have always found you to be devoid of chivalry, although this incident is far beyond anticipation,” Alexander retorted. “No one speaks to a noblewoman so coarsely upon my lands, much less in a chapel reliant upon my protection.”
“Amen,” said Father Malachy.
Alan only smirked. He straightened, then eyed Alexander anew. “Let me grant you some counsel, neighbor, and save you from your own error before it is fully made.”
“I do not welcome your counsel.”
“You should.” Alan snatched at Eleanor’s hand. He pulled the ring from her finger, even as she gasped in outrage, then cast it at Alexander. Alexander caught the ring, and in that same moment, Alan hauled Eleanor to his side so quickly that she stumbled. “Keep your bauble, neighbor. This bride is fatal to claim.”
“No!” Eleanor protested, and pulled her hand from Alan’s grasp.
“The choice is not yours to make,” Alan said with a snarl. He grasped her hand again and Eleanor winced as his grip was clearly harsh.
“Is Eleanor your sister?”
“Nay.”
“Is she your niece or daughter?”
Alan granted Eleanor that unpleasant smile. “She is the widow of my brother, Ewen.”
Alexander blinked at this morsel of news, then glared at Alan. “Then the choice most certainly is the lady’s to make,” he said. He seized Alan’s wrist even as that man glared at him in defiance. Alexander was younger than Alan and he did not doubt that he was stronger. Indeed, he tightened his grip steadily upon the other man’s wrist until Alan’s grasp upon Eleanor was released.
Alan swore.
Eleanor pulled herself free with haste and the red mark upon her flesh made Alexander angry.
“There is no cause to handle a woman thus!” Alexander urged the lady behind him. “You have no claim upon her, and less claim to give insult in my abode. Begone, Alan, before worse is said this day.”
Alan’s eyes narrowed. “You know little of the matter, it is clear. As my brother’s widow, and a widow whose own kin is dead, Eleanor’s future is mine to determine. I do have claim upon her, and I do intend to see justice served.”
“I owe you nothing!” Eleanor said with heat.
“The lady declines
Eleanor never glanced up, but she pulled her arm abruptly out of his reach.
“Well met, sister,” Alan said, interrupting the priest.
“Is that the truth of it?” Eleanor murmured.
“Hardly well met at all,” Alexander said, wondering at the link between these two. Were they siblings? “Have you no respect for the divine offices?”
“Earthly matters are of greater import in this moment,” Alan said, then seized Eleanor’s left hand, lifting it so that the light played in the gem Alexander had just placed upon her finger. “Ah, I see that I interrupt nuptial pledges.” His smile turned cruel as he studied Eleanor. “I always knew that you were a shrewd bitch, but this is cunning beyond expectation.”
Alexander’s sisters gasped as one. Rhys and Erik stepped forward at the insult offered to Alexander’s lady. Father Malachy caught his breath that such language would be used in church, but none had a chance to respond.
Alexander had already struck Alan. His fist landed solidly upon Alan’s nose. Alexander was not dissatisfied to hear a bone crack beneath his blow. Alan fell back, blood erupting from one nostril, and no one stepped forward to aid him.
Alan steadied himself and glanced over the watchful company. Eleanor said nothing, though her gaze flicked between the men, seemingly missing no nuance of response. Alan’s men made to move forward, but Alexander’s men blocked their progress.
Alan fingered his nose, which was swelling even as it reddened. He glared at Alexander. “I had always thought that you were not overly keen of wit.”
“And I have always found you to be devoid of chivalry, although this incident is far beyond anticipation,” Alexander retorted. “No one speaks to a noblewoman so coarsely upon my lands, much less in a chapel reliant upon my protection.”
“Amen,” said Father Malachy.
Alan only smirked. He straightened, then eyed Alexander anew. “Let me grant you some counsel, neighbor, and save you from your own error before it is fully made.”
“I do not welcome your counsel.”
“You should.” Alan snatched at Eleanor’s hand. He pulled the ring from her finger, even as she gasped in outrage, then cast it at Alexander. Alexander caught the ring, and in that same moment, Alan hauled Eleanor to his side so quickly that she stumbled. “Keep your bauble, neighbor. This bride is fatal to claim.”
“No!” Eleanor protested, and pulled her hand from Alan’s grasp.
“The choice is not yours to make,” Alan said with a snarl. He grasped her hand again and Eleanor winced as his grip was clearly harsh.
“Is Eleanor your sister?”
“Nay.”
“Is she your niece or daughter?”
Alan granted Eleanor that unpleasant smile. “She is the widow of my brother, Ewen.”
Alexander blinked at this morsel of news, then glared at Alan. “Then the choice most certainly is the lady’s to make,” he said. He seized Alan’s wrist even as that man glared at him in defiance. Alexander was younger than Alan and he did not doubt that he was stronger. Indeed, he tightened his grip steadily upon the other man’s wrist until Alan’s grasp upon Eleanor was released.
Alan swore.
Eleanor pulled herself free with haste and the red mark upon her flesh made Alexander angry.
“There is no cause to handle a woman thus!” Alexander urged the lady behind him. “You have no claim upon her, and less claim to give insult in my abode. Begone, Alan, before worse is said this day.”
Alan’s eyes narrowed. “You know little of the matter, it is clear. As my brother’s widow, and a widow whose own kin is dead, Eleanor’s future is mine to determine. I do have claim upon her, and I do intend to see justice served.”
“I owe you nothing!” Eleanor said with heat.
“The lady declines
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