Anice thanked her generous hosts and attempted to hurry their departure.
But Laird Godric attempted to stay their plans. “Will you not hunt with me in the forest tomorrow morn?”
Malcolm hated to give up the hunt. Anice looked as though she would cut him in two if he proposed staying the night. “We must decline your generous invite, but we need travel further if we are to arrive at a timely manner at Brecken,” Malcolm sorely regretting saying.
Participating in the hunt was tempting. Malcolm had wanted to with King Henry, as avid a hunter as the king, Malcolm, and his brothers were. But their time had been cut short. If they stayed, they’d not leave until midday after partaking of the deer they managed to kill. He could see Angus and Dougald hoping he’d agree and recommend they stay the night. But he knew the reason Laird Godric offered was to give Wulfric more time to woo the lady.
Malcolm should have curbed his own desire and been more considerate of Anice’s needs, but wouldn’t she favor sleeping in a bed the night and having a hot meal the next day before they journeyed again? And Mai? What about her?
Clearing his throat, Malcolm said, “But then again we would—”
“Need to be going,” Anice finished for him.
“Mayhap if the lady does not like to hunt,” Lady Godric said, “we could prepare a warm bath for her, and afterwards the ladies of my court will entertain her.”
“I thought she would hunt,” Wulfric said.
“You have a bow and quivers, milady.” Malcolm still wanted to change her mind. “So I assumed you hunt.”
“Two legged creatures should they attack.” Her green eyes narrowed like a cat’s that readied to pounce on a rat, but there was also hurt reflected in their depths. Even Mai seemed upset that the subject was going in this direction.
“Mayhap you already hunted with His Grace, but my brothers and I did not have a chance, Lady Anice.” He should have dropped the subject at that point, but Malcolm hoped he’d find sympathy for their cause. If she chose not to hunt, she would be safe in the care of Laird Godric’s ladies and out of his son’s reach.
“May I speak with you alone for a moment?” Anice’s words bristled with the nettle sting of her tongue, not a question but a command.
“Aye.” He walked her outside of the keep, while Mai followed behind. “Milady, I beg your forgiveness for asking, but my brothers and I would verra much like to hunt if you would but permit us to do so. It would give Mai a chance to rest—”
“Leave me out of this quarrel, milaird,” Mai said, briskly.
Anice took a deep breath, but blush tinged her cheeks, and her eyes were on fire. When she spoke, it was with the utmost calm, yet he sensed the barely contained anger she harbored. “You must do that which is in your heart, milaird. Mai and I will continue on our way. Once you are through with your hunt you may join us.”
She stalked off to her horse with Mai hurrying to catch up.
Malcolm cursed under his breath more for riling her, than not getting to hunt. Her situation at home could be dire, and nothing but the need for food and rest should deter them. He dashed back into the keep.
“Laird Godric, we take our leave. Again, we thank you for your generosity.” Then he ran back out of the keep while Dougald and Angus chased after him.
“She cannot mean to leave without us,” Angus shouted when Anice and Mai headed through the gate.
“She is verra stubborn. I cannot see why one day to hunt...” Malcolm shook his head. He knew why, but ‘twas one of the reasons he wished to be the laird of his own castle. Then he could do as he pleased.
He mounted his horse, then kicked it to a gallop, reaching the lady who cantered down the road within a few minutes. Mai dropped back and Dougald hurried past them to take the lead. Why couldn’t the woman have argued with him further? He would have
But Laird Godric attempted to stay their plans. “Will you not hunt with me in the forest tomorrow morn?”
Malcolm hated to give up the hunt. Anice looked as though she would cut him in two if he proposed staying the night. “We must decline your generous invite, but we need travel further if we are to arrive at a timely manner at Brecken,” Malcolm sorely regretting saying.
Participating in the hunt was tempting. Malcolm had wanted to with King Henry, as avid a hunter as the king, Malcolm, and his brothers were. But their time had been cut short. If they stayed, they’d not leave until midday after partaking of the deer they managed to kill. He could see Angus and Dougald hoping he’d agree and recommend they stay the night. But he knew the reason Laird Godric offered was to give Wulfric more time to woo the lady.
Malcolm should have curbed his own desire and been more considerate of Anice’s needs, but wouldn’t she favor sleeping in a bed the night and having a hot meal the next day before they journeyed again? And Mai? What about her?
Clearing his throat, Malcolm said, “But then again we would—”
“Need to be going,” Anice finished for him.
“Mayhap if the lady does not like to hunt,” Lady Godric said, “we could prepare a warm bath for her, and afterwards the ladies of my court will entertain her.”
“I thought she would hunt,” Wulfric said.
“You have a bow and quivers, milady.” Malcolm still wanted to change her mind. “So I assumed you hunt.”
“Two legged creatures should they attack.” Her green eyes narrowed like a cat’s that readied to pounce on a rat, but there was also hurt reflected in their depths. Even Mai seemed upset that the subject was going in this direction.
“Mayhap you already hunted with His Grace, but my brothers and I did not have a chance, Lady Anice.” He should have dropped the subject at that point, but Malcolm hoped he’d find sympathy for their cause. If she chose not to hunt, she would be safe in the care of Laird Godric’s ladies and out of his son’s reach.
“May I speak with you alone for a moment?” Anice’s words bristled with the nettle sting of her tongue, not a question but a command.
“Aye.” He walked her outside of the keep, while Mai followed behind. “Milady, I beg your forgiveness for asking, but my brothers and I would verra much like to hunt if you would but permit us to do so. It would give Mai a chance to rest—”
“Leave me out of this quarrel, milaird,” Mai said, briskly.
Anice took a deep breath, but blush tinged her cheeks, and her eyes were on fire. When she spoke, it was with the utmost calm, yet he sensed the barely contained anger she harbored. “You must do that which is in your heart, milaird. Mai and I will continue on our way. Once you are through with your hunt you may join us.”
She stalked off to her horse with Mai hurrying to catch up.
Malcolm cursed under his breath more for riling her, than not getting to hunt. Her situation at home could be dire, and nothing but the need for food and rest should deter them. He dashed back into the keep.
“Laird Godric, we take our leave. Again, we thank you for your generosity.” Then he ran back out of the keep while Dougald and Angus chased after him.
“She cannot mean to leave without us,” Angus shouted when Anice and Mai headed through the gate.
“She is verra stubborn. I cannot see why one day to hunt...” Malcolm shook his head. He knew why, but ‘twas one of the reasons he wished to be the laird of his own castle. Then he could do as he pleased.
He mounted his horse, then kicked it to a gallop, reaching the lady who cantered down the road within a few minutes. Mai dropped back and Dougald hurried past them to take the lead. Why couldn’t the woman have argued with him further? He would have
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