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knew the man intended to be there, only added to Efrica's unease. She slowly made her way over to where David stood beside a faintly blushing Fiona. To her relief, Fiona moved away to speak to her mother just as Efrica reached David's side.
"David, did your father say he would be here tonight?" she asked.
"Aye," he replied. "I was just wondering what might be keeping him."
After a moment of thought, Efrica told him what Lady Eleanor had said and explained why it bothered her. "All things considered, it was probably just said to make me worry, and yet—"
"Exactly. And yet. Just let me tell Fiona that I must leave but will return soon, and I will go with ye to find him."
A moment later, David was escorting her out of the great hall. The fact that he felt the need to reassure himself concerning his father's well-being made Efrica feel better about her own sense of unease. At least she would not look so foolish if Jankyn's absence proved to have a simple explanation.
"Mayhap he became caught up in his work," she said, slipping her arm through David's as they started down a dimly lit corridor.
"Nay. He was just about to bathe when I was prepared to leave. He told me to keep an eye on ye until he could get there. E'en though I kenned Lady Eleanor wouldnae be pleasant to ye, I didnae see her as any threat." He blushed. "After my father turned away from her, she tried to crawl into my bed. Thought to hurt my father, or insult him, I suspect."
"Och, David! Ye didnae!"
"Nay! ‘Twas a sore temptation, I admit, but I had already met Fiona and suspected she was the lass I have been searching for. I didnae want that adder slinking up to Fiona and whispering poison in her ear. I suspicion that is what Lady Eleanor was doing to ye, aye?"
"Weel, aye, but I ken that your father is bound to no one. 'Tis his business what he does and no one else's." She scowled at him when he snorted.
"Lie to yourself if ye wish, Efrica Callan, but dinnae expect anyone to believe it. Ye and my father fair stink of wanting whene'er ye come within sight of each other." He grinned briefly when she gasped in shock. "Dinnae get all outraged. I wasnae speaking of lusting alone, but that greater sort of wanting, lust being only a wee part of it. I dinnae ken why the two of ye dinnae stop all this dancing about and just settle down to it."
"Your father doesnae need another woman. He has had far more than his share already."
"Ach, Effie, ye ken as weel as I that those women meant naught to him. If one did, he would still be with her, wouldnae he. Ye also ken that the MacNachtons are free with their favors until they find their mates." He shrugged. "Nature of the beast, I suppose."
"Ye werenae."
"I was, though nay as free as some. But I came here to find a wife, aye? My father didnae, and trust me in this, he didnae do any wooing, or seducing, either. Nay, 'twas offered up to him from the first time he walked into the great hall. Coyly or boldly, but most decidedly freely. Being a mon with no ties, he accepted. If the two of ye would cease playing whate'er strange game ye are playing, there would be no more offers accepted."
"I love the sun," she whispered, unable to deny David's insights.
David stopped and looked at her, his hands on his hips. "So does Bridget and her bairns. Whene'er the sun deigns to shine, they go outside. I thought ye accepted what we are."
"Dinnae be an idiot. Of course I—" She tensed and grasped him by the arm. "Did ye hear that?" she asked, but could sense by the tension in his body that he did. "Steel on steel."
"Your ears are sharper than mine, I think. From what direction does it come?"
After listening carefully for a moment, Efrica gasped. "From the direction of Jankyn's chambers."
David disappeared into the shadows and began to move with a silent speed that deeply impressed Efrica, who was hard-pressed to keep up with him. It was definitely a MacNachton trait one could envy. She nearly ran into him when he stopped
"David, did your father say he would be here tonight?" she asked.
"Aye," he replied. "I was just wondering what might be keeping him."
After a moment of thought, Efrica told him what Lady Eleanor had said and explained why it bothered her. "All things considered, it was probably just said to make me worry, and yet—"
"Exactly. And yet. Just let me tell Fiona that I must leave but will return soon, and I will go with ye to find him."
A moment later, David was escorting her out of the great hall. The fact that he felt the need to reassure himself concerning his father's well-being made Efrica feel better about her own sense of unease. At least she would not look so foolish if Jankyn's absence proved to have a simple explanation.
"Mayhap he became caught up in his work," she said, slipping her arm through David's as they started down a dimly lit corridor.
"Nay. He was just about to bathe when I was prepared to leave. He told me to keep an eye on ye until he could get there. E'en though I kenned Lady Eleanor wouldnae be pleasant to ye, I didnae see her as any threat." He blushed. "After my father turned away from her, she tried to crawl into my bed. Thought to hurt my father, or insult him, I suspect."
"Och, David! Ye didnae!"
"Nay! ‘Twas a sore temptation, I admit, but I had already met Fiona and suspected she was the lass I have been searching for. I didnae want that adder slinking up to Fiona and whispering poison in her ear. I suspicion that is what Lady Eleanor was doing to ye, aye?"
"Weel, aye, but I ken that your father is bound to no one. 'Tis his business what he does and no one else's." She scowled at him when he snorted.
"Lie to yourself if ye wish, Efrica Callan, but dinnae expect anyone to believe it. Ye and my father fair stink of wanting whene'er ye come within sight of each other." He grinned briefly when she gasped in shock. "Dinnae get all outraged. I wasnae speaking of lusting alone, but that greater sort of wanting, lust being only a wee part of it. I dinnae ken why the two of ye dinnae stop all this dancing about and just settle down to it."
"Your father doesnae need another woman. He has had far more than his share already."
"Ach, Effie, ye ken as weel as I that those women meant naught to him. If one did, he would still be with her, wouldnae he. Ye also ken that the MacNachtons are free with their favors until they find their mates." He shrugged. "Nature of the beast, I suppose."
"Ye werenae."
"I was, though nay as free as some. But I came here to find a wife, aye? My father didnae, and trust me in this, he didnae do any wooing, or seducing, either. Nay, 'twas offered up to him from the first time he walked into the great hall. Coyly or boldly, but most decidedly freely. Being a mon with no ties, he accepted. If the two of ye would cease playing whate'er strange game ye are playing, there would be no more offers accepted."
"I love the sun," she whispered, unable to deny David's insights.
David stopped and looked at her, his hands on his hips. "So does Bridget and her bairns. Whene'er the sun deigns to shine, they go outside. I thought ye accepted what we are."
"Dinnae be an idiot. Of course I—" She tensed and grasped him by the arm. "Did ye hear that?" she asked, but could sense by the tension in his body that he did. "Steel on steel."
"Your ears are sharper than mine, I think. From what direction does it come?"
After listening carefully for a moment, Efrica gasped. "From the direction of Jankyn's chambers."
David disappeared into the shadows and began to move with a silent speed that deeply impressed Efrica, who was hard-pressed to keep up with him. It was definitely a MacNachton trait one could envy. She nearly ran into him when he stopped
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