Cassian (The Immortal Highland Centurions #2) - Jayne Castel Page 0,33
need to get word to Maximus and Draco.
Cassian would go to the mithraeum and ask one of the guardians to deliver an urgent message to his friends. However, since the Kirk of the Holy Rude would be locked up for the night, he’d need to wait till dawn to do so.
“Loose-lipped woman,” De Keith snarled at his wife as she followed him up the stairs into the keep. “Never interrupt when men are speaking.”
“I was only trying to help ye, David,” Lady Gavina replied. Her voice was soft, with a pleading note to it. “Edward is a dangerous man … can ye not see it?”
“English dog,” David spat out the words. “I know how to deal with him.”
“By insulting him?”
De Keith turned so quickly that his wife stumbled in an effort not to collide with him. Grabbing hold of her shoulders, he shook her hard. “Folk will have called that bastard worse.”
Cassian drew close. He’d never seen the laird manhandle his wife before, but he wouldn’t stand by if De Keith got any rougher.
“But, David … ye must play the game,” Lady Elizabeth spoke up, her voice low. She halted beside them. The lady’s face was pale, her eyes dark with anger as she faced him. “We must convince Edward to release Robert.”
“I tire of women telling me what to do,” David countered, not bothering to keep his tone low. His fingers dug into his wife’s shoulders. Gavina winced and tried to pull away, yet her husband held her fast. “And if the pair of ye don’t mind yer tongues, I’ll leave ye behind when I meet Longshanks again.”
“De Keith.” Cassian stepped close then, invading his laird’s personal space. “Release your wife … and let us go inside. This is not a conversation you should be having out here.”
David De Keith cast him a scowl, hesitating a moment. But Cassian’s own stare bored into him. Realizing that he was indeed on the verge of making an ugly scene, the laird reluctantly let go of Lady Gavina and stepped back from her.
Then, with a muttered curse, De Keith swiveled on his heel and stormed into the keep.
“This castle has its secrets, let me tell ye … I’ve lived here a few years now, but I still hear tales that surprise me.” The young woman leaned close to Aila, her blue eyes widening and an impish smile curving her lips. “Would ye like a tour?”
Aila hesitated. She’d just finished helping Lady Gavina prepare for bed. Her mistress had been subdued tonight, but when Aila asked if anything was amiss, she’d denied it.
She imagined the banquet with Edward had been a tense affair. Aila had gently inquired as to what the English king was like, and Lady Gavina had given her a weary look. “No worse than I expected … at least he behaved better than my husband this eve.”
The comment had intrigued Aila, but since Gavina refused to elaborate on it, she’d emerged from the lady’s chamber frustrated. She had a small room next door to her mistress’s and was expected to retire to it.
But despite the long day, Aila didn’t feel tired. Despite that the sight of all those hauberk-clad English warriors frightened her, she didn’t want to lock herself away. Curiosity overcame nervousness. She longed to explore the keep a little. And so, she’d made her way down to the kitchens: a huge cavernous space carved out in the cellar of the keep, where four large hearths glowed and the air was fragrant with the scent of freshly baked bread.
It was there she’d met Fyfa—the wife of Stirling Castle’s steward—and the pair of them were just finishing a supper of warm currant buns smeared with rich butter. Rarely had Aila tasted anything so delicious.
Sensing Aila’s reluctance to accept her offer, Fyfa rose to her feet, tossed her dark-auburn hair back off her shoulders, and brushed the crumbs from her skirts. “Come on … Hume lets me go wherever I like in the castle … and it’s bonny at night.”
Aila still hesitated. “Is it safe?”
“Of course … this is still our castle. Longshanks is merely an unwelcome guest.”
Impressed by Fyfa’s fiery response, Aila stood up. She had to stop being so timid. Lady Gavina would be fast asleep now and wouldn’t need her till dawn. What would a stroll around the castle hurt? Especially since she’d be with the steward’s wife.
They alighted the stairs from the kitchens and left the keep, emerging into the torch-lit inner-bailey beyond. It was a lovely