ye must offer him a better alternative.”
Evelinde lifted a brow. “Like what?”
“A good wallop around the head usually works!” The old woman dissolved into laughter.
Lara, however, rolled her eyes. “Lady Agatha means he needs some food he’ll want to eat more than milk. I’ll mash up a boiled peach, that’s usually popular with the bairns.”
Evelinde swallowed. Peaches and honeyed porridge and venison and thick gravy and hearty bread and cheese—real cheese! The foods these people ate at Oliphant Castle seemed like a feast to a woman used to making do with tubers and flatbread and pitiful vegetables from the garden.
“That would be…” She shook her head and blew out a sigh. “Thank ye.”
Cocking her head, Lara eyed her for a moment. Then, unexpectedly, she chose to sit down on the bench closest to Evelinde. She took her hand.
“Of course,” she said softly, her blue eyes sparkling. “If there’s anything I can do to make ye feel more welcome at Oliphant Castle, please tell me.”
Her gesture of kindness caused a rush of emotion, which surprised Evelinde. She gripped Lara’s hand. “I dinnae ken how ye could make me feel more welcome here.”
Lara smiled softly, as if she understood. Maybe she did. “My father died when I was young, and my mother has been the housekeeper here at the keep since then. I’m no’ one of the family, but Nessa and I have been close since we were lassies.”
Malcolm’s sister looked up from Tomas. “Aye, Lara is like a sister to me. Her brother Brohn…”
When she trailed off, Lara continued, “Brohn and I were raised with Nessa and her brothers. We were here when Malcolm and Rocque arrived; even I can remember how skittish the two of them were at first. The family can be overwhelming.”
Remembering the feast last night, Evelinde nodded emphatically.
“My point is, Evie, that ye’re one of us now. We want ye and these precious lads to be at home.”
Unexpectedly, tears pooled in Evelinde’s eyes. When she tried to pull her hand free to wipe them, Lara held tight.
“Ye do feel at home, do ye no’?” Lara whispered. “What is wrong?”
“I’m sorry,” sniffed Evelinde. “ ’Tis just…”
“She lived in a hovel,” snapped Agatha from the other side of the room. “Oh, dinnae look at me like that! We all ken it. Alistair told us where Malcolm was going, and Evelinde’s situation. Apologies, lassie,” she added cheerfully, “but we all kenned ye’d be grateful to marry the lad. ‘Tis why he chose ye, after all.”
Evelinde slowly straightened. “What?”
But Lara squeezed her hand again, dragging her attention back. “Were ye no’ happy to marry him?”
Frowning, Evelinde answered her, while still peering at Agatha, trying to figure out the old woman’s words. “Aye, I was pleased to marry him. I was just…surprised to discover who he really was. Everyone here has been verra kind.” She blew out a breath and gave Lara her full attention. “My sons and I are no’ wealthy; Lady Agatha is right. ‘Twill take time to become used to this life.”
Nessa stood, patting Tomas on the back as she bounced in place. “Malcolm didnae tell ye who he was? That he was the son of the laird?”
“Nay. I thought he was a simple warrior, albeit a scholarly one.”
“He is.” Nessa bounced some more as she grinned. “He just happens to be the son of the laird as well. ‘Tis no’ like he lied to ye.”
But he did, didn’t he?
Distracted, Evelinde kept her eye on Tomas. “He didnae tell me the truth, either. Please be careful; the bairn is likely to spit up again if ye bounce him too much.”
Nessa just scoffed. “ ’Tis all about the aim. And nay, Malcolm didnae tell ye the full truth, but it doesnae really matter, does it?”
“How could it no’ matter?” Evelinde frowned. “And what do ye mean, aim?”
At that moment, Tomas batted his fist against Nessa’s nose and burbled happily. With remarkable reflexes, Nessa thrust the bairn away from her at arm’s length, and the wee laddie’s spit up dribbled off his chin and onto the rushes on the floor.
“That’s what I mean,” Nessa said with a grin, tucking him back into her arms and wiping at his chin with the cloth. “And it doesnae matter—Malcolm no’ telling ye who his father was, I mean—because that doesnae change who he is. Ye fell in love with him when ye thought he was a simple warrior, and who his father is changes naught.”
Lara nodded. “ ’Tis obvious ye love him. That’s why