Chattan Bride

Chapter 14 - Part 1

Alysandir had undressed Isabel and covered her with a light blanket. He cursed under his breath when he closed the door to their chambers. He had no discipline when he was near her and he was aching. After a few moments, he descended back to his old friend and saw that he had already consumed a healthy amount of ale.

"So you've sent for me to assist you in dragging Lady Isabel back home. I knew the day would come."

"I sent for you because I know you keep your ear to the ground when I'm away. I've been gone for far too long. What news do you have for me?"

"Same petty squabbles. No one dares cross you after the vengeance you took on the Gows."

"No one touches my wife," he grunted.

"Does she know what happened?" Thom pointed upstairs.

"I told her that I sent Emma to the king's tower."

Thom laughed. "And she believed it? She doesn't know how you handle revenge. Best to keep it that way. No wife wants to see her husband tearing his enemy limb from limb." He watched Alysandir stewing in his anger for a minute. "Don't tell me you want to inflict more damage on the Gows."

"Not the Gows. It's this bastard Gilbert. Her half-brother."

"A conflict you know well."

"He's using her sister to bait her. She falls for it each time, and if she weren't so clever it would get her killed." He related to Thom the events of the day. "Her ruse only needs to be maintained until I kill Gilbert and Henry."

"Henry's injured Isabel?"

"What brews in his eyes is poison. I should kill him just for his complicity with Gilbert. But I needed him to make Gilbert believe that this marriage was not consummated."

Thom nearly spit out his ale. He rubbed his arm over his beard and laughed. The way Alysandir held Isabel and kept his eyes on her even as she slept would have given him away, even if he hadn't seen the Chattan's rough finger tenderly caressing her arm as they walked in from the stables. Hell, Thom thought, the boy looked like he was in pain when he came back downstairs. He couldn't get enough of her. "Daft bastard."

"Isabel's temperament easily lends to the appearance of disagreement."

"I'll bet it does! That lass has fire in her eyes. But why would Gilbert need to believe this?"

"To claim her and Bamborough legally."

"They allow brother and sister to marry here?"

"The plan is flawed from the start. But he has a priest on his side that is the serpent himself. When I get my hands around his neck... As long as Gilbert believes his plan will work, he won't make a cowardly attempt on Isabel's life. Now that Gillian's baby is born and safely tucked away, Isabel will worry less. Bamborough is safe in her eyes. Her caution may drop. I worry that she may become complacent about the threats against her."

"Complacency is a weakness and it may get her killed."

"And she is my weakness. I lose my head with worry when she disappears. I can't allow her into the battle."

"You said she was well trained."

"She's my wife, damn it!"

"So we'll tie her up and place two guards in front of her locked door," Thom suggested.

Completely disoriented, Isabel awoke at midday. The castle seemed unusually noisy today. Remembering that her burdens had been lifted from her and that for once she carried no secrets, she breathed freely and as soon as she dressed, she made her way to the chapel to pray. Fortunately she brought her list with her. It had been so long since she had prayed that she began a list of her numerous and vile sins. Organized as ever she was, she consolidated her sins. The number of lies and a word to remind her to beg forgiveness for each specific lie, how many times she had been wrathful and surprisingly most of it was directed toward her husband. But looking at what caused her to be angry made her feel justified in that emotion and then she had to pray for forgiveness for being haughty. Isabel closed her eyes tighter, bowed her head lower, pressed her flat hands together harder and held them even tighter against her heart. Lord, she had such pride that even in her prayers she justified her sins! Her breasts felt tender against her forearms and thus her thoughts were immediately distracted to identify what would cause such a weakness in her warrior body. Her prayers strayed to why she must be burdened with such womanly difficulties knowing that her cycle was due soon. "Men never have to worry about such inconveniences!" she complained aloud.