The Secret (34 page)

Brodick came strolling into the hall then, drawing her attention. She turned to smile at him.

He bowed to her. "They're waiting for you, Iain," he called out. "Judith, you could have lost that eye.

You're damned fortunate."

"Aye, she is," Gelfrid interjected. "I'm not understanding why our laird wants to speak directly to the women," he added then.

He wanted an explanation, of course. Judith wasn't going to give him one. She smiled at the elder and turned to her husband. He took hold of her hand and walked to the door.

"Iain, you trust me, don't you?" she asked.

He was taken aback by her question. "Yes," he answered. "Why do you ask me that now, Judith?"

"Because there is a special… situation, and I want to make certain before I act that you trust me enough not to interfere."

"We'll discuss this tonight," he told her.

"Oh, it should be taken care of by then."

He held the door open for her and followed her outside She started down the steps. He stopped her by putting his arm around her shoulders and hauling her up against his side.

And then he addressed the gathering. The women, so many she couldn't begin to count, stood in front with their children by their side. The courtyard was filled, and the hills below.

Judith barely paid any attention to what her husband was telling the group. She despaired at ever finding the boy in such a crush of people, but she was determined to try. She did find Frances Catherine and was pleased to notice Isabelle stood next to her friend.

Iain stopped. "Keep talking," she whispered.

He leaned down. "I'm finished."

"Iain, please. I still haven't found him. And don't look at me like that. They'll think you think I'm daft."

"I do think you're daft," he muttered.

She nudged him in his side to get him to cooperate.

He started talking again. Judith was about to give up when her attention was drawn to one of the midwives; the one named Helen, she recalled. The midwife looked ill, frightened too. Judith's attention stayed on the woman a bit longer than necessary while she wondered why she would be so visibly upset by this marriage news. While she was watching her, Helen half turned and looked down, behind her.

Judith saw the boy then. He was diligently trying to hide behind his mother's skirts.

She nudged Iain again. "You may stop now."

Iain did just that. It took a full minute for his clan to realize he was finished. Then they cheered his announcement. Soldiers who'd been standing by the side of the keep came forward to offer their laird congratulations.

"That's the longest speech I've ever heard you make," one remarked.

"It's the only speech you've ever heard him make," Patrick interjected.

Judith wasn't paying any attention to the men. She wanted to grab the boy before his mother took him away.

"Please excuse me," she requested.

She was gone before Iain could agree. She waved to Frances Catherine when she passed her, and hurried on through the crowd. Several young women stopped her to offer their felicitations. They seemed sincere. She responded with an invitation to come up to the keep for a visitation.

Helen had taken hold of her son's hand. The closer Judith got to her, the more terrified she looked.

The son had obviously confessed his sin to his mother. Judith continued on until she reached the midwife.

"Good afternoon, Helen," she began.

"We were on our way to speak to the laird," she blurted out. "Then the announcement came for us to gather in the courtyard and I—"

Her voice broke on a sob. Several women were watching, and Judith didn't want them to know what was going on. "Helen," she began in a whisper. "I have an important matter to discuss with your son. May I borrow him for a few minutes."

Helen's eyes clouded with tears. "Andrew and I were about to tell the laird—"

Judith interrupted her by shaking her head. "This matter is between your son and me," she insisted. "Your laird need never become involved. My husband's a very busy man, Helen. If the matter you wished to discuss concerns the throwing of some stones, then I think we should keep it amongst the three of us."

Helen finally understood. Her relief was so great, she looked ready to collapse. She vigorously nodded.

"Shall I wait here?"

"Why don't you go back home? I'll send Andrew along as soon as we've finished our talk."

Helen blinked away her tears. "Thank you," she whispered.

Iain hadn't taken his attention away from his wife. He wondered what she was talking to Helen about.

Helen looked distressed, but Judith's face was turned away from him and he didn't know if she was upset or not.

Brodick and Patrick were trying to get his attention. He was about to turn to the warriors when Judith caught his attention again. He watched her reach behind Helen and take hold of her son. The little boy wasn't cooperating. Judith wasn't deterred. She pulled him forward, then turned and walked toward the slope, dragging the wailing child behind her.

"Where's Judith going?" Patrick asked.

Iain didn't answer fast enough to suit Brodick. "Should I follow her? Judith shouldn't be left alone until the culprit's found. It isn't safe."

It wasn't until his friend had asked that question that Iain understood what was happening.

"My brother can take care of his wife, Brodick. You needn't get so riled on her behalf," Patrick told him.

Iain finally turned to his brother and his friend. "There isn't any need to go after Judith. I know who threw the stones. Judith's safe."

"Who the hell did it?" Brodick demanded.

"Helen's boy."

Both warriors were stunned. "But she's with him now," Patrick said.

Iain nodded. "She must have seen him. Did you see the way she dragged him away? Oh, she knows all right. She's probably giving him hell right now."

Iain was right. Judith did give the boy hell. The lecture didn't last long. Andrew was so remorseful, and so terribly afraid of her, she ended up comforting him. He had just turned seven years. He was big, strong too, for his tender years, but he was still only just a little boy.

He was weeping all over Judith's plaid now, begging her forgiveness. He hadn't meant to hurt her. Nay, his intent was to frighten her into wanting to go back to England.

Judith was ready to beg his forgiveness for not leaving the Highlands when the little one sobbed out his reason.

"You made my mama cry."

Judith didn't know why she'd made Helen cry, and Andrew wasn't making enough sense to give her a proper explanation. She decided she would have to talk to Helen in order to get the problem straightened out.

She sat on a low boulder with the sobbing little boy on her lap. She was pleased he was properly contrite. Since he had already confessed his transgression to his mother, she told him she didn't believe he needed to bother his laird with this matter.

"What does your father think about your behavior?" Judith asked.

"Papa died last summer," Andrew told her. "I take care of mama now."

Judith's heart went out to the little boy. "Andrew, you've given me your word you won't get into any further mischief and I believe you mean it. This matter is settled now."

"But I have to tell the laird I'm sorry."

She thought that was very noble of the child. Courageous, too. "Are you worried about talking to your laird?"

Andrew nodded.

"Would you like me to tell him for you?" she asked.

He hid his face in Judith's shoulder. "Would you tell him now?" he whispered.

"All right," she agreed. "We'll go back and—"

"He's here," Andrew whispered in a voice shivering with fear.

Judith turned and spotted her husband standing directly behind her. He was leaning against a tree with his arms folded across his chest.

No wonder Andrew was trying to hide under her plaid.

She could feel him shaking. She decided not to prolong the dreaded ordeal for him. She had to pull him away from her and force him to stand up. Then she took hold of his hand and led him over to Iain.

Andrew's head was bowed low. Iain must have looked like a giant to the boy. Judith smiled up at her husband, then squeezed Andrew's hand.

"Your laird is waiting to hear what you have to tell him," she instructed.

Andrew peeked up. He looked terrified. The freckles covering his face were more white than brown, and his brown eyes were filled with unshed tears.

"I threw the rocks," Andrew blurted out. "I didn't mean to hurt your lady, just make her scared so she'd go back home. Then mama wouldn't cry." After making his speech, he lowered his head again until his chin was nicked in his chest. "I'm sorry," he added in a mumble.

Iain didn't say anything for a long while. Judith couldn't stand to see the child suffer so. She was about to give her own defense of the child's behavior when he raised his hand and shook his head at her.

He didn't want her interference. He slowly moved away from the tree he'd been leaning against and shook his head at Judith.

He stood directly in front of Andrew. "You do not give your feet your apology," he announced. "You give it to me."

Judith didn't agree with her husband's announcement. She was the one who had been injured, and Andrew had already given her his apology. Why did he have to tell his laird he was sorry?

She didn't think now was a good time to argue with Iain, however. He might believe she was trying to undermine his authority.

Andrew looked up at his laird again. His hold on Judith's hand tightened. Couldn't Iain see how he was frightening the little boy?

"I'm sorry I hurt your lady."

Iain nodded. He clasped his hands behind his back and stared down at Andrew a long minute. Judith thought he was deliberately dragging out his torture.

"You will walk with me," he commanded. "Judith, wait here."

He didn't give her time to argue with him, but started down the path. Andrew let go of her hand and went running after his laird.

They were gone a long, long while. When they came back, Iain still had his hands clasped behind his back. Andrew walked by his side. Judith smiled when she saw how the child imitated his laird. His hands were also clasped behind his back and his swagger was every bit as arrogant as Iain's was. He was chattering away, and every now and then Iain would nod.

Andrew acted as though a heavy weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Iain dismissed him, waited until he was out of earshot and said, "I asked you if you saw anyone, Judith. Would you care to explain why you didn't give me a proper answer?"

"Actually you asked me if I saw a man or a woman standing nearby," she reminded him. "I didn't lie to you. I saw a child, not a man or a woman."

"Don't use that lopsided logic on me," he countered. "You knew what I was asking. Now I would like to know why you didn't tell me."

She let out a sigh. "Because the matter was between the child and me," she explained. "I didn't feel the need to bother you with it."

"I'm your husband," he reminded her. "What the hell do you mean, you didn't feel the need to bother me?"

"Iain, I was certain I could take care of it."

"That wasn't your choice to make."

He wasn't angry. He was simply instructing Judith in the proper way to handle her problems.

She was trying not to get worked up over this issue, and failing miserably. She folded her arms across her waist and frowned. "Do I ever have any choices?"

"It's my duty to take care of you."

"And also to take care of my problems?"

"Of course."

"That makes me no better than a child. God's truth, I don't believe I like being married very much. I had more freedom when I lived in England."

He let out a sigh. She was saying the most outrageous things and acting as though she'd only just realized her lot in life, as a woman. "Judith, no one is completely free."

"You are."

He shook his head. "As laird, I have far more restrictions than any of the warriors serving under me. My every action is accountable to the council. Everyone has a place here, responsibilities as well. Wife, I don't like hearing you tell me you don't like being married to me."

"I didn't say I didn't like being married to you, husband. I said I didn't like being married very much. It's most restrictive. There is a difference."

The look on his face indicated he didn't agree. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "You will like being married to me, Judith. I command it."

It was a ridiculous order. She pulled back and looked up at him. She was certain he was jesting and his amusement would be there, in his expression.

Iain wasn't jesting however. Lord, he looked… worried, vulnerable too. She was surprised by that notice, and very, very pleased. She went back into his arms. "I love you," she whispered. "Of course I like being married to you."

He squeezed her tight. "And you will, therefore, like giving me your problems to solve," he announced.

"Sometimes I will," she said, refusing to give him her full agreement. "And sometimes I will solve them myself."

"Judith—"

She interrupted him. "Frances Catherine told me that you were more of a father to Patrick than an older brother. You grew up solving all his problems for him, didn't you?"

"Perhaps, when we were younger," he admitted. "Now that we're both adults, we decide together what's to be done whenever a problem crops up. I rely on him as much as he relies on me. Tell me what my brother has to do with this discussion? You do want me to take care of you, don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do," she answered. "I just don't want to be a burden. I want to be able to share my problems with you, not hand them over. Do you understand? I want to belong, to be important enough to you that you would want to share your worries with me. Could you not learn to treat me with the same consideration you give Patrick?"

Iain didn't know what to say to her. "I must consider this," he announced.

She leaned against him so he wouldn't see her smile. "That is all I would ask."

"I try to be open to new ideas, Judith."