The Velvet Promise (Montgomery/Taggert 2)

“Yes…no.”

“Which is it?”

“I am worried about King Henry’s court. Are there many…pretty women there?”

Gavin looked across her to Stephen. “What do you say, brother? Are the women at court lovely?”

Stephen looked at his sister-in-law, unsmiling. “I believe you will hold your own,” he said calmly, then reined his horse away, going back to his men.

Judith turned to Gavin. “I didn’t mean to offend him.”

“You didn’t. Stephen keeps his worries to himself but I know he dreads his coming marriage. And I don’t blame him. The girl hates the English and is sure to make his life hell.”

Judith nodded and looked back at the road.

It was when they stopped for dinner that she was able to escape for a few moments. She found a wild raspberry bush outside the camp and set to filling the skirt of her tunic.

“You shouldn’t be here alone.”

Judith gasped. “Stephen, you startled me.”

“If I were an enemy, you could be dead now—or else taken and held for ransom.”

Judith stared up at him. “Are you always so full of gloom, Stephen, or is it just this Scottish heiress who worries you so?”

Stephen let out his breath. “Am I so transparent?”

“Not to me, but to Gavin. Come and let’s sit awhile. Do you think we could be thoroughly selfish and eat all these berries ourselves? Have you seen your Scottish lady?”

“No,” Stephen said, plopping a sun-warmed berry in his mouth. “And she is not mine yet. Did you know that her father made her laird of the MacArran clan before he died?”

“A woman who inherits on her own?” Judith’s eyes had a faraway look.

“Yes,” Stephen said in disgust.

Judith recovered herself. “Then you don’t know what she looks like?”

“Oh yes, I know that. I’m sure she is as small and dark and shriveled as a pine cone.”

“Is she old?”

“Maybe she is a young, fat pine cone.”

Judith laughed at his air of doom. “All four of you brothers are so different. Gavin is so quick-tempered—icy one moment, fire the next. Raine is laughter and teasing, and Miles is…”

Stephen smiled at her. “Don’t attempt to explain Miles to me. That boy tries to populate all of England with his children.”

“And what of you? Where do you fit? You are a middle son, and you seem to me the least easy to know.”

Stephen looked away. “It wasn’t easy when I was a boy. Miles and Raine had each other. Gavin had the worry of the estates. And I…”

“You were left alone.”

Stephen looked at Judith in astonishment. “You have bewitched me! In only moments I have told you more than I have ever told anyone else.”

Judith’s eyes sparkled. “If this heiress of yours is not kind to you, let me know and I will scratch her eyes out.”

“Let’s just hope she has both of them to begin with.”