Amanda Scott - [Border Trilogy 2] (31 page)

“I know you do,” he said. “I doubt there is anything to such a notion, but one thing you said that we did not discuss much has stuck tight in my mind.”

“What?”

“Those men did try to drown her or, if Dand’s account is true, she was so afraid of them that she chose to fling herself into the Tweed rather than let them catch her. We must make it a point to get more answers out of the bairn this time.”

“Then, if I do marry you, may we leave at once afterward?”

His eyes crinkled at the corners, and his lips twitched in the way that she had come to recognize as his expression of considerable amusement.

He said, “I promise you, we’ll leave first thing in the morning for Elishaw. We cannot go tonight without looking as if we are fleeing. As it is, our hasty marriage will stir more questions. But I can deflect most of them by saying I acted as I did because, after we’d stirred such a flap, you feared everyone would think I was marrying you just to save your reputation.”

“I don’t think much of that reason. You’re making me sound noble now.”

“Nay, I am using a bit of the truth and their own evil thoughts to persuade them,” he said. When she continued to frown, he added, “
Or
, we could say that I abducted you because just the thought of the grand wedding my mother would have planned made me quake in my shoes—which it would, lass, I promise.”

“I believe you, but that also would give us better reason to leave at once for Elishaw, would it not?”

“Nay, for my mother would have my head on a charger if I left without attending the supper she has organized for us. By the way, I hope you don’t object to a few guests at our wedding.”

Reaching automatically to smooth tendrils of loosened hair back under her beaded net and straighten the net, Sibylla exclaimed, “Guests! Who?”

He smiled, and she marveled again at how a smile lightened his features.

“Wait here,” he said. “I’ll fetch them.”

He went only as far as the door, opening it and gesturing. Hearing a giggle that sounded distinctly like her sister’s and being sure that Lady Murray, Rosalie, and Sir Malcolm would be with her, Sibylla quickly shook out her skirts, kicked the dark blanket aside, and gave thanks for dim lighting that would conceal the worst of the wrinkles in the dress she had worn since midday.

She was glad she had done so when the four she had expected to see came in followed by Amalie, Meg, Westruther, Buccleuch, and two of Buccleuch’s lads whom she recognized as Meg’s devoted servant Sym Elliot and the large captain of Buccleuch’s fighting tail, oddly known as Jock’s Wee Tammy.

Amalie came to her at once. “I’ve brought you a present,” she said.

Sibylla smiled warily. “Did Simon tell everyone about this but me?”

“Aye, sure,” Amalie said, grinning. “He wanted proper witnesses, and he needed Garth and Wat to watch the stairway. And he knew he dared not marry you without us. Besides, you’re staying at Wat’s house tonight. We’ve plenty of room, and you’ll be much more comfortable than you would be in Simon’s room—or your own if you dared, and with my lady mother so near. But here,” she added, handing Sibylla a small vial. “You did this for me, remember?”

Sibylla took the vial, pulled out the stopper and sniffed. It was her own favorite fragrance. Giving Amalie a hug, she said, “Thank you. I’m sure I need to daub some on straightaway.”

“Aye, well, don’t use it all. Meg ordered a bath for you when we return.”

“I’m glad you’re here.” Sibylla looked around at the smiling faces, realizing how much she would have abandoned had she tried to endure the scandal.

The Bishop of St. Andrews entered then with a lad garbed as an acolyte following in his wake and carrying a prayer stool.

The prelate said serenely, “The hour grows late. Shall we begin?”

Sibylla looked at Simon, who smiled at her but said not one word.

She looked next at Sir Malcolm.

“Don’t look to me to decide, lassie,” that gentleman said bluntly. “Ye may be putting a hitch in my own rope with this match, but I cannot deny that I still think it an excellent one for ye.”

Glancing next at Lady Murray to see her looking uncharacteristically self-conscious and avoiding her gaze, Sibylla thought she could guess her father’s meaning. Suppressing a smile, she said calmly, “Aye, my lord bishop, let us begin.”

Chapter 17

T
he wedding ceremony was over so quickly that Simon could barely accept that he was marrying. Because of the late hour and the few witnesses, the bishop offered only two brief prayers in lieu of a nuptial mass. Then, blessing the bride and groom, he had them face their guests and presented them as husband and wife.

As he did, Simon saw Fife standing just inside at the rear of the nave.

“I must present you, my lady,” Simon murmured.

The bishop, overhearing, said, “Indeed, you must, my son. I should have told you the Governor would be here. He said he desired no ceremony and would come in quietly. But in troth, with such haste and informality, I forgot to mention it.”

Simon thanked him for marrying them. Then he escorted Sibylla to Fife and said with a slight bow, “You do us honor, my lord. May I present my lady wife?”

“Indeed, you may, although I have known the lady Sibylla for years,” Fife said softly. “Isabel will miss your companionship, my lady. She arrives in a day or two, though, so you will have good opportunity to take your leave of her.”

Rising from her curtsy, Sibylla said only, “Thank you, my lord.”

“She will be pleased to know that you can remain here with her for a time,” Fife went on. “That may appease your disappointment at learning that I have a task for your husband that will take him away from you for a sennight or two.”

To Simon, he went on, “I had not realized you meant to wed so quickly, sir. But I want you to go to Huntly, for we learned today that the lady Catherine may have gone home. I think it unlikely myself, but the Colvilles have returned to Oxnam to stir their searchers there to greater activity, so I need someone I can trust to search Huntly and its environs thoroughly, in the event that the rumor is true.”

“With respect, my lord, I
have
just this moment married,” Simon said. “If the lady Catherine is at home, she is safe and will stay for a time. If you permit, I would take a few days to get to know my lady wife better before I must leave her.”

“ ’Tis a reasonable request, especially as Isabel has not yet arrived,” Fife said, smiling again at Sibylla. “We may even receive word tomorrow that the Colvilles have found Catherine in Jedburgh or Kelso. I shall grant you four days as a wedding gift, Simon. I must also offer my felicitations, sir. This marriage pleases me well.”

Nodding to them both, he gestured to the bishop and left the chapel with him, the little acolyte hurrying after them.

Simon’s lips felt dry and his skin prickled. Knowing what Sibylla must be thinking, he did not want to face her. But he knew he must.

Turning to her, he said quietly, “Lass, we will talk of this later.”

She nodded, saying nothing. But two small lines had appeared between her eyebrows. He was sure Fife’s comments must have raised her doubts again. But he did not want to fratch with her in front of the others and was grateful for her silence.

To his further relief, she turned with a smile to receive their hugs and blessings, and they all trouped out together to collect their horses.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Buccleuch’s house in the Canongate.

Sibylla had chatted with Amalie, Meg, and the two younger girls on the way, but she had not said a word to Simon.

It was not, he thought, an auspicious beginning for a man’s wedding night.

Sibylla looked fondly around the table in Buccleuch’s house at the people gathered there for a light wedding repast. She smiled at the ubiquitous Sym Elliot as he hurried hither and yon and then saw Garth grinning at her.

“You knew something Sunday afternoon,” she said to him.

He nodded. “Wat and I went up to the castle Sunday morning to meet with Douglas before he left for Hermitage,” he said. “The rumors flying about the place dismayed us. When you came here to dine, I saw that you were tense and unlike yourself. We knew something must have happened, although we did not believe most of what we heard. Not about you, at all events,” he added with a twinkle in his eye.

Beside her, she sensed Simon stiffening, but he said, “I’d not blame either you or Buccleuch if you’d believed me capable of rape or worse, given what little you knew of me. But it is good that I won’t be at the castle for some time now. I’d likely lose patience and throttle someone.”

“Aye, sure, and it’s as well that you came to us before we looked for you,” Garth said. To Sibylla, he added, “He told us what happened and what he hoped to do. We’d meant to follow Douglas but agreed to delay when he said he would marry you tonight. However, he did not explain how he meant to get you to the altar until the last minute, when he needed us to watch the stairs for him.”

“I heard Fife say that he’s sending you to Huntly, Simon,” Buccleuch said.

“Aye, he did say that, but he’s given me a few days here first,” Simon said.

Words of protest leapt to Sibylla’s tongue, but she stifled them. Men always put duty first. But something had been troubling her about Fife’s behavior in the chapel. For a shrewd, clever man, and a ruthless one, his behavior had been odd.

The last, fleeting look she had seen on his face had been one of triumph.

She had thought he was gloating about having contrived at last to bring about her marriage to Simon. But he had directed that look at Simon. She wanted to talk it over with him, but it was hardly a suitable time or place for such a discussion.

Everyone at the table was a friend, and now a kinsman as well. But she dared not speak the words that had leapt to her tongue, not with Alice and Rosalie there.

Simon had said nothing about anyone else going with them to Elishaw. So, it was likely that Lady Murray and

Sir Malcolm would be staying in Edinburgh with Rosalie and Alice. Either of the latter two might repeat what she heard here. Indeed, Alice would likely share all she knew with George Denholm.

The general conversation had turned to Catherine Gordon, eliciting heated opinions of the uneven match with Thomas until Meg said, “Sibylla, I’ve ordered a hot bath for you, so you may come with me and we’ll leave the men to talk. And you, sir,” she said sternly to her husband, “will send her husband up soon as well.”

“I will, aye,” Buccleuch said. He smacked her backside as she passed, adding with a grin, “Recall that I am your lord and master, lass, and behave accordingly.”

She put her chin in the air. “Aye, my lord, when I choose.”

Sym Elliot, appearing at her side, said, “All’s prepared above, mistress. I’ll tell them now in the kitchen to be sending the hot water up straightaway.”

He hurried away, intent on his mission.

“We’re coming, too, Meg,” Amalie said, getting up. “You don’t mind if all your sisters help you prepare for your wedding night, do you, Sibylla?”

“Nay, just promise me that Sym does not mean to oversee it all,” Sibylla said, smiling. As the others burst into appreciative laughter, she turned to Lady Murray and said, “I hope you mean to come, too, madam.”

Color tinged Lady Murray’s cheeks as she said, “I will certainly come if you’d like me to, my dear. It is kind of you to include me.”

Sibylla saw Amalie exchange an astonished look with Meg, but neither said a word. With the younger two chattering as they went up, the others held their peace.

In the tidy bedchamber to which Meg led them, a fire burned on the hearth with a large, empty tub sitting before it. A tall wooden screen stood at one side.

“This is our chamber,” Meg said. “But it will afford you warmth for your bath and some privacy. The chamber you are to share with Simon lacks a fire, but we’ll put you to bed after your bath. So he can bathe in here, too, if he likes.”

The hot water soon came, and to Sibylla’s relief, Sym bowed and left.

Arranging the screen around the tub, Amalie said, “We were all going to ride with you tomorrow, because Garth and Wat are going to Hermitage to join Archie if he is still there, or ride on after him to Threave if he has gone. We’ll ride as far as Hawick with them, and then I mean to ride to Scott’s Hall with Meg for a visit with her bairns. But I expect you won’t be going with us if Simon has to go to Huntly.”

“You are welcome to stay here, Sibylla,” Meg said as she undid the back lacing of Sibylla’s tunic while Sibylla deftly twisted her hair into a topknot. “Wat’s brother is away and no one else will be using it for a month or so.”

Sibylla thanked her but said, “I have no clothes with me. I’ve been wearing old ones and borrowing things the other ladies left in Isabel’s chambers.”

“Aye, well, you have your own clothing now, my dear,” Meg said with a chuckle as she swept a familiar yellow woolen robe up off the bed and waved it at Sibylla. Your husband arranged to intercept a big bundle of your things from Sweethope Hill yesterday afternoon and had it delivered here to us.”

“Sakes, I’ve been watching for that carter every day,” Sibylla said. “But I never spared a thought for him today— not until I found myself in the chapel.”

Lady Murray said, “It was clever of Simon to remember you had sent for clothing. Gentlemen frequently forget to concern themselves with such trifles.”

Amalie chuckled. “Sakes, but Simon surprised us all. Who would ever have expected him to do such a mad thing as to abduct you, Sibylla? I did not believe it until I saw him carry you up the hill and into the chapel.”

“Mercy, were you all standing there watching?” Laughing, they nodded. When Sibylla was nearly ready to get into the tub, Lady Murray suggested that someone make sure all was ready in the other chamber.

Meg smiled at her and said, “To be sure, you have not seen yet where they are to sleep. Come, and I’ll show you. Amalie will stay to help Sibylla, and mayhap if we take these two chatterers with us, she can relax in her bath.”

When they had gone, Sibylla seized the opportunity to say to Amalie, “I don’t mean to stay here if I can avoid it, and I suspect Simon won’t either, because we’ve something rather urgent to attend to at Elishaw.”