That was, without a doubt, the stupidest idea she’d ever had. But what could she expect when she was taking advice from a dog?
Ellie prodded at the food on her trencher and stole another glance to where Alycie Maxwell sat right next to her.
She couldn’t compete with that woman. Alycie was, as far as Ellie could see, perfect.
Though she looked to be a few years older than Ellie, she was a tiny little thing, barely reaching Ellie’s shoulder. She wore her shiny brown hair in a braid that reached well below her thighs. Her light brown eyes smiled at everyone they lit upon. And every single word that came out of her perfect little pink mouth was kind and gentle.
Alycie Maxwell was truly gag-me-with-a-spoon nice and Ellie hated her. Or she would if she weren’t having such a hard time trying to find something to dislike about the woman.
When Ellie had finally tried to sneak into the keep, Rosalyn had spotted her and taken her to the ladies’ solar, where she’d been introduced to Alycie and her mother, Grizel.
Alycie had been warm and kind from the first moment, offering to help when the stitching Rosalyn had given Ellie to work on had become tangled. She’d patiently unknotted the mess Ellie had made and then showed her an easier way to work with the cloth.
Granted Alycie might have been stupid years ago when she dumped Caden, but she sure didn’t seem stupid now. And she was, after all, back.
And now, as if sitting right next to Miss Perfect wasn’t bad enough, at any moment Caden would enter the hall and she’d have to face him. With both of them knowing how she had behaved this morning. And how he’d rejected her.
Ellie downed her second cup of spiced wine and held it up to the serving girl for a refill.
She lifted her newly filled cup to her lips and glanced over the rim to see Caden stride into the hall.
His hair was loosed from the tie he normally wore and she almost swore she could see the individual strands picking up the glint of the candlelight. He paused just inside the doorway, his eyes scanning the table until he spied her.
Though he quickly looked away, she could feel the burn move up to her cheeks. Or maybe that was just the wine. She watched, unable to tear her eyes away as he entered and took a seat at the center of the table, well away from her.
Well, no wonder. Not only did he have today’s little incident as a reminder of what he didn’t like about her, but here she sat, right next to the woman he actually loved. What better contrast could she possibly provide? Great big ol’ immodest, inappropriate her, side by side with sweet little Miss Perfect.
She felt physically ill.
“Finished, milady?” Anna stood at her shoulder with her hand outstretched.
“Finished?” Ellie gulped down the last of her wine and handed the cup to the girl.
“Yer trencher, Ellie,” the girl whispered. “Are you done with that? It’s time to change the courses.”
“Take it.” Who could eat? Her nerves had her stomach dancing like crazy. Food wouldn’t go well at all with that mix.
Anna whisked the food away, leaving Ellie to stare at her hands, fingers splayed out on the bare wood of the table. She wouldn’t look up again. She certainly wouldn’t risk looking down the table to see if he might be looking back.
“As if,” she muttered. Well, he might be looking her direction, but it wouldn’t be at her. It would be right past her. One seat past her, to be exact.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Alycie leaned close, trailing the scent of roses and spice along with her as she touched her hand to Ellie’s forehead. “Yer skin is quite flushed. Would you care to retire to yer room?”
“Fine. Feeling just fine.” So now Miss Perfect was trying to get rid of her. But wait. Wasn’t that what she wanted? This could be exactly the excuse she needed to escape. “You know what? I think maybe you’re right.”
Ellie pushed back her chair and stood, immediately wishing she hadn’t as the room began to spin around her.
“Steafan!”
Alycie’s hiss seemed to come from all directions at once as Ellie clamped her hand on the back of the chair to keep from falling.
Lord, how strong was that wine?
And then she was moving, someone’s arm around her, directing her forward, down the side of the huge crowded room and toward the hallway.
“Need some air.” She managed at last to form the words that jumbled around in her head.
“Perhaps your room would be best, milady.”
Steafan. It was Steafan who held her on her feet. Steafan was Caden’s friend. And guys always talked to their friends. Did he know how she’d behaved with Caden? Was that why he wanted to take her to her room?
“No. Outside. Fresh air.”
She had to get her head clear so she could deal with this guy.
The next thing she knew they were in the open moonlight, cool, fresh air caressing her heated skin. “Oh yeah. Much better.” She stood at the far corner of the balcony, her cheek pressed against the cold stone wall, her hands draped over the railing. Just a minute or two of this and she’d feel better.
“While we have time alone, milady, I feel it only fair to give you warning.”
“About what?” Ellie didn’t open her eyes. Sight would only make the spinning start up again.
“Keep yer distance from Caden MacAlister. He’ll bring naught but trouble for you. Do you hear me?”
Ellie nodded once, but stopped as the darkness behind her eyes began to swirl. “I hear you, but I don’t have any idea what the heck you’re talking about.” Humiliation swept over her in a wave even as she feigned ignorance. He knew! Caden had told him everything and he was warning her away to protect his friend.
“I dinna ken the reason for yer being here, but if it’s to find yerself a husband, Caden is no the one for you to set yer mind on. Yer no to have anything to do with him.”
Is that what Caden thought? That she was out to find a husband? Had he said those things to his friend? “No, that’s all wrong.”
Rough hands clamped down on her already heavy shoulders and her head snapped forward and back as Steafan shook her.
“Open yer eyes and look at me! Do you hear what I say? Caden is to wed my sister. Yer to keep yer distance from him. He’s no for the likes of you. Will you remember this?” Another shake and everything shattered around her with the movement, nausea rising to overtake her.
“She may not remember, but I certainly will.”
The shaking stopped and Ellie put her hands to either side of her head to stop the uncomfortable rotation, trying to focus on that deep voice as she opened her eyes.
Drew strode across the balcony directly toward her, an angry scowl on his face. He moved in closer, stepping in front of her, blocking her view of Steafan.
“I only spoke the truth.”
“As you see it, perhaps.” The world spun out of control as Drew lifted Ellie from her feet. “We’ll talk about this another time, you and I.”
And then she was moving again, out of the fresh cool air and into the confines of the keep.
“Wine got the best of you, did it?” Drew’s chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Yer no a drinker, that’s a fact.”
Her mouth felt too slow to form an answer so she started to nod, but stopped immediately when the world began to move in the opposite direction. She closed her eyes again, trying to stay very, very still as he carried her up the stairs and down the hallway to her room. Everything had grown fuzzy by the time she heard Alycie’s gentle voice behind them.
“Allow me to help you.”
Drew’s hold on Ellie tightened. “We dinna need any of yer help, Alycie Maxwell.”
“I disagree, Andrew. In spite of how you may feel about me, you canna undress the lass and put her to bed as I can. Now lay her down and be on yer way. I’ll care for her.”
The air stirred around Ellie once again before the dark closed in and she remembered nothing more until she awoke sometime later, snuggled in her bed, a cool cloth draped over her forehead. A soft voice murmured at her side.
“Alycie?” Was that Latin the woman spoke?
“Go back to sleep, dear one. The rest will heal yer body as the scriptures soothe yer soul.”
Oh, wasn’t this just perfect? Alcyie was nursing her through the night, praying over her.
Now she’d never be able to hate the horrible woman.
“What are you fidgeting for, Son? Be at peace and eat yer meal.” Rosalyn patted Caden’s hand before turning back to her conversation with her friend, Gizel Maxwell.
Be at peace? He could hardly manage that. Not since he’d seen Ellie rise from her place down the table and leave the room with Steafan’s arm about her shoulder.
When he’d entered the hall tonight, he’d spotted her immediately. Her long black curls shining in the flickering light of the hall and her eyes! He’d caught her gaze and felt drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Only his pledge to keep his distance from her had kept him from making his way to her side and likely making a fool of himself.
His pledge and the fact that she was seated next to Alycie.
The shock of seeing Alycie here at Dun Ard had quickly passed, much to his surprise. He’d been so sure that seeing her again would bring back some rush of emotion, but after that initial shock he’d felt amazingly little.
No desire, no anguish of love lost, not even the bitterness he was so sure he still harbored. In fact, the only emotion he was aware of was happiness at the joy he saw reflected on Steafan’s face at having his sister here.
Throughout the meal his eyes had wandered their direction, the contrast between the two women striking. Alycie was subdued and plain as always, while Ellie seemed to glow with the fire of her emotions.
He’d waited, trying to decide if he should make his way down the table, if he should speak to either of them.
And then Ellie was gone. She and Steafan.
That made no sense, unless…Surely she couldn’t have been sent here for Steafan. Hadn’t his mother assured him the Fae intended her for one of his brothers? Or had that simply been what his mother wanted to believe?
The only thing that kept him in his seat was seeing Drew follow after them a few moments later.
Caden took a deep breath and picked at the food in front of him until he noticed Alycie leave the table and follow the path the others had taken.
He could stand it no longer.
Rising quietly from his seat, he followed her progress to the balcony, slipping into the shadows, where he could hear without being seen by holding the door open a small crack.
Unfortunately his hiding place gave him no view of the terrace.
“What have you done with her, Steafan?”
Caden’s heart skipped a beat. Was it Ellie she spoke of?
“Drew has taken her to her room.”
“Ah,” Alycie sighed. “Andrew. I tried to speak to him earlier. He’s still no forgiven me, no even after all these years.”
“Forgiven you?” Steafan laughed, the sound disbelieving. “There’s no a need for that. If anything, it should be you holding the grudge. But yer here now and things can be set to rights.”
“There’s naught I can do to make up for my actions in the past, Brother. I’m only here now to give comfort to Mother as we wait to hear news of Dair.”
“Aye, of course you are. And when our brother returns safely, we can have the banns read and put everything right again.”
Banns?
Caden didn’t have long to consider the question before he heard footsteps approaching the door he held cracked open. He let the door slide silently shut and stepped away, wedging himself against the great cabinet just as the door opened again.
“I’ve seen yer life in that nunnery. I’d no put that hardship on any woman.”
“You’ve a good heart, Steafan. Any woman should consider herself lucky to have you.” Alycie smiled at her brother before heading up the main staircase.
Steafan stared after her for a moment more before he strode to the great entry door and let himself out, leaving Caden alone with his thoughts.
The conversation he’d overheard rattled him. Had Alycie decided to leave the nunnery and wed? Or was it Steafan they discussed? Either way, he was shaken his best friend hadn’t come to confide in him.
Whose banns had Steafan meant?
Only one way he could think of to find out, even if it did mean he’d have to admit eavesdropping on his friend.
Caden had just stepped through the huge entry door onto the great landing when he heard the cry from the top of the guard wall.
“Rider at the gate!”