Page 57 of Captured by a Laird
“Nursemaid duty calls,” one of them said.
“Will ye carry my doll for me?” another said in a high-pitched voice, which caused another burst of guffaws.
“Ye mustn’t bother Robbie now,” Alison whispered to her daughter. “He’s busy.”
“But Robbie’s not doinganything,” Beatrix persisted in a too-loud voice.
“Upstairs,” Alison said. “Now.”
Robbie stormed out of the hall. She wanted to go after him, but she had to deal first with her daughter, who was oblivious to the fact that she had humiliated Robbie.
As soon as she had delivered Beatrix to Flora in the Tower Room, given her a brief but stern lecture, and told her not to leave her chamber until supper, Alison hurried out to find Robbie. On her way through the hall, she saw the group of men who had been laughing at Robbie. Her temper snapped, and she decided to do something she never would have dared with Blackadder’s men. She was about to find out if her new husband’s assurance that his men would respect her was true.
“The laird ordered Robbie to look after my daughters, and ye ridicule him for it?” she said, so angry that her voice shook. “Ye should be ashamed of yourselves having your fun at the expense of a fourteen-year-old lad.”
The men dropped their gazes and shifted in their seats.
“’Twas just a wee bit of teasing,” one of them said.
“I suspect you’ve been torturing the lad for some time,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. “Ye know Robbie has too much pride to tell the laird, but don’t think I won’t.”
The men looked worried, which Alison found quite satisfying. That task done, she marched out of the hall to find Robbie.
As she crossed the courtyard, she saw him galloping out the gate. She shouted and ran after him, but she was too late to stop him. She stood at the gate breathing hard and watched him disappear over the horizon. An older warrior with steel-gray hair began to close the gate.
“Shouldn’t someone go after him?” she asked.
“Ach, the lad just needs to cool his temper,” the guard said. “He’s never gone long. Our laird did the same when he was Robbie’s age.”
“Will he be safe riding alone?” she asked.
“A lad needs to feel a bit of danger,” the guard said with a wink.
And Alison had thought raising daughters was difficult.
“Don’t fret, m’lady. The laird’s brother has a good head on his shoulders,” the guard said. “He’ll come back fine, you’ll see.”
Alison took comfort in the old guard’s assurances. All the same, she did her mending by the window in the Tower Room that overlooked the gate, so she could watch for Robbie. When he did not return by supper, she went back to speak to the older warrior who stood guard at the gate.
“I expect his horse went lame and he’s walking back,” the old guard said with a shrug.
“Has he been gone this late before?”
“Aye,” he said, and stretched. “I’m sure he’ll turn up, and there’s naught we can do before daylight anyway.”
If a horde of screaming banshees appeared, she suspected this old warrior would pick at his teeth and tell her he had seen it all before.
“I don’t like it,” she said, hugging herself.
“The laird said he’ll be back tomorrow,” he said. “If Robbie’s gotten himself into trouble, the laird will find him and bring him home.”
“How can ye be so sure?” she asked.
“Our laird is the best tracker I know,” he said. “And the Devil himself would be wise not to stand between him and one of his brothers.”
***
“You’re leaving already?” Cochburn asked. “Thought ye were waiting till morning.”
