The Laird's Captive Wife(43)

Her incredulous gaze took in the bandages swathing his ribs and shoulder and the other round his head. For a moment she said nothing, and then suddenly burst into tears. The old woman put a comforting hand on her arm.

‘It’s been a shock for ye, lass. But the right sort of shock, I ken.’

Ashlynn was beyond speech and only sobbed the more.

‘You’re supposed to be glad,’ said Ban. ‘Now you’re like to drown me and finish what the Normans started.’

It drew a ragged laugh and she tried to dash away the tears with her hand. With the other she was holding one of his tightly as though, if she did not, he might vanish before her eyes. He eyed her critically a moment and then looked up at the man beside her.

‘I think I have you to thank for my life.’

‘Others must take the credit for that.’

‘May I know who you are and how my sister comes to be here?’

‘I am Iain MacAlpin of Glengarron.’ As he spoke the name he saw instant recognition in the young man’s face. ‘I met your sister by chance when she was fleeing from the Normans. She has since done me the honour of becoming my wife.’

‘Your wife?’ Ban stared at him thunderstruck for a moment before his gaze went swiftly to his sister’s face. For the first time he noticed the fading bruises there and his eyes narrowed. ‘Ashlynn, he hasn’t hurt you?’

‘No, certainly not!’ The words came out more forcefully than she’d intended but she would not have Ban under any kind of misapprehension on that point. ‘These came courtesy of a certain Norman lord.’

‘But how came you to be married? And to him of all men?’

She saw the anxiety in his face and the pain around his eyes. ‘It’s a long story, Ban, and it will keep for now.’

At this point Meg intervened. ‘Aye, it will. You’ll have time enough to catch up on all your news. Meantime, the laddie needs rest if he’s to recover his strength.’

It was a hint and Ashlynn made to rise but Ban detained her. ‘You’ll come back?’

‘Of course, I’ll come back.’ She smiled. ‘Do you think I’d leave you so soon?’

Only then did he release her hand. Reluctantly and with several backward looks she allowed herself to be led away. However, once the door closed behind them Ashlynn turned to face Iain, her face pale with contained emotion.

‘All this time you knew he was alive and yet you said nothing.’ Her voice caught on a sob. ‘How could you do that?’

‘Ashlynn, I…’

‘I thought everyone I’d ever loved was dead and you let me go on thinking it when a word from you would have made all the difference.’

‘It wasn’t like that, I swear it.’

‘What kind of man are you, Iain, that you could even consider such a deed?’

‘Will you at least let me speak before you judge me?’

Ashlynn bit her lip. He looked at her pale tear-stained face and waited. Then at length she nodded.

‘Very well. Say what you want to say.’

‘My men and I passed through Heslingfield not long after the Normans had left.’ Seeing her expression he nodded. ‘It was on our way north. Fergus and Dougal found your brother among the injured. He was unconscious but just breathing. We had no idea who he was, only that he was nigh unto death and certainly not one of the Normans. We tended him as best we could and put him in the wagon. I didn’t put two and two together until I heard you speak of your brother. Even then I said nothing because I thought the lad was going to die, and you had already lost him once. I didn’t want you to have to go through it again. You had already been through so much.’ He paused. ‘If I was wrong, I’m sorry. Please believe that, if you believe nothing else.’

For a long moment she said nothing, her eyes missing no detail of his expression. It spoke of remorse and sincerity. He saw her draw in a long shuddering breath.

‘I believe you did what you thought was best,’ she said at last, ‘but it was a decision you had no right to make.’ The blue eyes filled with tears anew.

‘If I’ve hurt you, lass, I’m truly sorry for it.’

The tone also sounded sincere and she wanted to believe that it really was but the tears spilled over anyway. Completely overwrought she had no way to stop them. Then she felt his arms around her holding her close.

‘Shh, lass, don’t cry. It’s all right.’

Suddenly he felt all the tension go out of her but her body shook as she wept on his shoulder. For some time they remained thus while he let her have her cry out. Eventually the tears subsided a little and she lifted her head to find him regarding her with deep concern.