Silver Flame. Hannah Howell

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      “It pleased me weel enough before I went afairing. Now l have no interest in it.”

      “Ye have found the one ye want?”

      “Aye, I have, but she slipped away from me. Now I must hunt her down. I will start as soon as our guests have left. I dinnae believe she will be so verra hard to find.”

      “Did ye speak to your father about this?”

      “I told him all of it. I am certain he will tell ye when ye seek your bed tonight, so there is little need to repeat the whole tale.” He grinned when she blushed faintly.

      “When ye smile like that, ye look so much like William,” she murmured, then shook her head. “I dinnae understand how the woman could walk away from you.”

      “Thank ye. She did it verra softly whilst I slept.” He grimaced. “I acted like some madmon when I woke up alone in my bed.”

      “She shared your bed? But ye were gone only a few nights.”

      “I tricked her into my bed, but I swear to you no force was needed to gain my prize. Her blood ran as hot as mine. The fever that gripped me was a shared one. Ah, and now ye may set aside the thought I can see forming in your mind, Mother. She was a virgin. S’truth, that was a gift I hadnae expected.” He shook his head. “Yet, still she left me. Even though she said she was mine, mine no matter what might come between us.”

      “But she didnae say that she would stay, did she?”

      Gamel stared at Edina blankly for a moment, then muttered, “Weel, mayhaps not in words…”

      “Ah. A silent vow? That is no vow at all. Tell me, did ye ask her to stay with ye? No need to reply, I can see by the look upon your face that ye didnae. Mayhaps if ye had she would have told ye that she couldnae stay and why. Then ye wouldnae be so troubled with questions about her leaving. And did ye tell her what future ye had planned?”

      “Weel, nay, I didnae, but…” he began a little weakly.

      “Then how was she to ken it? She was left to wonder why ye wished her to stay and what for. Did ye mean her to be your leman or your wife or simply an amusement for a wee while? These are the questions she would have asked herself.

      “A woman cannae read a mon’s mind. And when a mon can find pleasure in any woman’s body, why should she not wonder? Such things must be spoken aloud, Gamel. A woman kens that at such moments her heart cannae be trusted.”

      “And does my father speak all his thoughts aloud?” Gamel snapped, annoyed by the indisputable wisdom of all Edina said.

      “Not always but, do remember, he and I have been together for many years. There are times when he doesnae need to speak. I ken him so weel that words are unnecessary. I am also his wife and he has told me that he loves me. These are important things that must be said. ’Tis such knowledge that gives a woman the strength and freedom to follow her heart.”

      “I thought I had time. What flamed between us was so verra strong.”

      “As it was between William and me from the moment we set eyes upon each other. Yet, we doubted each other at the start. Now, when ye find your lass again, ye must let her ken exactly what future ye plan for her, what ye mean to be to her. Believe me, things will flow more smoothly if ye do.”

      “Ye dinnae ask me about her birth or her dowry.”

      “From the moment ye claimed she was the one ye have searched for, I kenned that it would be useless to speak about such things. Ye dinnae need me to remind ye what ye can gain or lose by marriage. If she is what your heart craves then I shall find no fault with her, even if she is a tavern whore’s bastard who owns no more than what she wears upon her back.”

      “Thank ye for that, Mother. Howbeit, ye may be at ease concerning her blood, or so I believe.” He showed Edina the medallion he wore. “She left me this, claiming it was rightfully hers. No lowborn tavern wench would own such a thing. These are the baubles of the weelborn.”

      “True.” Edina frowned as she studied the medallion’s design closely. “Strange, it seems familiar to me.”

      “Do ye recognize the crest then?”

      “I think I do, but I cannae put a name to it.”

      “Yet, it troubles you.”

      “Aye, I fear so, although I cannae say just why. This may sound foolish to ye, ’tis but a feeling I have….”

      “’Tis only a fool who would ignore your feelings. They have proved right far too often.”

      “Weel, this crest makes me feel, not afraid, but worried. Anxious. Mayhaps I ken of some dark tale attached to it, but I cannae recall it just now. The family which bears that crest may weel have a troubled history.”

      “She did speak of murder and theft, of wrongs she needed to set right.” He shook his head. “She spoke just like a mon set upon some quest for vengeance.”

      “A woman can feel so, Gamel. Women can feel hate as deeply as any mon. They can want blood for blood. They simply lack the strength to act upon their feelings and often have to turn to men to see their need for vengeance sated.”

      “She didnae turn to me.”

      “I shouldnae take that so to heart. Mayhaps she didnae ken that ye had the means to aid her.”

      “Ah, true. I did tell her verra little about myself. I thought I had time for that later.”

      “Weel, there is yet another thing ye must set right when ye find her.”

      “And I will find her.”

      “Aye, I think ye will.” Edina frowned, then began to smile as the sound of running feet approached her door. “I believe one of my children has slipped free of William’s rein. In truth, mayhaps he let it happen to remind me I am somewhat late.”

      Even as she spoke, little Lilith burst into the room, her young face alight with excitement. Gamel smothered a laugh as the five-year-old stood impatiently while Edina gently lectured her on the lapse in proper conduct for a lady. Lilith was rarely concerned with such matters.

      “I am verra sorry, Mama, but I needed to hurry,” Lilith said.

      “Ye have news of such great importance, do ye?” Edina smiled at her daughter.

      “Oh, aye. We have a guest ye must come to see.”

      “I was just leaving to go to the hall.”

      “Oh, Mama, there is a mon down there who does tricks.”

      “Tricks, loving? What sort of tricks?”

      “He can…he can make coins disappear then come back. He even made one come right out of my ear. And he does clever things with cards too. Ye must come and see.”

      “Has Lord Magnusson brought a conjurer СКАЧАТЬ