03 Border Moonlight by Amanda Scott

Author:Amanda Scott [Scott, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

The Douglas led Simon into a nearby alcove with benches against two walls.

Glancing about, Douglas said, “Heard you were here, lad, and wanted a word. As I’ve no doubt you ken fine, we’ve a plague of reiving in the Borders.”

“Aye, sir,” Simon agreed. “They raided one of my people near Hobkirk just days ago. Those same men, or others like them, threw two bairns into the Tweed. We’ve caught none of them, but folks who saw them think they were English.”

“I’m thinking the Percys may be setting events in motion to shatter this fragile truce we’ve wrought,” Douglas said. “I’ll not have that.”

Simon frowned. “Do you suspect any Percy in particular as the leader?”

“Nay, we hear only rumors. Would you tell me if you’d heard more?”

“I would,” Simon said. “I’d be doing little to maintain

Elishaw’s neutrality if I were to conceal knowledge of intent on either side to break the truce.”

“You’re gey glib on the subject,” Douglas said testily. “I’d liefer you’d decide once and for all to side with Scotland, lad. As I told you eight months ago, you cannot straddle yon line for long without vexing both sides.”

“Aye, perhaps,” Simon said. “But if I side with the Scots, Northumberland and his lot may try to seize Elishaw again. They’ve done it before, more than once.”

“I’ll see that that doesn’t happen. I’ve beaten Percys afore, and I’ll do it again. You’ve two Scottish good-brothers now, lad—stout, loyal men. You ken fine that they want you to stand for Scotland as I do, so you think hard on it.”

“I have thought, my lord, and I will continue to think. Pray, do you also urge me to pursue the lady Sibylla?”

“I do not. But why do you say ‘also’?”

“The Governor learned that my family and I arrived here with Sir Malcolm and his daughters. Fife has made it plain that he expects our marriage.”

Archie’s grim face softened. “Bless us, lad, but you of all men should know Sibylla will marry where she pleases.” His face hardened again as he added, “When you choose sides, Simon, choose wisely. With Sibylla as your wife or none, if I find you’re supporting the Percy, I’ll hang you as a traitor. And I’ll do it without a blink.”

With those cheering words and a parting clap on the shoulder that Simon almost did not see coming soon enough to brace himself, the Douglas was gone.

Stepping back into the hall, Simon looked for the others and saw his mother and Sir Malcolm in a ring of dancers. He scanned the room only a few seconds longer before he realized that Sibylla, Rosalie, and Alice had vanished.

Sibylla hurried after Rosalie and Alice, suspecting the lad with Alice must be the lackwit. She lost sight of Rosalie before reaching the doorway, so she kept her eye on Edward Colville and followed in his wake.

He did not look back, for which she was grateful. Having no doubt he would seize any chance to create trouble for her, she hoped to deal with him after they found the girls and not let him delay her now.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.