She calmly sat upon the bedding, looking at him with a serene gaze. “You deem by saying this it will upset me. It won’t for I know what happens in battle. Aye, I know the cardinal rules of being a warrior and how affected you become. I am not an inane lass.”
“You bespoke of these rules before. Tell me what they are?”
She folded her hands and set them on her lap. “One, a warrior does not show emotion. Two, a warrior does not back down from an opponent unless death takes them. Three, a warrior holds his or her brothers in arms with honor and respect. Four, a warrior does not disobey a command. And lastly, a warrior holds loyalty above all else.”
James wanted to laugh, but he held in such appall. “A warrior always shows emotion. Without it, he is an animal, or soulless.” He pulled her into his arms and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away.
“I mean what I said. I should go and aid my family.”
“I meant what I said. You should not. I will hear no further argument, Emlyn. I am charged with your care and until I am released from that duty, you will do as you’re told. Your father bade me to allow no harm come to you, and I mean to honor his command, as a warrior should.”
“You had no right to accept his command. And when did my father bid such of you? You never mentioned this. You spoke with him?”
James firmed his lips and decided he might as well speak the truth. “Aye, just before your farewell celebration, he called me to the hall. I met with him. He told me he did not want you given to Marshall. He said to keep you and care for you. Your father paid for our aid with a hefty bride price. Aye, there I said it.”
“You mean he paid you to keep me?” Her voice came out with a dejected sigh.
“Aye, but more than that. He bought you a husband with a fair amount of coin, more than ample payment. That says much about him. He gave you to me.”
Emlyn’s shoulders slouched in defeat. “He had no right to do that.”
James detested seeing the look of despair in her eyes. “Aye, damned right he did. He’s your father. He has given me the right to see to your welfare and I won’t allow you to put yourself in harm’s way for him or anyone.”
“Then there is nothing more to discuss is there?” A lone tear slipped down her cheek.
James flinched inside for he’d never seen her cry. His heart tensed at causing her such misery. “Nay, there is not.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
She spoke nary a word to him the entire ride to the Gunn keep. Emlyn was still wrath with him over his dictate that she not return home, and the fact that her father had bartered her. Now that James was on the mend, she released her heart of the guilt. She could also relieve him of his honor-bound duty. His words hurt deeply, for she hadn’t expected to hear her father paid handsomely for her to be gone. If he hadn’t wanted her, why did he not just send her to Marshall and save himself the trouble of a war?
If he wanted a war, she could’ve stayed home and aided him. Mayhap her father cared not what happened to her. Her heart was in a quandary. As much as she cared for James, she didn’t want her family endangered even if they bore no fond feeling for her. If only Gareth hadn’t told Marshall about her. But then she never would have met James.
She glanced at him, riding in the back of the cart. His leg concerned her because it hadn’t healed properly. He wouldn’t let her tend to it once his arm and back fully healed. She wanted to look at it, but he wouldn’t allow her. Damn his wounded pride.
He used a stick and scratched at a parchment. She tried to see what he was doing, but he held it close to his body and hid it. The man was too elusive, and she wondered if he wrote something about her in it.
The Gunn keep was just ahead, and she knew as soon as they arrived, she’d see very little of him. And once she left, he would want nothing to do with her. They passed the gatehouse and through the bailey. Their keep was well-tended, and a gaiety seemed to be about the clans people. Banners hung on doors and some along the lane. Trees from saplings to a mighty oak set the grounds. A large wall surrounded the great area and insets of stone had various plants set in the hollow of them.
Emlyn was impressed. Her home in no way rivaled its beauty. The Gunn keep appeared to be that of a great clan and beheld wealth. She wondered if they were attacked often for the palisade rose high enough to keep out an enemy.
“You’re quiet this day. Are you still wrath with me?”
She turned to peer at him when the cart stopped. Her heart could’ve stopped beating at how handsome he looked. She wanted to push back his brown locks from his forehead and smooth her hand over his beard. James hadn’t removed his whiskers since he’d been injured and it bothered her not for it suited him and gave him a knavish look.
“Emlyn?”
She shook herself from her thoughts when he touched her hand.
“I don’t want our homecoming filled with angst. Can you not smile? You do know you need to return my sword and dirk?”
Emlyn couldn’t help but grin. She’d refused to give James back his sword when he’d asked for it. He wasn’t happy about it either. “Mayhap I shall return them, one day.”
His eyes grew serious and staid. “I need the dirk. It belongs to Duff and he’ll be wanting it back. And my sword … was made specifically for my hand and no other. Besides, you can barely lift it.”
She reached into her boot and pulled the dirk free. She set the hilt in his hand. “My thanks for letting me use it. My sword and dagger are gone, as is my other satchel. Do you know what happened to it? I shall return your sword when my belongings are returned to me.”
James shook his head and if he was guilty of hiding it, he didn’t look one bit contrite.
“Will you stay with me?”
His request quickened her heart. What did he mean by such a question? She was going to ask, but they were disturbed by his laird who cleared his throat and watched them with mirth.
“Am I interrupting something?” Laird Gunn stood beside the horse, looking confused. “Why are you riding in the cart, James?”
“Gordy didn’t tell you?” James shuffled to the edge of the cart and hopped off, landing on his good foot.
“He mentioned you were injured but were mending. I didn’t deem it was serious.”
“Aye that is the truth. I’m still on the mend.” James used the stick his father gave him and limped along until he reached Grey’s side.
“What’s wrong with your leg?”
“It was broken and is slow to heal. Nothing to worry about.”
She was about to interject and tell his laird the truth, but Grey approached her.
“Lady Emlyn, you’ve our thanks for rescuing James. Gordy told us of your experience.”
She smiled slightly and bowed. “It was my duty, Laird Gunn. I was happy to get him to safety and aid.”
“Grey, call me Grey. My wife will have my hide if a good friend of our clan holds with such proprieties.”
“Very well, Grey. James is being an arse.”
Grey laughed and bent with the exertion of it. “He often is. Come inside and you can tell me what he’s done to incite your ire.”
Emlyn moved forward to assist James, but he wouldn’t allow her. He moved slowly, and she left him behind and entered the keep. She was surprised to find women and children within. The lady who greeted Grey was beautiful with shining golden hair much akin to her sister Suzanna’s. She had an ugly scar on her pretty face, but it didn’t detract from her beauty. The lady, after speaking low with Grey approached her.