version of Ian Duncan and was immediately glad she had the good grace to keep herself covered. Whoever told King Edward this girl was a pleasure to gaze upon had an odd sense of humor.
The priest interrupted Kenric's thoughts by clearing his throat, a subtle hint that he was waiting for an introduction. Kenric said simply, "Father Olwen, this is Lady Remmington."
The girl's shoulders jerked. She bowed her head, then turned to meet the priest.
"I'm pleased to meet you, my dear." Father Olwen stepped forward and took hold of the girl's hands, giving them a firm squeeze. "These circumstances are a bit unusual, but I'm sure we can make your—"
"Excuse me, Father," Ian interrupted. He ignored the priest's look of surprise and pulled Tess back to his side. "Is there someplace I might speak with Lady Remmington in private?"
"Why, I believe there is a—"
"Whatever you need say to the lady can be said right here." This time it was Kenric who interrupted the priest, his expression dark.
"I'm not so sure of that," Ian said uncertainly. "My niece knows very little of this plan. I thought it best to explain the situation once we were safely away from Langston."
"She doesn't know of the marriage?" Kenric questioned sharply.
"Marriage?" the wide bundle croaked.
"Now, lass, don't get all worked up before I have a chance to explain," Ian pleaded, turning the girl toward him to take hold of her hands.
"
Marriage
!" she repeated, her voice louder. She jerked her hands away from Ian and tried to rest them on her hips.
The knights and priest stared in amazement when Lady Remmington's wide girth suddenly sank into a lumpy mass around her feet. They continued to watch in stunned silence as she stepped closer to Ian, her cloak dragging forward to reveal two large linen sacks on the floor. It took only a moment for them to realize the sacks had been slung over her shoulders, carried beneath the cloak to keep her arms under the sleeveless garment and protected against the cold.
"You said
nothing
about a marriage!"
The men turned their heads from the floor to Lady Remmington, almost in unison.
"She isn't fat at all," Fitz Alan whispered.
Lady Remmington still had her back to the men, but Kenric smiled when the newly slimmed figure gave Laird Duncan a good poke in the stomach. Her hood fell back onto her shoulders as she glared up at the Scot, providing a pleasing glimpse of honey-blond hair.
"I wasn't sure how you would take the news," Ian began.
"You knew damned well how I would take the news! And now you've made me swear in front of a priest!" She swirled around to face Father Olwen, her hands folded demurely, eyes lowered to the floor. "Forgive me, Father . ' Tis a sinful word I spoke in anger. I will pray God realizes these are trying times for me and can forgive this transgression. It seems my uncle's plans for this evening and my own differ greatly."
Kenric didn't realize he was holding his breath until the woman turned toward her uncle. One look at those flashing violet eyes had actually weakened his knees. Now he was certain the king jested with him. Only a blind man would describe this girl as pretty. Tess of Remmington was magnificent.
"You will explain yourself," Tess ordered, a sharp nod at her uncle emphasizing the point. She unhooked her cloak and shrugged it off, folding the garment carefully over one arm as if she had all day to hear Ian's explanation. "And it had best be good."
"I was going to tell you," Ian said. He spoke in Gaelic, his voice lowered. "But you've had your mind so set on this convent idea that I wasn't sure you would agree to leave, knowing you would be wed to a man you'd never met."
"This plan makes no sense, Uncle." Tess answered in Gaelic as well, with a sidelong glance at the mercenary knights who escorted them here. "A convent can be explained away by a religious calling. But marriage to a man of your acquaintance? Neither your king, nor mine, is like to believe you're not involved. You risk
The priest interrupted Kenric's thoughts by clearing his throat, a subtle hint that he was waiting for an introduction. Kenric said simply, "Father Olwen, this is Lady Remmington."
The girl's shoulders jerked. She bowed her head, then turned to meet the priest.
"I'm pleased to meet you, my dear." Father Olwen stepped forward and took hold of the girl's hands, giving them a firm squeeze. "These circumstances are a bit unusual, but I'm sure we can make your—"
"Excuse me, Father," Ian interrupted. He ignored the priest's look of surprise and pulled Tess back to his side. "Is there someplace I might speak with Lady Remmington in private?"
"Why, I believe there is a—"
"Whatever you need say to the lady can be said right here." This time it was Kenric who interrupted the priest, his expression dark.
"I'm not so sure of that," Ian said uncertainly. "My niece knows very little of this plan. I thought it best to explain the situation once we were safely away from Langston."
"She doesn't know of the marriage?" Kenric questioned sharply.
"Marriage?" the wide bundle croaked.
"Now, lass, don't get all worked up before I have a chance to explain," Ian pleaded, turning the girl toward him to take hold of her hands.
"
Marriage
!" she repeated, her voice louder. She jerked her hands away from Ian and tried to rest them on her hips.
The knights and priest stared in amazement when Lady Remmington's wide girth suddenly sank into a lumpy mass around her feet. They continued to watch in stunned silence as she stepped closer to Ian, her cloak dragging forward to reveal two large linen sacks on the floor. It took only a moment for them to realize the sacks had been slung over her shoulders, carried beneath the cloak to keep her arms under the sleeveless garment and protected against the cold.
"You said
nothing
about a marriage!"
The men turned their heads from the floor to Lady Remmington, almost in unison.
"She isn't fat at all," Fitz Alan whispered.
Lady Remmington still had her back to the men, but Kenric smiled when the newly slimmed figure gave Laird Duncan a good poke in the stomach. Her hood fell back onto her shoulders as she glared up at the Scot, providing a pleasing glimpse of honey-blond hair.
"I wasn't sure how you would take the news," Ian began.
"You knew damned well how I would take the news! And now you've made me swear in front of a priest!" She swirled around to face Father Olwen, her hands folded demurely, eyes lowered to the floor. "Forgive me, Father . ' Tis a sinful word I spoke in anger. I will pray God realizes these are trying times for me and can forgive this transgression. It seems my uncle's plans for this evening and my own differ greatly."
Kenric didn't realize he was holding his breath until the woman turned toward her uncle. One look at those flashing violet eyes had actually weakened his knees. Now he was certain the king jested with him. Only a blind man would describe this girl as pretty. Tess of Remmington was magnificent.
"You will explain yourself," Tess ordered, a sharp nod at her uncle emphasizing the point. She unhooked her cloak and shrugged it off, folding the garment carefully over one arm as if she had all day to hear Ian's explanation. "And it had best be good."
"I was going to tell you," Ian said. He spoke in Gaelic, his voice lowered. "But you've had your mind so set on this convent idea that I wasn't sure you would agree to leave, knowing you would be wed to a man you'd never met."
"This plan makes no sense, Uncle." Tess answered in Gaelic as well, with a sidelong glance at the mercenary knights who escorted them here. "A convent can be explained away by a religious calling. But marriage to a man of your acquaintance? Neither your king, nor mine, is like to believe you're not involved. You risk
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