Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)(27)

And yet there she was in his bed, on his pillow, sound asleep as if she fully expected she should be there.

He walked down the stairs and into the hall where the serving women were busy putting food out on the tables. He took a seat at the end where he always sat, Teague on his left and Bowen on his right. Rorie sat on Bowen’s other side, and suspiciously, she wouldn’t look up to greet him as he sat.

“Know you anything about how Eveline was able to move all her trunks into my chamber?” he asked mildly as he stared down at Rorie. “Or for that matter, how she knew which chamber was mine?”

Rorie’s face colored and she stared down, suddenly very fascinated with her food.

“What do you speak of?” Bowen demanded. “The lass moved into your chamber?”

Teague’s eyebrows went up. “What’s her intention?”

“As she was asleep when I went up, I could hardly ask her,” Graeme said dryly. “I’m more interested in how she wound up there.”

Rorie huffed. “I helped her.”

Graeme’s eyes narrowed. “Was it her idea or yours? Is this some trick you’re playing?”

“You asked me to be nice to her,” she said pointedly. “I went up to her chamber and was met at the door by her pulling—or rather trying to pull—her trunks into the hall. She then dragged me down the hall, wanting to know which room was yours.”

Graeme held up his hand. “Wait a minute. She asked you this? How do you know this is what she wanted?”

“Of course not. She doesn’t speak. You told me as much, and she never uttered a single word. But she certainly has a way of making her point understood.”

Graeme couldn’t deny that.

“So she just dragged you down the hallway and you surmised that she wanted to know the way to Graeme’s chamber?” Teague asked incredulously.

Rorie glared at her brother. “I don’t expect you to understand, but trust me, if you’d been there, you would have known what she wanted. And the moment I showed her which chamber was Graeme’s, she dragged me back down the hall to her chamber and wanted my help in moving all of her belongings.”

Graeme let out a deep sigh. “Who knows what was going on in the lass’s head.”

“She didn’t seem happy with your choice of rooms,” Rorie said, her lips twitching as she glanced up at Graeme. “In fact, I think she took insult that you didn’t install her in your chamber from the beginning.”

Bowen shook his head. “The poor lass is …” He broke off and tapped his temple with his finger several times to signify his thoughts of her mental capacity.

Graeme scowled in his direction. “I have yet to determine just how off she is. I have a suspicion that all is not as it seems. Regardless of how touched she is or isn’t, I expect you all to treat her with respect and kindness. She is no threat to us. She cannot help her parentage. None of us wanted this alliance, but here we are anyway. We should make the best of a bad situation.”

Teague’s lip curled. “Blood agreement or not, I do not consider any Armstrong an alliance. ’Tis just words on parchment that have no meaning. Saying I will not attack is not the same as saying they are a trusted ally.”

“Agreed,” Graeme said through his teeth. “I don’t think anyone has suggested such. What I need and want from the three of you is understanding and patience. It won’t cause you great harm to be kind to the lass. She doesn’t deserve to be treated as a leper by our clan.”

“You cannot control what the clan thinks,” Bowen said.

Graeme’s patience was thinning. “Nay, I can’t, but you can lead by example. Our clan’s acceptance of her won’t happen overnight, but you can aid me by not treating her with the same disdain as the rest of our kin. In time, perhaps she can make a place for herself here. Think of how she must feel. She’s been taken from the sanctuary of her home where she’s surrounded by people who love and protect her, and she’s been thrust into a hostile world where she likely fears for her life, especially given how she is viewed by others.”

He swept his gaze from Bowen to Teague and then back to Bowen. “Imagine if it was Rorie taken from us, as I tried to make you see when we were at the Armstrong Keep. Would you not want her to be treated decently and kindly when we were not there to see to her protection?”

“I won’t be taken away, will I?” Rorie asked sharply.

Graeme cursed under his breath at the sudden fear in her eyes.

“Damn it, Graeme,” Teague snarled. “ ’Twas a stupid thing for you to say.”

“Nay, sweeting,” Graeme said. “ ’Twas just an example. Your place is here with us and that won’t change.”

“But it could,” Rorie persisted. “I’m sure Eveline’s family told her the exact same things you’re telling me. They likely offered her the same reassurances, but who’s to say that our king won’t be offering me up on the sacrificial plate?”

“If he was going to do so, he would have already done it,” Bowen said in a soothing voice. “The king has already asked us for too much. Even he won’t press us this far.”

Graeme wasn’t as certain, and he didn’t think Bowen and Teague were either, but they wouldn’t say anything otherwise in front of Rorie.