By Honor Bound Part 26

Siward's eyes narrowed at the insult. His hand went to his sword hilt.

"And now," Patric went on, "Macbeth has no doubts left about your intentions. He will be even better prepared against us when next we attack him."

Siward's hand left his sword. "You always were a plain-speaker," he said. "Honestly is all I have left,"Patric replied. "What, out of silver again? Too many wenches?"

"I bought information with the silver, not women. It's not good news, my lord."

"Don't tell me all of Macbeth's n.o.bles are loyal to him? Even your brother-in-law?"

"Especially Conal, and I'll make no attempt to subvert him.""You're mighty squeamish for an outlawed traitor."Patric shrugged. He knew Siward well enough not to take offense."You need to know the truth," Patric said. "And the truth is that you cannot conquer Alba. Not now.Macbeth has made the land both peaceful and prosperous. He sits securely on his throne, backed by hisn.o.bles, who hold him in high regard. You were ill-advised to invade Alba last summer, and you would bea fool to try it again."

"That is plain enough. Very well, my truthful friend, what do you advise me to do?"

"Wait. Eventually something will occur that will enable you to divide the Alban n.o.bles so that some at least will come over to your side. Or perhaps Macbeth himself will provide an excuse for you to attack him."

"Waiting is the hardest thing for a soldier to do.""You have nothing to lose by it.""Only time."Patric nodded toward the youth in the courtyard, who had now taken on a second opponent, havingthoroughly bested the first.

"Malcolm has time."

"Ah, but I am older than he." Siward sighed. "Have I got time?"

On June first of the Year of Our Lord 1047, Elen of Laggan gave birth to a daughter. The child was born in her chamber at court, with Fionna, Briga, and Ava attending her. Elen's labor was short, the delivery remarkably easy.

Talcoran, who had spent the last months torn between fear for Elen's safety and the desire for anotherson, poked uneasily at the pink, elfin creature. His daughter wrapped her tiny hand about his finger. Awide grin split Talcoran's dark face.

"She's beautiful," he said."I know." Elen sat up in bed. "Give her to me. I want to nurse her."Talcoran watched for a while."How happy I am," Elen said softly. "With your permission, I would like to call her Crania."

"I'm not sure that's wise.""It's a common enough name.""Not at this court. I have a better idea. We'll call her Gruach, and ask the queen to be her G.o.dmother."

And so the child was named Gruach, but Elen, during all of her daughter's short life, called her Crania, in memory of the friend who had once carried a message for her.

In the Year of Our Lord 1050, Lulach, now twenty-two, was betrothed to Gertha, a niece of Thorfinn the Mighty.

"I really don't want to marry anyone," Lulach told Elen, "But I must do my duty."

They were strolling along a sheltered walk near the chapel. Elen tucked her hand into Lulach's arm with the easy familiarity of old friends.

"So you have always done, my lord," she said. "Even when you were a little boy. How long ago that seems."

"I used to dream I would grow up and marry you, Elen. Did you know that? You were always so kind to me."

"I'm too old for you, Lulach, even if I weren't married already. Gertha is young and pretty, and she will give you sons."

"You know Macbeth plans to make me his heir, now that I'm old enough to sit on the council?"

"I've heard rumors."

"Do you approve, Elen ? When the time comes, will you be my loyal subject?"

"Always, dear Lulach. I promise." She gazed after him thoughtfully when he left her. How sad that a ruler as strong as Macbeth should have for stepson and heir someone so weak as Lulach. She remembered Malcolm calling him Lulach the Fool, and Lulach's impotent, youthful fury at his overbearing cousin. It was not that Lulach was stupid, only that he was unsuited to rule.

I love him, and one day I will bow to him as my king, she thought. But, please G.o.d, not yet. Not for a long, long time.

With his stepson safely married and his kingdom at peace, Macbeth decided to make a pilgrimage to Rome. Thorfinn of Orkney had already left on a journey through Norway, Denmark, and the continent of Europe. The cousins planned to meet in Rome. Talcoran would travel with Macbeth.

"Six months?" Elen exclaimed. "What will I do without you?"

"You will manage Lagganshire for me. You did it well enough when I was wounded five years ago. Dougal can still help a little, and Colin is nine now, so he can be of some use to you. After I leave, take him and little Gruach to Laggan. The court will be quiet while the king is gone. Gruach won't need you. You can come back here when it is time for me to return."

"I'm more fortunate than you,"Fionna said later. "Conal isn't going to Rome. He is one of the regents on Macbeth's council, so we will remain at court. I would rather go home to Fife."

Elen spent a quiet summer at Laggan. Ava was lonely for Drust, who had gone with Talcoran, and was poor company. As a result, Elen spent much time with Briga, learning more from Briga's seemingly inexhaustible fund of knowledge about herbs and medicines. They took three-year-old Crania with them and tramped the nearby hillsides to find wild herbs or dig roots. They brought their harvest back to the stillroom, where they hung plants to dry or made the distillations that would be used later to cure winter ailments.

Even with all of this activity, and the management of Talcoran's estates besides, she had too much free time in which to be lonely. She missed Talcoran, especially in the evenings and at night.

She too often found guilty thoughts of Patric intruding on her, and wondered if she would never be free of him. It was just over ten years since last she had seen him, yet he would not leave her alone. She was glad to return to court in October, to await Macbeth's-and Talcoran's-return.

"It's amazing," Conal mac Duff said. "Alba is quiet, and there has not been the slightest stirring from Northumbria."

"Siward must have realized at last just how strong Macbeth is," Elen said.

"Perhaps. It's more likely he's biding his time." Conal smiled. "I'll be glad to see Talcoran again. I wager you will be, too, Elen."

"It's a good thing you didn't go to Rome, Conal," Fionna teased him. "I don't think I could endure six months without you. I hate to be separated for even a few days."

Conal laughed. "You don't have to worry about that, my love. I'm not going anywhere without you."

Macbeth's return to Alba was a triumph. He and his companions rode into Scone wearing their brightest clothes, to the cheers and applause of the people who had come to line his route, hoping for a look at their king.

Macbeth was met by his council of regents, by his heir Lulach, whose serene, pale-blonde wife Gerthastood by his side, and by his queen with her ladies. Elen spied Talcoran in his usual position just behindMacbeth's right shoulder. He had a new velvet cape, trimmed in fur, and wore a broad-brimmed feltpilgrim's hat. She paid no attention to anyone else, not even the king. She could not take her eyes offTalcoran.

He had seen her. He looked straight at her. Her heart began to pound harder, but she remembered to behave with dignity. She was not a silly girl any more, whatever her heart said; she was twenty-seven years old and the wife of a great n.o.bleman. She forced herself to stand quietly.

Macbeth formally greeted his council, then came to meet his queen. He took Gruach's hand and togetherthey led the procession into the church for the service of thanksgiving for the king's safe return.

It was a long service. Elen could not see Talcoran from where she stood. She concentrated on her prayers, thanking heaven profusely for sending Talcoran safely home to her.

The service was over at last, and the royal company filed out of the church. Elen was free until the banquet later in the day. She searched, but could not find Talcoran in the crowd. When Drust appeared at her side, she could have hugged him for joy.

"My lord will join you in your chambers shortly," Drust said. "He has some brief business with the king first."

Elen forgot dignity. She hurried as fast as she possibly could, and by the time she reached her own door, she was running.

"Ava, Briga! Where are you?""Here, mistress.""I want the children prepared. Their father will be here soon. Bring the tub in, and hot water. He willwant to bathe before the feast. And food. Cheese, and that dark bread he likes, and mead."

"It's all here, just as you ordered earlier, and the children are ready, too." Briga laughed at herexcitement. "We've only to bring in the hot water.""Do it now. I want everything ready when he comes.""Did you see Drust?" Ava asked hesitantly."Yes, I spoke to him. He is well. You may go to him after Talcoran has dismissed you all."Talcoran arrived before the bathtub was quite full, Drust entering the room behind him. Little Crania ran to her father and threw her arms about his neck as Talcoran tossed her into the air. Young Colin tried torestrain his eagerness and look manly, but in a moment he, too, was clasped in his father's embrace.Over their children's heads, Talcoran's eyes met Elen's.

"Good day, wife.""My lord." Trying not to giggle, Elen made a deep formal bow."Briga, it's good to see you again," Talcoran said. "Take the children away. Now. Drust, Ava, you go, too.""Master," Ava protested, "The tub. You will need more water.""I care nothing about that. Leave us."Elen's heart was beating hard again. Talcoran took two steps toward her. She was in his arms before the servants had left the room. She knew she had missed him. She had not realized just how much until that

moment.

Their mouths met. She felt his hands in her hair, removing all the pins, loosening the braids and untwisting the heavy strands until her hair fell down over her shoulders. He buried his face in it, breathing in the delicate herbal scent she used. Then his lips were on hers again. Her knees buckled. Pa.s.sion, unleashed after so many months of separation, rocked them both. They sank to the floor, tearing at each other's clothes in unthinking haste, strewing discarded garments around them

as they went. His mouth bruised hers. He moaned half-words and broken phrases.

"Need you . . . Elen ... no one else ... so long."

He flung up her skirts while she pulled at his breeches with shaking fingers, hating anything that delayed

their joining. At last they were both free. With a wild, uncontrollable eagerness, he entered her to a

frenzied, screaming climax that was immediate and devastating.

They clung together like victims of some great earthquake, quivering and dazed at what had happened to them. They could not separate. They stayed together, and his mouth, grown tender with the release of his need, now held her gently, caressing her into a soft, melting sweetness, while his hands renewed their familiarity with the softness and roundness and beloved secrets of her body, until the fire blazed up once more, carrying them into that glorious agony where they cried out their love for each other over and over again until they lay limp and sobbing and at peace.

Elen recovered first.

"We are expected at the feast," she reminded him, stroking one hand across his bare chest. "You willwant to bathe. I should call the servants.""No," he murmured. "I want no one else here. Only you."She sat up reluctantly, searching for her shoes and shawl."I think I'll need to change my dress," she said, looking down at her crumpled skirts. She wriggled away, laughing, when he tugged playfully at the laces at one side of her waist.

"I'll help you finish undressing, and you help me bathe," he suggested, beginning to roll down one of her

stockings. "You may wash my back."

In a remarkably short time she was barefoot and clad only in her undershift. Ava had left a bucket of steaming hot water on the hearth, and this Elen dumped into the tub before Talcoran lowered himself into it. She gave him a bowl of the soap Briga had made, scented with fresh-smelling herbs. He lathered his arms and shoulders, then carelessly splashed water about to rinse himself.

"My back, please," he said, handing her the linen cloth.

She scrubbed at him until he leaned back with a sigh of contentment.

"You may as well do my chest, too," he said. "That's fine. A little lower. There, wash that, too."

As Elen leaned over the tub, he caught her by the waist and pulled her in on top of him. Soapy water splashed onto the floor.

"Talcoran! Don't!"

"You need a bath, too, after all that exercise," he said gravely.

He pulled her about until she was straddling him. He was soapy, slippery, and he wanted her again.