By Honor Bound Part 5

"Good day to you, father," Patric said politely.

"Good day, my children. Peace be with you." The priest entered the garden and began to stroll slowly down the path. As Patric steered Elen out of the garden she awakened from her kiss-induced trance.

"Do my cousins know of King Duncan's decision?" she asked.

"I do not think he told anyone before he spoke to me."

"He should have discussed it with them at once."

"Duncan is sometimes impetuous. He may have seen Macbeth after giving me permission to speak to you."

"I had better go to Gruach now and tell her."

"Shall I come with you?"

"No." Elen remembered her cousins' deliberate snub of Patric at Duncan's feast. She had a feeling theywould be none too happy about her proposed marriage. "I'll do this myself."

Patric escorted the two women to Macbeth's apartments and kissed Elen before the door, in spite ofAva's giggles and the raised eyebrows of several pa.s.sersby.

"You should comb your hair," Ava advised once they were in Elen's room.

"I will. You may go. I want to be alone for a little while." She sat by the window, slowly drawing the comb through her hair and gazing dreamily out at the misty early autumn landscape.

She had never dreamed that such a wonderful thing could happen. Her previously mixed feelings about Patric had been immediately put right by his proposal. If he was to be her husband, it did not matter that he had kissed and fondled her on their journey from Laggan, and it was good that she had enjoyed what he did. It had taken only a day or two of observing Macbeth and Gruach to make Elen realize that such feelings were natural between husband and wife. She and Patric would feel toward each other as her married cousins did. She felt only a faint p.r.i.c.kle of fear about what might happen once their bedroom door was

closed. Whatever that mystery was, Patric would make it all right. Her body, gloriously alive after his most recent kisses and gentle explorations, a.s.sured her of that.

The only problem Elen could see was the response her cousins might make to the news, but even they could not deny King Duncan's command. She finished combing her hair and went in search of Gruach.

Gruach was not pleased.

"It is too soon after your father's death," she declared angrily. "It's disrespectful."

"It was the king's own decision," Elen said. "And I want to marry him, Gruach. I do."

"What do you know of such things?" Gruach was scornful. Then her eyes narrowed, and she took a steptoward Elen. "What did you do on the journey from Laggan to Dunfermline?"

"Do? Nothing." Elen could not meet Gruach's eyes."You had better be speaking the truth, my girl.""He kissed me," Elen confessed."And? Was there more?""No." How could she tell the angry Gruach how Patric had held her breast in his hand? As for what theyhad done this day, the way he had wrapped his arms around her so tightly she could hardly breathe . . .no, she could never tell anyone what she had felt then. "We are betrothed. It doesn't matter if he kissedme."

Gruach relented, her affection for Elen overcoming her anger.

"You are in my care, cousin, and you are very innocent. It is my duty to keep you safe for your future husband."

"I understand, and I thank you for your concern,

but Patric and I have done nothing wrong." "Well, since the king himself commands this betrothal, I suppose there is nothing to do now but see to it that you are properly dressed for the ceremony tonight. I 'm glad we decided on cream-colored wool for your new dress. Will it be done in time?"

"I think so. Ava is sewing as fast as she can."

Macbeth was no more pleased than his wife had been. Duncan had personally informed him of his decision to marry Elen to Patric. The rage Macbeth dared not show before the king spilled out of him in his own chambers.

"I am your nearest living relative!" he stormed at Elen. "I should have been consulted before Duncan gave you away so quickly."

"I am very happy, cousin."

"Happy? Pah!" Macbeth spat into the rushes on the floor. "You know nothing about ruling a country. Duncan could have given you to someone who would be more useful to him than Patric of Bute. But Patric pleases Duncan because he is nearly as English as Duncan himself. English manners, English clothes, now even English laws. Duncan would discard all that is fine and good about Alba, all the old ways.

"d.a.m.n Duncan!" Macbeth's fist slammed into his hand. "The impetuous, spoiled young fool! He never thinks. First he invades Northumbria, where hundreds of good men are killed needlessly, including your own father, Elen. Next he insults Macdowald until Macdowald has quit the court and is near to open revolt. And now this ridiculous marriage!"

"Hush! Someone will hear you," Gruach cautioned, her voice low and urgent.

"Duncan wastes his authority," Macbeth said in a quieter tone. "And someday soon, it will all be gone."

Macbeth, resplendent in his blue court tunic and his silver chain of office, led Elen into the great hall for her betrothal. There were murmurs of approval as she pa.s.sed between the twin lines of watching courtiers. For the first time in her life, Elen believed that she looked beautiful.

Gruach's large silver mirror had shown her a slender young woman in a simple gown of the creamiest ivory wool, trimmed with bands of gold embroidery at neck and wrists and belted with a golden sash that Gruach had lent her. Her unbound hair streamed down her back. Her face was flushed with color. Her dark blue eyes sparkled. Her happiness was a tangible thing, apparent to anyone who looked at her.

It is Patric who has done this to me, she thought. She went joyfully to meet him where he stood before King Duncan's raised chair.

Afterward, she remembered nothing of the ceremony. She knew only that Patric's hand had held hers in a warm and steady grasp, and that he had given her a wide, heavy gold bracelet for a gift.

"The wedding will take place in one month," Duncan announced.

"My lord." Gruach moved forward, her flame-red gown a brilliant splash of color, her arms and neck weighted down with gold jewelry. "My lord, may I speak?"

"Certainly, cousin. What is it?"

"Elen is too shy to tell you herself, but she still mourns deeply for her father. She is also young, only sixteen, and newly come to court. She needs schooling before she will be ready to take her place as the wife of one of your great n.o.bles."

Gruach paused to smile at Patric before continuing. "My lord, would you be kind enough to delay the wedding for one year?"

No, Elen thought. No, I want to be with Patric! She opened her lips to protest. Then Macbeth's strong arm was across her shoulders, and his deep voice boomed out over her feeble sounds.

"My lord, my wife is right. I, too, believe a year's delay would be wise. In the meantime, I would be happy to see to the administration of Lagganshire, so that when Patric and Elen do marry, she will bring him an even greater dowry than she does now."

Elen fought back tears of disappointment. She would not disgrace herself by crying before the king.

Beside her, Patric made an impatient motion.

"Elen," he asked, "Is this what you want?"

Elen swallowed hard, forcing the lump in her throat down so she could speak. No, it is not, she started to say, but Gruach cut her off.

"Of course it is what she wants. I know my cousin's heart. You see, she is so shy she cannot tell you herself."

"Elen?" Patric persisted.

Elen was afraid she would dissolve into tears. How could she defy her cousins before all of these people, who would surely laugh at her-or worse, think she was a rude, ungrateful girl when Macbeth and Gruach had been so kind to her. She found that she was so upset she could not shake or nod her head, or even meet Patric's eyes. She did not see the expression of deep hurt on his face when he looked at her.

"Patric," Duncan said, "What is your opinion of this? Are you willing to wait?"

Patric made the only correct answer."I am eager to wed, but I will do whatever you wish, my lord."Still, Duncan wavered."It would be best, my lord," Macbeth insisted."Oh, very well. The marriage will take place one year from today," Duncan announced. "But you are stillbetrothed," he added to Patric, as though that were encouragement.

Through his pain and his humiliation, Patric reminded himself of his decision to go slowly with Elen.

Perhaps he had not adequately controlled his boiling emotions in the garden that morning. Perhaps he had frightened her. He had not thought so from her eager response, but it might be that she had been trying to please him, and then later had unburdened herself of her fears to her nearest female relative. He would be more careful in the future, hold himself in check so as not to upset her.

Then he remembered that, unwed or not, she was still his betrothed. He could find time for them to be alone together, and gradually he would teach her not to be afraid of her feelings for him. He bent to kiss her cheek.

"No, no," Gruach said, laughing and drawing Elen away. "Don't embarra.s.s the poor girl in public, Patric.

You must wait until you are wed."

"That was unkindly done," Fionna whispered in his ear. "I don't think they want you to marry Elen at all."

"But I will," Patric replied. "Whether they want it or not."

Duncan had made his eldest son Malcolm ruler of c.u.mbria. Malcolm celebrated the event by pummeling Lulach until his nose was b.l.o.o.d.y.

"A wild, undisciplined, eight-year-old boy!"

Gruach exclaimed. "Has Duncan gone mad?"

"Why shouldn't he do this?" Macbeth replied. "Duncan's grandfather made him King of Strath-clydewhen he wasn't much older than Malcolm is now. That was to prepare the way for Duncan to becomeKing of Alba, and now Duncan is ensuring Malcolm's succession in the same manner."

"Under the Law of Tanistry, you should have been king instead of Duncan. You should be the next king instead of Malcolm."

"Duncan's grandfather changed the law, and all the n.o.bles swore to uphold the change. But you are not the only one in Alba who feels that way, Gruach. Several men have spoken to me today."