“’Tis but a cursed cat,” he grumbled as he curled himself around Mora, her back hard up against his front.
He then closed his eyes. His body was hinting at interest in going another round, but he ignored it. She had been a virgin, and the door had required a good battering to open, so he expected there would be some tenderness in the morning. Despite his wants and needs, he was determined to be a gentleman.
As he forced his body to relax, he thought on what needed to be done about Robert. Instinct told him Robert was not a man one could reason with, could probably not even be tortured into seeing reason. He was going to have to kill the fool but, unless he got the old laird to see it as a needed justice, that could cause a lot of trouble for his family, Sigimor’s as well. This area was an odd cluster of clan holdings, and what affected one could all too easily affect another. All he could do was hope someone else would do it. The man had to have a lot of enemies.
Robert could be dealt with, Gybbon decided, determined to push the problem aside for now. No matter how the problem was settled, there would be trouble. He was feeling too satisfied and content to worry about that now.
*
The sun was breaking over the horizon when Gybbon woke and he slipped out of bed. He gathered up his clothes and stepped behind the privacy screen, to relieve himself, wash up, and then dress. When done he walked out and moved over to the bed.
He was just contemplating kissing Mora awake when he heard the door open. His brother Harcourt stood there with a half smile on his face and crooked his finger in a gesture to tell him to come along. Gybbon sighed and went.
“Are ye sure that was wise?” Harcourt asked as they started down the stairs.
“Did someone ask ye that?”
“Nay.” Harcourt laughed, but it was not a happy sound. “Sometimes I wish they had, but then I realize if they had, and I had listened, there would be no Benet.”
“Aye, and ye cannae want that. Weel, it probably wasnae wise, but I find I simply dinnae care.” He frowned. “Unless she frets o’er it.”
“Weel, ye were sneaky enough last night that Annys was shocked to find ye were gone from your bedchamber. She woke me up to ask if ye had told me ye were leaving. So ye lost me a nice sleep and some morning time with Annys.”
“Since I didnae get any morning time, I dinnae think I can work up any sorrow for ye.”
“All that roaming ye have done has made your heart cold, brother.” He grinned when Gybbon laughed. “Are ye done with it?”
“I am thinking I might be. Will have to see how matters go.”
“Ah, so she has ye thinking of staying in one place.”
Gybbon shook his head. “I just started thinking on it and have made no decision. Just wondered while doing it, if she was why I suddenly started thinking on it. One usually needs a reason to stop and settle in one spot. But then I would have that silly cat.”
“Roban is up with Annys, so we dinnae have to worry about Freya.”
Gybbon looked down to see the cat strutting along with them. “I didnae e’en see her get out.”
“She slipped out the moment I opened the door. She has seen Roban but then ran up the stairs and disappeared. I just dinnae want her getting hurt by the bigger cat.”
“Oh, nay. Mora adores the fool cat.”
“The moment a woman or a child names an animal, it becomes important and sometimes a great pet.”
“Like Roberta, who is not for the pot.”
“Exactly, although the stupid beast is near full grown now.” He walked into the hall and hailed Nicolas, who moved to the head table to sit next to Harcourt while Gybbon sat on his other side.
“The offer to be my second still stands.”
“As does Nicolas,” said Gybbon.
“Then ye can be my third.”
“I dinnae think ye can have a third.”
“I can have anything I want; I am a laird.” Harcourt grinned at them, and both Nicolas and Gybbon laughed.
“That ye certainly are. And how often do ye tell your wife?”
“All the time, and she listens raptly.”
“Then does as she pleases.”
“Aye.” He laughed along with the other men, then grew serious. “Then what about the bit of land I talked on?” Harcourt said abruptly, as he heaped some porridge into his bowl.
“That I might consider, but nay now. I did earn a nice purse of money, but it will take time to collect it all, as I left it at various kinsmen’s to keep it safe from thieves.”
“Ye could have some of what is between us and the border.”
“Nay. I would choose a patch between ye and Nigel. I dinnae want, nor can afford to build a big keep, Harcourt. A nice fortified house would be it and better it be placed between two weel-fortified keeps. Gives me two places to choose between if I have to get to safety.”
Nicolas nodded. “Aye, good plan.”
Harcourt lightly smacked Nicolas on the back of his head. “A keep would be better.”
“I would be ready for my grave before I got the coin to build one of those,” Gybbon said.
Sighing heavily, Harcourt nodded. “True. Might be better to just make sure the manor is as strong as it can be.”
“That can be done. Time to think on it, anyway. Now, I need to keep my mind on how to end this threat from Robert Ogilvy.”
“I am nay sure ye can,” said Nicolas. “The mon has already killed a number of people, is trying to kill his own father, to get what he wants. Any mon who is willing to do such things is nay going to end his campaign because it does nay make sense or has grown too hard. If he was, he would have stepped back when he realized Sigimor was involved in protecting the lady and that boy. Any sane mon would.”
Gybbon laughed. “True enough.”
For a while, they discussed several ideas concerning what could be done about Robert. Tiring of that, they went out to indulge in some sword practice. It was between him and Nicolas because Harcourt had to sit down due to his healing foot. His men watched and occasionally took a turn. Gybbon realized how much he had missed such comradery while roaming the country. It was just another reason to stop roving, he decided.
By the time it ended, Gybbon was weary and needed a wash but had to admit it had been a good way to pass the time. He went to his bedchamber and washed up, then went to Mora’s bedchamber. All he found was a maid who directed him down to the lady’s sitting room. Annys had seen Jolene’s and had decided she needed one. He could see the reason behind such a thing as he suspected it was a nice place to go when men started their boasting or talk of old battles.
He stepped inside and saw Mora immediately. She looked healthy again and was deep into a discussion over the making of a shirt. As quietly as he could he walked over and sat in the chair facing the two women on the settle.
“Are ye done clashing swords together?” asked Annys.
“Aye and nay. Harcourt didnae try to join in. He sat down and delighted us all with his opinions on our skills.” Gybbon smiled when Annys laughed.
“I am sure ye enjoyed that.”
“And he is arguing about me setting up some place to live near here. This time I at least came to the decision that, if I did, it would be a manor house, well fortified, set between here and Nigel.”
“There is a lovely spot there, almost right at the halfway mark.”
“I ken it. Have often studied it.” He grinned at Annys and she smiled back at him. “But there is nay a hurry to do it. And,” he added as he looked at Mora, “there is a certain problem that needs to be ended.”
“’Tis my trouble. Ye must nay hold back any plans ye had for it. Besides he is three days away so how much trouble can he be?” Mora asked.
“A lot. He is but a day’s ride from here.”
“He is? But it took us nearly three days to reach here.”
“Ah, weel, we came a circuitous route and were in a cart. We also wanted to go carefully, slowly, because of ye and the boy, and needed to keep a close watch for Robert and his men.”