A gasp circled the crowd.
“As Purity’s husband, I am here to serve and protect you and you have my word I will see it done, but scorn or hurt my wife and you’ll beg the devil himself to save you from me.” He let his words sink in before continuing, “One last thing, the troop of warriors who camp on the outskirts of the clan mean the clan no harm. You are safe, worry not,” Arran called out and the crowd dispersed, smiles remaining on most faces as they called out blessings to Arran.
Arran left Hope with a young lad who couldn’t keep his eyes off the horse, ordering him to wait there until he returned. He then entered the keep with his wife, letting her take the lead and slowing his steps when she did or stopping when something caught her eye.
“Nothing has changed,” she said. “My father demanded the keep be kept exceptionally clean and I see that hasn’t changed. As a child, I often thought that with how clean the keep was kept that it should smile often, but alas the keep never smiled.”
“We’ll make it smile,” Arran said.
“A smile can’t be forced, it must be expressed freely or the smile means nothing,” Purity said, recalling when she was young how much she had wished for smiles from her father, from most anyone. She quickly took hold of his hand. “I have hope that with us here, smiles will come freely.”
“Will your bedchamber suit us?” he asked, feeling a jab of guilt for being another person in her life who didn’t smile.
“My bedchamber is small, the bed barely sufficient for one person.”
“What of your brother’s bedchamber?” Arran asked, remembering Bayne as a sizeable man.
Purity nodded. “His would suit us, but I don’t know how my father will feel about us residing there.”
“Leave your father to me,” Arran ordered.
Gladly almost slipped from her lips but she stopped it. There would come a time she would need to deal with her father and she wouldn’t have her husband doing it for her. She needed to do it herself.
“After I see that Hope is settled well, Quiver and I will see what we can learn from the people about what goes on here and what they might know of your father’s absence.”
“And I’ll see what I can learn from those in the keep,” Purity said, pleased she had something to keep her busy so she wouldn’t dwell on being home.
Arran was happy for her to do so. It would keep her inside where he’d rather she remained, at least for today.
“We can share what we’ve both learned when you return,” she said, already looking forward to that time with him.
“Be careful,” he cautioned, “and if you need me—”
“I will summons you posthaste,” she said and gave him a quick kiss and smiled when she saw King and Princess hurry outside with him.
Purity turned her attention to the Great Hall, surveying the room where she had eaten endless meals yet had barely been noticed or acknowledged. She had learned that by being treated as if she wasn’t there, people spoke openly around her and that had allowed her to become skillful in the art of listening at a young age.
She did that now as she made her way around the keep and though now grown, she was still treated the same… as if she wasn’t there at all. She listened to the whispers of gossiping tongues and some that didn’t even bother to whisper in her presence. Evidently, it had become a habit for people to ignore her.
She went to her bedchamber that appeared not to have been touched since the last time she’d been there, the dust and dirt heavy even in the cold fireplace. The room seemed smaller to her than she remembered, more a cell, a prison of sorts, and having been so free these last few years, she realized how true that was.
How often had she retreated here tearful from hurtful words and seeking solace? How blind had she been not to see it for the prison it was rather than a sanctuary? How often had she walked the keep like today with no one paying her heed and accepting it as her fate?
Her chin shot up. She wasn’t that same frightened, young lass anymore. She was the mistress of the keep and it was time everyone knew it.
Chapter 15
“Tell me what you learned, Quiver,” Arran said as they walked toward the keep, Princess and King following along with them, though going off to explore now and again when a scent caught their attention.
Quiver responded quickly. “Chief Galvin is ill and the people fear who might replace him. It was what worried the clan the most, until you arrived. They are beyond pleased and relieved that you will eventually be chieftain of the clan.”