Page 34 of The Guardian's Witch

“You must know the dangers in being in this isolated place.” Laura swept her hand around the room. “You’re not foolish enough to think your charms can protect you here,” she continued. “You haven’t been yourself for some time. I don’t understand. You were full of opinions and always in the thick of things. Now you’re remote and almost timid. Do you remember when Queen Eleanor detained Mother in London? Princess Alice took so ill and the queen insisted mother stay. You took over running Glen Kirk.” Laura went to her sister and put her arm around her shoulder. “And I know you pled my cause to Mother and Father about Jamie when Bryce asked for my hand.” Laura pulled her sister around to face her squarely. “In many ways you are the backbone of Glen Kirk. Now you’re a shell of a person.” Laura took her sister into her arms. “I could understand for a while, right after the accident, but you can’t go on this way any longer.” Laura spoke into her sister’s ear and lovingly stroked her silky hair. “You must accept the fact—mother and father are gone. You must let the king’s men help you. You must move on.”

Lisbeth pulled away to look at Laura closely. “How can you say that? Look at the men the king has sent to ‘protect’ us. Both coveted our house, our land, even the clothes on our backs. I found the first one rummaging through my trunk.”

“And?”

“And nothing. Providence stepped in, and by the end of the week he left and never returned. You and Jamie were there and helped me put everything away.”

Laura took the steaming kettle from the hearth, mulled some wine, and handed a goblet to Lisbeth. They settled themselves by the fire.

“Jamie told me this protector has won the king’s favor and been awarded our Glen Kirk.” She patted her sister’s hand. “Lisbeth, Glen Kirk is his now, not ours. I know this is difficult.”

“Laura, I know you mean well but our lives have become very different. You’re the wife of a great Scottish laird. And I’m...”

“You’re the daughter of Lord and Lady Reynolds. Any man would be eager to be your husband.”

Lisbeth got up and paced the room. “I can’t marry,” she finally blurted out. “I dare not get close to anyone, for their own safety.”

“Are you going to start that again? You can’t will things to happen, Lisbeth. If that were so, Mother, Father and Richard would all still be alive.”

She stopped pacing and faced Laura. “No, I can’t will things to happen, but what I see comes true. I told you what the protector Hubert said. He’d go after the villagers—my coven he called them. I can’t let them suffer. I had to move away from them.”

“Come sit with me by the fire.” Laura patted the seat next to her. “The villagers suffered more for you not being there.”

Lisbeth sat. “The villagers don’t need me. They need someone strong to protect them.”

“Can’t you see? They do need you. Gareth and the soldiers will protect them and you.”

“The king didn’t think that was enough.” She got up and paced in front of her sister. “Laura, for days before our brother was killed, I knew he would die. I soared like a bird above him. When I saw the dark figure and the glint of his blade raised against him, I tried to protect him, but I was helpless. I swore Richard looked at me before the murderer took his life.” She stopped unable to go on. Unrestrained tears ran down her face. Finally, she continued. “I watched him die night after night. I bore witness for days until the king sent us word.”

Laura rushed to Lisbeth’s side and held her tightly in her arms. Both women were in tears.

“I couldn’t help Richard, but I knew what was going to happen.” She tried to comfort her sister. “I knew something was not right before we left you and Jamie, but I didn’t see the coming accident.” She moved away from Laura, wringing her hands. “Mother had a suspicion too. But Father would not hear of it. I did tell the lieutenant who escorted us. I should have done more.”

Laura took hold of Lisbeth’s trembling hands. “Maybe you did see something about Richard, but you couldn’t help him, and you couldn’t help Mother and Father.”

Lisbeth looked at her sister. Her shoulders slumped from exhaustion. Laura would never understand. The visions came with a great burden. Thank goodness Laura would never have that millstone.

“Let’s not argue,” Laura held both her hands. “Another topic. Hmmm...What do you think of this new man?”

“With any luck, Lord Alex will vanish like the others the king sent.”

“Jamie’s not so certain. He thinks highly of him, high enough to bring him to our house.”

“He what?”

“Yes. He’s a bit stiff-necked, but I found him to be a good man with a good heart. Jamie did too or he would never have allowed him into our home. You know Jamie doesn’t give his trust lightly, but he trusts Lord Alex. Keep that in mind. Besides, after I heard how he was humiliated at court, I understood him better.”

“Humiliated? I can’t imagine anyone daring.” Lisbeth’s mouth dropped open.

“It has all to do with a lady. He met Lady Barbara Kincaid the first time he went to court. You remember her. Matilde, her sister, was one of the queen’s ladies. He told Jamie he had never met anyone so beautiful or so witty. Well, in truth, he was newly from his father’s estates and had not met many courtly women.

“He found himself pared with her at many court events. Every time they met he had these, well, uncontrollable thoughts. In desperation he did the only thing he thought appropriate—he proposed.”

“He did what? He had only just met her.”

“He proposed. The next day he was the brunt of every joke in court.”

Lisbeth closed her eyes. She could feel his pain. “How horrifying.” For him it would be the worst punishment anyone could dole out.

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