Andy nodded toward the unfortunate man still tied to a tree and soaked to the skin. The wretch looked miserable.
“I suppose we are taking him with us?” Mairi asked, slicing off a portion of cheese with her eating knife and offering it.
Andy thanked her with a smile and a bob of his head. “Aye. Rob—Lord Rob, that is—plans to have him questioned. Find out more about your cousin.”
“To what end?”
“I did not ask,” Andy admitted. “And he seldom announces his reasons. Nonetheless, they are always sound.”
Mairi hesitated to talk about her husband with a man who served him, but she had to find out about him somehow. “I do wish he’d answer my questions, if not yer own! He rarely speaks to me and never seems to hear a thing I say.”
Wee Andy shot her a worried frown. She realized she should never have criticized her husband’s behavior to one of his men. “I do not speak ill of him,” she assured. “Truly. I but wonder why he seems so stern. Is he always like that?”
“Stern?” Andy repeated with a gust of laughter. “Aye, I suppose he can be when there’s a need for it.” His eyes sparkled then. “But Rob loves a good jest. None of us was safe from him as lads and he’s not much improved since then.”
“Jests?” Mairi asked, unable to imagine the stoic MacBain playing tricks for fun.
“Oh, aye,” Andy assured her, warming up to a tale. “Why just last month he smartly humbled one of his knights, Sir Belden—he’s a God-cursed temper, that man. Ever one to pick a fight for no good cause.”
“Go on,” she encouraged. “What did the MacBain do to him?”
“Goaded the man past bearing. Did it exactly the way Sir Belden would do to another. Niggling, smirking, poking fun. Kept at him until he demanded Rob fight him.”
Andy chuckled and shook his head. “The man will think twice afore he strikes up another match over some piddling words.”
“MacBain defeated him soundly, did he?” she asked, ripping off another chunk of bread.
“You might say that. They was squared off, y’see.” Wee Andy demonstrated, standing with his short legs spread, stretching his arms as if about to draw his blade for attack.
“Go on, finish it!” Mairi encouraged, eager to hear the outcome.
Andy nodded and shifted his stance. “Then Robbie slides that huge sword of his out of its scabbard and holds it gleaming in the sun, evil grin on his face, looking ready to fight to the death.” He narrowed his eyes at Mairi, but his lips quivered with barely contained mirth, spoiling the effect.
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