Page 137 of Bride of Fire
He wouldn’t be so indifferent to her now. Not when she brought with her the new lord who’d come to seize his castle. Morgan deserved as much. And she couldn’t wait to see his face. In fact, she wouldn’t miss it for the world.
The castle was still slumbering when Jenefer stole from the nursery bed.
It was better to leave now.
Before Miles woke to tempt her with his irresistible grin.
Before she had to explain anything to Bethac. Or argue with Feiyan. Or face Morgan’s despair.
It was bad enough she had to reckon with her own.
Even after all the tears she’d spent last night, her eyes welled as she thought about the mac Giric clan.
To think she’d imagined Highlanders to be wild savages, vicious and brutal, who ate live rodents and bartered away their own children.
Never had she met a man who cared so tenderly for his child. As for Bethac, her gruffness hid the softest heart. And the archers she’d helped to train were patient and hard-working, the best apprentices she could hope for.
She knew if she delayed to bid them farewell, she might never leave.
Tiptoeing to the window, she peered out the shutters. The stars were invisible, obscured by a blanket of cloud that hung all the way to the ground. But the night had turned from coal black to iron gray. Soon the bakers would arise to warm the ovens for bread.
She would be gone before they woke.
Just as she turned away to take her cloak from the hook on the wall, she saw a movement in the mist, between the trees. She froze, staring hard at the spot.
After a moment, when nothing changed, she decided it must have been an owl or another animal on a late night hunt.
She started to close the shutters when she saw the motion again. Withdrawing into the shadows, Jenefer watched with astonishment as a pale figure emerged from the fog.
It couldn’t be.
Alicia had returned.
Jenefer’s heart plummeted.
She’d been so certain the woman was gone forever.
Surely Alicia didn’t believe Morgan would take her back. Surely Morgan wouldn’t consider forgiving her.
Yet, as she watched Alicia creep across the frost-rimed grass toward the gates, Jenefer had her doubts.
Morgan might be big and brave and brawny. A formidable warrior with a heavy targe and a thick cotun.
But Jenefer knew histruefatal flaw. Inside that armor beat a heart full of honor and compassion. Morgan would sooner cut off his own hand than harm his wife and the mother of his child. No matter how much she deserved it. He wasn’t so foolish as to throw caution to the winds. But his soft heart might leave him open to attack.
Someone had to watch his back.
The guards had been warned. They were not to let Alicia through the gates. But they’d surely alert Morgan of her return. And he’d go down to meet her.
Jenefer intended to be there when he did.
Miles began to stir fitfully in his sleep, as if he could sense his cruel mother was near. Before he could wake the others, Jenefer lifted him from his cradle and soothed him back to slumber against her breast.
Then, holding fast to the precious babe and peering through the crack of the nursery door, she watched for a messenger.
She didn’t have to wait long before young Danald knocked on Morgan’s door. But instead of following the lad downstairs, Morgan headed toward the nursery. Jenefer barely had time to retreat from the door before he came through it.
Startled to see her awake, he stopped short.
