Of course, she would be ecstatic for the pair. But she had to be secretly aching.
Cherish cast her husband a loving look as he kept an arm around her. “Gawain, you are being apishly protective again. But very well. For the sake of saving Pershing’s life, go ahead and separate those two before Fiona knocks out one of his teeth. You know how competitive she is, so why torment her? You are having far too much fun with this.”
“It is nothing to the agony she put me through last year. Although she did find me my perfect match, so I suppose I ought to be grateful. All right, I’ll put Durham on her team tonight.”
He turned and gave Rob a grin as he strode closer.
“He’s a very smart fellow,” Gawain added, knowing Rob could now hear every word between husband and wife. “They’llwin every game once he is on her team. Will this make you happy?” He gave Cherish a lingering kiss, and then ran off to haul Fiona off Pershing, who was sprawled on the grass and not moving.
Rob followed him, just because he felt the need to be close to Fiona.
“He looks dead,” Gawain muttered. “You didn’t kill him, did you, Fiona?”
“No, but it isn’t for lack of trying,” she grumbled. “I can hear him snoring. Just leave him there. He is in no one’s way and will eventually wake up on his own. I hope it rains on him.”
Gawain glanced up at the sky that was a deep, cloudless blue. “No rain today.”
“Too bad.” Fiona refused to look at Rob, no doubt sensing he understood her turmoil and the true reason behind it.
He followed her as she returned to the other guests to finish the archery game her team could not possibly win, since Pershing had just forfeited his turn.
“Come take a walk with me, Fiona. The game’s over,” he said a few minutes later as Cherish and Margaret were declared the winners, received their prizes—a little bow-and-arrow bracelet charm for each—and the players began to disband.
“No,” Fiona said, her lips quivering. “I’m tired.”
“Then come sit with me.”
“You’ll want to talk, and that will only make me cry.”
“I’ll do my best not to say a word and let you do all the talking.”
“Rob,” she whispered in utter anguish, “just leave me alone.”
How could he when he knew how badly she was aching?
But he sighed and glanced up at the noonday sun beating down on them. “All right. Care for a lemonade? It’s hot out here. I’ll fetch it for you, and then you can tell me to go away.”
“And you will?”
“Yes, if you still want to be left on your own.”
She relented and gave a nod. He settled her in a shady spot and went off to fetch her a drink.
Along with hers, he poured one for himself before returning to her side.
“Stay, Rob,” she said, looking ready to talk once he handed over her glass.
He sank into the chair beside hers, nursing his lemonade while waiting for her to start the conversation.
“Cherish and I are as close as sisters,” she said after taking a sip of the refreshing libation. “How could I not be overjoyed for her? She asked me last night if I would be godmother to their child.”
“Did you accept?”
She let out a ragged breath. “Yes, of course. She and Gawain will reveal her delicate condition to the others once she starts to show in another month or two. Meanwhile, they would prefer to keep it quiet and share the news only with their closest friends.”
“I won’t say a word,” Rob assured her.
Perhaps he wasn’t meant to know yet, but Cherish and Gawain had not tried very hard to keep it a secret from him.
