Silent, she went forward into his arms. Clutched him hard.
“Come, we must go inside. I need to tell my mam.”
They went in, walking separate, yet not separate. Ardahl sat down beside the fire, and his mam gave him a smile of welcome.
“Ye’ll be hungry,” she remarked.
He was, and he was not.
“Mam, I ha’ something to tell ye, hard news. Come morning, I will accompany the chief on a journey to Brioc. Just a small group o’ us, it will be. Fearghal goes to speak wi’ Chief Brihan about the future.”
“The future,” Mam repeated softly.
“Aye. Ye—ye will look after each other, ye and Liadan, while I am gone.”
And forever, if need be.
*
Later, when Mamwent to bed, they pretended they could not hear her weeping. Mam, whom Ardahl had believed never cried. He and Liadan spoke in murmurs, if at all, and at last he made to bed down there by the fire.
“I will stay here with ye,” Liadan said.
“Eh?”
“Here, by the fire. As we have in the past, by the door.”
He did not argue it. A short span of time they had, before parting.
He lay stretched upon a rug with her beside him, holding his hand. A clasp in the dark that meant so much more than the press of flesh to flesh.
Should he tell her he loved her? Should he, before he went off and perhaps never after had the chance to say so?
What he felt for her was so much more than love.
Before he could make up his mind, she fell asleep with her head against his shoulder and he left her to that peace.
Morning came, and he roused to find her still there beside him. Warm and soft, and smelling of woman. The scent of belonging.
It took all his strength to rise and gather his weapons, and prepare to leave.
He stepped into his mam’s sleeping place. “I must go.”
She arose and embraced him. “I want ye to know, ye are the best son. The best any woman could hope to have.”
“Aye.” It was all he could manage.
When he turned for the door, Liadan was on her feet, the morning sun coming in the opening behind her.
“I will walk wi’ ye.”
“Liadan, I do not think—”
“I will come.”
“Best, perhaps, to say farewell here.”
Though his mam watched, Ardahl drew Liadan to him. Kissed the palms of her hands, the corners of her mouth, both cheeks, and her forehead.
