Their bodies met next as he drew her in. Then their lips, as irresistibly as breathing.
An effort at comfort it was, on his part. But she needed more than comfort from him now.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“List to me,”Deathan said, and Darlei drew away just far enough to look into his eyes. The taste of him, of their kiss, remained on her lips. His hands still cradled her.
The one place in all the world she needed to be, in his arms. Yet there was no hope in it, for she could see the fear in his eyes. The man she loved wanted desperately to comfort her.
What comfort was there to give?
Fresh tears spilled over from her eyes—she who so seldom wept. She was undone, all her courage lost for love of him.
“I am being sent away,” she cried out. “To this—this Dunstoch MacNabh. Do you know of him?”
“I ha’ heard the name. A powerful chief. No doubt in favor wi’ the king.”
“And I am to be his reward,” she said bitterly. “Me.”
“’Tis too cruel. I—”
“Nay.” Lightly she laid her fingers across his lips. “Do not make more promises. There are none ye can keep.”
Agony flooded his eyes. “Darlei—”
“I have been thinking about it ever since…ever since. Deathan, I know you have promised to follow me, to find me. And I know you would save me if you could. But I do not see a way.”
“We will leave here now, before your father can take ye east. I will go and fetch a boat.”
For an instant, Darlei did hope. It would be like that glorious afternoon they had shared out on the water, a time apart from time. Only it could not last.
“Where would we go?”
“To Wales. Or Ireland. I can hire out my sword.”
A dangerous life, that. If he fell while trying to win their bread? If she lost him? An old fear, that. One rooted in her very soul.
She swiped tears from her face. “And would no one come looking?”
“Let them. We would ha’ time together.”
Sometime.
“Or,” he offered, seeing the doubt in her eyes, “I will follow after yer party when ye leave. Fight ye free.”
“You would take on all my father’s men? Urfet?” Oh, that was worse even than the prospect of him hiring out his sword. For she had seen Urfet’s skill with a blade.
“Darlei, list to me,” he said again. “Would fate—would life—ha’ brought us together if ’twere no’ meant? If there should no’ be a way, however difficult?”
Lovingly, she touched his face. “I do not know. But I have this great and terrible fear inside me.”
“Fear may be overcome.”
“It may. And I always believed I might spit in the eye of my fears. That was before I met you. Before I loved you.”
“I ha’ loved ye always.”
“Yes.”
