“It’s nice to meet you,” Liam said as a greeting. His voice rumbled through his chest and against Elene’s cheek. She closed her eyes, not realizing she sighed contentedly until Liam kissed her forehead. “Do you need to rest,mo ghràidh?”
“No. I’m still tired, but I’d like to visit with my family.” Elene lifted her head and gestured for Donovan to join them. Liam gave up his seat for Elene, and Donovan sat where she’d been before he arrived. Liam stood behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder, when he felt her tense because she couldn’t see him. “Donovan is a cousin of some sort through my father’s mother. We used to play together when my family visited when I was little. Then we’d see each other when I came fishing with my father. It’s been a few years.”
“I’ve been away hunting the last two times you came. What brings you here now? The village is abuzz about your husband carrying you here. Another man carried Johan and Katryne. People said you were soaking wet.”
“Johan and I didn’t listen when Liam warned us not to lean too far over the curragh side,” Katryne cut in. Her face showed an appropriate amount of remorse, making her lie sound remarkably truthful. “Elene jumped in to get us before Liam could pull us out. He had to rescue all three of us.”
“It was my fault,” Johan added. “I saw a fish so close to the surface, I bet Katryne I could grab it, and she couldn’t.”
Elene watched her brother and sister as they lied with ease. Her heart broke, knowing they were so adept from telling their mother fibs to keep the unpredictable woman from losing her temper. She prayed Liam and his men hadn’t concocted some other story and already told someone.
“And will you listen to me next time?” Liam asked. “You gave your sister and me a horrible scare.” Liam’s thumb rubbed along Elene’s nape, the sensation soothing.
“We’re sorry,” Johan and Katryne said together. Elene turned her attention back to Donovan, who watched Liam. She wished to see Liam’s expression, but she had to trust that everything was all right.
“How long will you stay?” Donovan asked, changing the subject.
“We leave in the morning,” Liam answered. “My family expects us back in less than a sennight.”
“We didn’t plan this stop, but it’s good to see you.” Elene offered a warm smile, hoping it made their story even more plausible.
“I’m glad I stopped by.” Donovan rose from the table. His gazed bored into Liam as he canted his head to toward the door. Elene rose, but Liam stopped her from moving away from the table. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and tucked hair behind her ear.
“All will be well,” he murmured against her mouth. She pressed her own kiss to him before turning to clear the table.
Liam followed Donovan outside, Dermot two steps behind. Donovan raised a questioning eyebrow when he noticed Dermot. Neither Liam nor Dermot appeared to notice. Donovan crossed his arms and waited. Liam offered him an obliging smile but remained silent. The men stared at one another until Donovan released his arms.
“We’ll be here all night, and my wife will have my arse if I keep her waiting to serve the midday meal.” Donovan glanced at Ilka’s croft. “Gunter Haakonsson was here yesterday. Demanded to know where Elene was. He threatened to raze the village if we didn’t turn her over. He never said why he searched for her, but almost everyone in the village heard him bellowing. Whether or not you’re her husband, I don’t care. It’s not my business. I just need to know you will get her far from here. I can only imagine what her mother’s got them embroiled in. But I know her father would be livid if he thought that Norseman had any claim on his daughter.”
“Elene and the others are coming to Dunbeath with me.”
Donovan’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. Liam knew Donovan was aware Varrich was his home, not Dunbeath. But the chieftain didn’t question him about why he didn’t say whether Elene would accompany him home. “Leave before dawn. I will send my fishermen with you. They can sail west until you get to the end of South Ronaldsay. Then you must make the crossing alone.”
“Thank you.” Liam thrust out his arm again. “He will never see her again.”
Donovan accepted his forearm and nodded. “Take care of her. I’ve never seen her so at ease with anyone as she is with you.” The chieftain didn’t wait for Liam to respond, instead turning on his heel and walking toward his own croft. Liam turned to Dermot, who grinned at him.
“I’ve told ye that ye belong with the lass. Her great-aunt has told ye. He’s told ye.” Dermot gestured to Donovan’s back, having understood much of the conversation. “I bet Ninian would if he didna already. Dinna be daft. Marry the lass for real.”
Liam refused to tell Dermot anything before he spoke to Elene. He would share none of his feelings with someone else. He reached for the door and ushered Dermot inside. They passed the rest of the afternoon with the men cleaning and sharpening their weapons. Katryne and Johan convinced Elene to let them play with other children in the village, so Elene sat outside, topping and tailing green beans with Ilka.
After the evening meal, the men posted three at a time on watch outside the croft. The others found places to bed down in the barn behind Ilka’s croft. None cared about the cow’s low mooing or the chickens clucking. They were too exhausted to notice. Ilka retired to her bed while Katryne and Johan made their beds near where Liam spread his bedroll. Elene tucked her siblings in, and they were both asleep before Elene slid beneath the blankets beside Liam.
CHAPTER14
Elene and Liam lay among the sleeping family, covered with his spare plaid. He stroked back a blonde lock and tucked it behind her ear. His hand cupped her cheek as he feathered a kiss on her forehead. They remained quiet until they were certain Ilka, Katryne, and Johan were all deeply asleep.
“There is so much to tell you,” Elene whispered. Regret, fear, shame, and guilt swirled within her. She wanted to spend the night in Liam’s arms, sharing kisses and touches. But she knew they needed to talk. He’d said as much earlier. But while she feared he would run for his boats once she told him her story, she no longer wanted to keep it to herself. “We could have all died today. Yet again, you and your men risked your lives for me. Liam, you deserve to know the whole truth about why Gunter is so persistent. I need you to know before I can go to Scotland with you, before we…”
“Elene, tell me your story, but only if you want to. I don’t expect aught from you. I want to know, but I won’t hold your past against you.” Liam settled his hand on her waist as she scooted closer. With a steadying breath, Elene began her story.
“Gunter arrived a year ago after being gone for probably five or six years. I was too young to notice him back then, and he took no interest in me. But when he came back, I was a woman. It wasn’t long before we sat together at meals, and he invited me to walk in the evening. We talked about all sorts of things: our childhoods, our families, what we thought about life. He stayed a few sennights, traveling to the other isles during the day, but returning to Skaill most nights. After a fortnight of walking together, we shared our first kiss. At least, it was my first kiss. We said how much we missed each other. We talked about how we wished we never had to part. It was Gunter who brought up a future together. He described a life that sounded perfect. But I questioned often how a peasant farmer’s daughter could ever share a life with a prince. It seemed too wild to believe. But he was persistent.”
Elene gazed into Liam’s eyes, completely at ease sharing her past. His hand stroked her hair again as the arm beneath her neck pressed against her back, drawing her closer. As she shifted her head, finding a more comfortable position against his shoulder, his hand returned to her waist. He spread his fingers wide, stretching to cover her hip, too. Elene could have interpreted it as a possessive gesture. Instead, it felt more reassuring than anything he could say.
“He sailed to Shetland for a fortnight and was so excited to see me when he returned. I’d pined for him. When we went for a walk the night he returned, we shared more than kisses, but I remained a maiden.” Elene’s gaze dropped.
“I know you are. But I wouldn’t care if you weren’t. We didn’t know each other then, and our cultures are different enough that we don’t share the same ideas about women being maidens when they marry. I know that isn’t the Norse way.”
