A boyish smile creased his face. “I’ll find goose feathers for you. You can decorate the mask with them.” He hurried off in search of them.
But though Morren continued working on the mask, as time crept on, she found herself worrying more and more about Trahern. She wasn’t the only one who was restless. After another hour, the boys began chasing each other around the chamber.
“Outside,” Queen Isabel ordered, when Liam started racing across the floors, skidding into a sliding position to see how far he could reach.
“I love my son,” she remarked, “but there are times when I’m glad Bevan is fostering him. Else, I might murder the lad.”
Genevieve laughed. “I’m certain you feel the same way about Duncan and Cavan.”
Isabel sent Morren a mischievous look. “Not at all. Genevieve’s sons do nothing wrong.” Even as she spoke the lie, the two boys raced across the Hall, colliding with Liam before they all went outside.
When the room had emptied of the boys, the queen invited the women near the hearth. “Shall we have a bit of sport?”
Aileen spied the pile of hazelnuts and shook her head. “Isabel, that’s nothing but nonsense. You cannot determine a woman’s fortune with a handful of nuts.”
“Oh, but it’s fun,” Genevieve insisted. “Come on, then, Isabel. I’ll go first.”
Morren had heard of games such as these, and she saw no harm in it. Genevieve cast two nuts near the hearth stones. As they grew warm from the fire, the pair of nuts seemed to grow closer to one another.
“It seems that you and Bevan will continue to be happy together,” the queen pronounced. “Now me.”
She cast two more nuts upon the hearth, and Morren gathered with the others to watch. As the heat intensified, Isabel choked out a laugh when both nuts burst into flames.
“Someone will be enjoying a passionate night tonight,” Aileen predicted.
“Patrick has been away a good deal.” Isabel blushed. “Well, I won’t argue that one. He’s always a bit eager whenever he comes back from a journey.”
From the pleased blush on the queen’s cheeks, it appeared that she wasn’t at all unhappy about the prediction of passion in her future. Morren’s own cheeks warmed, though she had never experienced pleasure with a man. In spite of herself, she thought of Trahern’s warm body and the touch of his tongue against hers. Her breasts shifted against her gown, and she crossed her arms to hide the tightened nipples.
“Now Morren,” the queen said. She handed Morren the nuts, with the instructions to toss them upon the hearth. She did, wondering to herself what prediction would come true.
The nuts rolled together at first, but as they heated, one rolled in the other direction.
The mood grew somber, and Morren already knew the meaning. She and Trahern would part ways.
“It’s only a game,” Isabel reassured her.
She knew that. And it shouldn’t bother her at all, for she’d always known she would return home. But the strange ache of discontent wasn’t easily brushed aside.
“Trahern will return with the others,” Aileen reassured her. “The Gall Tír settlement isn’t far. I’ve no doubt they’ll be back within another hour or two.”
Morren tried to venture a smile but was unsuccessful. “I’m sure they will.”
Genevieve offered her the sleeping Alanna. The tiny babe was warm and soft, and Morren knew she’d meant the child as a distraction. But it was like holding a lost piece of her heart.
As the time crept onward and Trahern still hadn’t returned, her spirits sank even further.
Chapter Sixteen
Trahernslippedinsidetheroom Morren was sharing with the other unmarried women. He awakened her with a touch on her shoulder. Leaning down to her ear, he whispered, “If you want to hear about my encounter with theLochlannach, come with me now.”
Morren nodded and got out of bed, reaching for her overdress. Trahern turned his back while she dressed, and when he felt her palm in his, he led her down the stairs. They walked hand in hand, past the sleeping men, and outside to the inner bailey.
He led her to Isabel’s herb garden and Morren sat upon the ground, her gaze assessing the plants without really meaning to. Though she didn’t ask him, he knew what she wanted to know.
“We think they were there,” he admitted. “Áron Ó Reilly swears he saw one of them.”
“Did you confront the chief?”
