“You’ve lost a great deal,” he answered. “And sometimes it helps to have human comfort.”
Finian raised her hand to his face, pressing a kiss against her palm. “We’ll go now to find the soldier’s camp. But I’ll return to you, I promise.”
She nodded, feeling the tendrils of fear snaking around her heart. “I’ll be waiting.”
Itwasnearlysunsetwhen Finian returned with his brother, after scouting the remainder of the English garrison. His mood was sober, for it was clear the soldiers hadn’t retreated far.
“Do you think it’s safe to stay here one more night?” Brochain questioned.
Finian nodded. “But no longer. They’re waiting for Lady Harkirk to bring the silver.”
“I don’t trust them,” his brother said. “They might return.”
“Possibly. We’ll patrol the gate tonight,” Finian said. “I’ll take the first watch and set the outer wall on fire again if they return. If they try to invade, they’ll have to pass through fire to do it.”
His brother gave a nod and returned through the gate first. When Finian entered the fortress, he could smell the scent of a rich, bubbling stew. He passed through the inner courtyard, entering the tower. At the doorway to the hall, he paused, watching over the women. The three of them were seated at the trestle table, and Iliana was eating. Upon her head, she wore a crown of yellow dandelions, and she laughed as Lady Harkirk removed her own necklace of flowers and placed it around Iliana’s neck.
The laughter sealed his feet to the floor, and his throat clenched at the sound. He hadn’t heard his daughter laugh in so long. When she’d been taken from him, his nights had been filled with endless nightmares.
He hadn’t expected her to be happy again or to enjoy such girlish pastimes. It was easy to admit that he hadn’t been the best of fathers. Though his sister had tried to be a mother figure, it wasn’t the same.
Lady Harkirk reached over and smoothed Iliana’s hair. Then, he realized that she’d plaited the short strands, making a loose coronet. She’d tried to make his daughter beautiful, and in that moment, he wanted to cross the room and crush both of them in his arms.
As it was, he came to join them at the table. His daughter embraced him in welcome and sat beside him, chattering about how she’d spent her day. He hardly heard any of the words, for he found himself staring at Lady Harkirk. Her green eyes held amusement as she sent her maid for a bowl of stew, which the servant placed before him. Brochain and the rest of his kinsmen sat at the far end of the table.
“Did you find them?” Lady Harkirk asked at last.
In her voice, he heard the fear, and he gave a nod. “They’re camped about two miles from here. At least three dozen have gathered together.”
Her face whitened. “Do we need to leave tonight?”
“I think they’ll wait until morning, since they believe you have the silver. I’ll guard the gate during the first few hours, and between Brochain and the others, we’ll keep you safe.”
He leaned over to his daughter. “We’ll be leaving before dawn, Iliana. Best get some rest now, while you can.” He gave her a hug and adjusted the crown of flowers.
The maid escorted his daughter above stairs while Finian finished his meal. He could see the worry rising on Lady Harkirk’s face, and he reached out to take her hand. “I won’t let anything happen.”
She squeezed his hand but didn’t smile. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Try to get some sleep, if you can.”
Sleepwasimpossible.Alyssat in a chair beside the fire, resting her head in her hands. She’d ordered her maid to sleep with Iliana, and she had returned to her husband’s bedchamber, wanting to be alone with her thoughts. Inside, she was sickened, so afraid that soldiers would attack during the night and tear the fortress apart in search of the silver they believed was here.
The door swung open, and Finian stood at the threshold. As soon as he saw her, he started to leave. “Forgive me for intruding. Brochain is on watch now, and I meant only to see if you were all right.”
Alys didn’t move. Though it was nearing midnight, she was ashamed to admit that she welcomed his presence. “Come in and let me look at your back,” she bade him. “How is it feeling?”
He closed the door but didn’t move at all. “The salve helped. It’s a little sore, but I hardly notice any pain.”
He was going to leave; she knew it. And though it was better for them, she stared down at her lap, feeling overwhelmed by the troubled thoughts rising.
“I wanted to thank you for the day you spent with Iliana,” he said softly. “You made her smile with the flowers.”
She nodded, hiding her face from him. “Your daughter is a good girl. I’m sorry I had to cut her hair to disguise her as a boy.”
“You saved her life and took her from captivity.” Kneeling before her, he added, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you in return.”
Heated tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision. Though she knew he was speaking of her future, giving her a place to live and a means of survival, she couldn’t think of that now. All she wanted was to silence the years of guilt that lay upon her shoulders.
