"Forgive me, Your Highness. I meant no disrespect."
"None taken." His expression sobered. "No one must ever learn of this."
"You have my vow and that of my husband." She looked to Royce, who nodded.
"Congratulations, Panther, not every man is lucky enough to have twin children!"
Gillian grinned, tears of joy blurring her vision. The tight fist around her heart eased and she breathed steadily once more.
"A feast has been prepared," said Royce. "We will celebrate your arrival and that of our children."
"I will fetch the babes." She hurried from the room, her breasts aching. In her chamber, the wet nurse and Maida looked after the infants. She hurried across, looking at the two cradles, side by side.
"They are beautiful babes, my lady," said Maida.
"Yes, they are. My husband and I are very lucky."
"The king granted your boon?" The older woman's eyes widened and she smiled.
Gillian nodded and bent to lift the boy into her arms. "He has. We will proclaim him our son at the feast. No one is ever to know."
"Gladys and I will take this to our graves." The midwife nodded to the younger girl who vowed her silence as well.
"I must give him a name." Gillian studied the babe, his tiny arms flailing as he began to cry.
She hushed him and began to rock, thinking of whatname would fit the son of the Panther.
"He'll be strong, like the rowan tree. That is what he shall be called. Rowan."
"It's a wonderful name, my lady. Now we must feed these children so you can attend the king."
***
Gillian paced, the wailing Rowan in her arms. He simply would not quiet, no matter what she tried. Her head pounded from lack of sleep. Even with the wet nurse, the last days of tending two babes had left her utterly exhausted.
She shifted the boy, offering her breast once more. This time, he accepted and began to suckle. She sighed, relieved that his crying had stopped and the ache in her breasts now soothed.
"You are a greedy boy," she cooed, smiling for what seemed the first time in days. Her thoughts drifted to Royce, and guilt over falling asleep last night rose again. He'd sworn he wasn't angry, but she knew he wasn't pleased. The past weeks had left very little chance for intimacy and, even then, his tender and gentle lovemaking, while exhilarating, frustrated her. She wanted his fierce passion, the way he laid her across his lap to redden her arse. He'd refused during the time she carried Marissa and though she understood why, it didn't help her frustration. She'd been looking forward to last night. How could she have fallen asleep?
Rowan finished and Gillian laid him on her shoulder, patting his back. At that moment, Marissa awakened, crying, and Gillian groaned. Where had Gladys disappeared to? She rose to put Rowan in his cradle and stopped short to see Burke standing in the doorway.
"How did you get in here?"
Royce and the king had taken a group of men into the forest, seeking the traitor out. But plenty of knights and the household remained. How had the bastard snuck past them?
She tightened her hold on the baby, wishing a secret door had been built into this room as well.
Burke smiled, an evil leer that sent chills along her spine. "You forget, I know this manor as well as you and your husband."
He withdrew his sword and advanced on her. "Is that my son?"
She shook her head. "Nay, 'tis my babe. Your son... died with Anne."
His eyes narrowed and he shook his head, still moving closer. "I don't believe you."
"'Tis true. I bore Royce two children."
"You lie. Your wet nurse told me all before she...succumbed to her fall."
