He snorted in irritation. “No, ye didna know.” He shoved her toward the path and, when she stumbled to the ground, didn’t help her. “Get up. Aidan will be glad to have ye join us.”
By the time Thomas had prodded her as far as the beach, the last of the torches were just disappearing inside the cave and the angry ocean churned up the cliffs surrounding the entrance. Either she convinced him now to let her go, or who knew what would happen to her, alone and unprotected.
She dug in her heels and turned to him. “Dinna do this, Thomas. I only wanted to catch a glimpse of Finn.”
“Finn?”
He allowed her to stop him. A good sign.
“He is like my own son, and I have missed him.” Her voice cracked unexpectedly, surprising her with the depth of emotion she felt toward the boy.
The waves crashed hard nearby.
More quietly, she added, “I am afeared for him.”
Thomas put a hand to his hip. “As ye should be.”
“Aidan is not right in the head, Thomas. Surely, ye see that as well?”
“I do.” He shook his head. “But he is my father.”
“What?” Her mind reeled at the outrageous idea. “How can that be so?”
“He knew my mother.”
Thomas faced the horizon, the light from the rising sunrise spreading across the surface with its lovely blues and pinks. “I came to him when she died. I had nowhere else to go. I was a young lad. When I realized his anger toward the God that had stolen his first wife was stronger than any love he could ever have for his own child, I thought about leaving. But where would I go? I had no one else.” He turned to her, the track of one single tear on his cheek. “I decided I would stay here because it was better than being alone.”
“My heart hurts for—”
“Think ye I care what ye feel?”
She fought to control the trembling seizing her. “What…what will Aidan do when he sees me?”
“He will beat ye for yer disobedience.” Thomas’s voice softened the tiniest bit. “Then he will take ye as his own.”
A wave of revulsion washed over her at the thought of that man touching her. She was playing with fire to think she could have saved the children on her own.
“No one will stop him, Ethne. Ye have defied our laws.”
She had to convince Thomas of her sincerity. She forced herself to reach out and take his hand. It was cold and damp.
“Lachlann wished to share me with his friends.” Her eyes teared. She had to convince him she came back because she’d been rejected, then if she got close enough to the children, she might have a chance to save them.
She held herself still, her face a mask of contrition as Thomas studied her and tried to discern the truth of her words. This was the one time in her life where she must hide every thought. He had to believe her.
He stepped closer, wiping the wetness from her cheek. “And was it their touch that ye feared? Or the man’s betrayal of the precious gift ye gave him?”
One by one, she rummaged through every answer that he might believe, but only one rose to the top. “If ye’d ever given me a reason to hope, Thomas, I would not have accepted another.”
The man smiled. A sardonic smile. He didn’t believe her. She’d failed to convince him and now, she would face the punishment of a traitor and worse. When he turned toward the cave, his hand still holding hers, confusion and panic overtook her.
She forced a calm breath, but compelled her heavy feet to move, walking alongside him to enter the lion’s den.
Once inside, Ethne’s gaze immediately found Domelch. She sat beside the pool nursing Mongfind. Filled by the ocean’s tide, the water sloshed against the stone floor that sloped down toward it. Malcolm squatted beside her, Finn at his side, and watched the touching scene. Ethne’s stomach churned.
When Aidan saw her, his eyes flashed. “Ethne!”
Malcolm stood and turned to her, just halting Finn from running toward her.
