“Malcolm and Catriona?”
“They must stay in my control, but I will send them to my cousin for safety.”
“You will not allow them to return with me?”
“Nay, they are in the king’s custody and not mine to release. Your father will have no compunction about attacking here if they are returned to him.” Sebastien stood and walked to the door. “Since I leave on a mission for the king in four days, you must decide by then which you choose.”
“Four days?” she asked, shifting on the seat. It was such an uncomfortable chair, he wondered why she’d chosen it for their chambers.
“Aye, four days and then I must handle some matters for the king.”
He watched for any reaction to his words, for he suspected that she did know the details of the upcoming battles. Other than looking paler than a few minutes ago, she revealed nothing. They would hold to the plan; however, there were additional precautions he would put in place to prevent Eachann from benefiting from anything he’d forced from Lara. Sebastien opened the door and nodded to Gara, who stood waiting there.
“Come and give assistance to your lady,” he said.
When Gara and Margaret entered, he stepped aside to let them tend to her. It was obvious that he was not needed, so he left to find Hugh and Etienne. There was much to do and little time in which to accomplish it.
Chapter Sixteen
She awoke in the middle of the night, the pain in her face pounding. Lara sat up in the bed and realized she slept alone. The draft that Gara prepared had made her sleep, but obviously not long enough. Shifting under the covers, she turned to the other side so that her cheek would not press against the pillow. That was when she saw him.
He slept in her father’s chair, hunched over. A snore broke the silence in the room, then he twisted around and leaned back once more. Lara pushed the covers away and walked softly to his side.
“Sebastien. Sebastien, wake up,” she said, shaking his shoulder gently. He came awake with a start and reached for the sword that usually hung from his belt.
“What is it? Are you well?” He sat up and looked around the room. “Why are you out of bed?” Stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders, he stood and frowned at her.
“You cannot sleep in that chair. Come to bed.”
“I was asleep, Lara. I can usually sleep anywhere—in a bed, a chair, even on the ground.”
“Well, if there is a bed here, why not avail yourself of it?”
“I did not want to disturb you when I came in. I thought it best to rest here,” he explained.
“Please come to bed. There is no reason for you to avoid it.”
He looked as though he might object, but then he glanced at the chair again and accepted. He waited as she climbed back in, then followed. She leaned against the pillow and watched as he slipped under the blankets. Lying quietly, she waited for sleep to claim her…which it did not. Lara turned her head to look over at him and found him watching her.
“Are you in much pain? I can summon Gara if you need her,” he said. He reached out his hand to touch her cheek and stopped himself.
“There is no need. I just cannot sleep.”
They lay there, not touching, not sleeping, for a few more minutes until she could not bear the silence. Leaning up on one hand, she asked him a question that had bothered her since he’d mentioned it the first time.
“You have told me all that you did not have as a child. Pray thee, what did you have? What was Cleish like?”
He glanced at her and for a moment she thought he would not speak of it. Then he turned and lay in the same manner as she, so that he faced her.
“Cleish is a wee village not far from Stirling. ’Tis truly small but, being just off the main roads, many travelers pass through it. My mother’s da had an inn there and she took to running it when he died.”
“And you were how old when she married?”
“I had five years.” She could almost see him at that age, not much younger than Catriona was now, with light hair and his green eyes sparkling as he ran and played.
“How many brothers and sisters do you have?” She found herself curious about details of which they’d never spoken.
He paused and the strangest expression lit his face. “I have two brothers and three sisters, the youngest now ten-and-three. I had thought to have her come here to live, but that discussion is for another time.”
