“Aye. Oh, I do not question her honesty, and her loyalty to you is inspiring. Howbeit, she lacked no grace once you were freed, and no woman so wide-eyed and sweet could speak as well as she did. Gifts of her father?”
“Aye. My liege, if you get that mon to swear allegiance to you, none will be more loyal. Howbeit, I would ne’er play dice with the mon,” he added.
He knew everything would be fine when the king and his men laughed.
Hacon grimaced as he entered his chambers, shut the door, and carefully wended his way among the bodies scattered on the floor. The king had kept him longer than he might have wished, then insisted that he sup with him after he had bathed and changed his clothes. It had also taken him a while to find the chambers assigned to him in the crowded palace. Everyone from Dubheilrig slept in the room or kept guard at the door. It was good that Jennet was so far gone with child. Even if he was achingly tempted to try to make love to her, despite all their company, her well-rounded stomach would bring him to his senses.
Shedding all but his braies, he slid into bed beside her and pulled her into his arms, not wishing to disturb her much needed sleep but desperately wanting to hold her. She murmured his name, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, promising himself that, although he had woken her up, he would not keep her awake long.
“Do ye have any injuries that need tending?” Jennet asked, huddling as close to him as her extended stomach allowed.
“Nay, bruises only.”
“Are ye verra angry with me?”
“Nay and aye. The risks ye took . . .” he murmured, and nuzzled her hair. “Yet no other would stand for me.”
“Weel, Sir Niall finally did.”
“Only after ye shamed him into it with your courage.”
“Mayhaps.”
“And he owed you his life.”
“True. I suppose I should concede that debt paid now.”
“Ye had to remind him of it again, did you? Ye sorely plague that mon.”
“I begin to believe he enjoys it.” She shivered as she recalled how close Hacon had come to experiencing a traitor’s death. “I was so afraid for you. So terrified that Balreaves would win this time and not even have to bloody his hands.”
“Aye, he nearly did. Howbeit, he didnae take into consideration the bonnie Lady of Dubheilrig. Ye did me proud, lass.” He lightly massaged her back. “As for Balreaves, he stepped wrong this time, verra wrong.”
“In fleeing as he did?”
“It declared his guilt loudly and clearly.”
“Hacon, there is something I must tell you about Balreaves.” She told him about Balreaves’s part in the murder of her mother.
“Why didnae ye tell me before?” He found it hard to control his fury at the man.
“I feared it would make a verra bad situation worse. Each time he saw me, he said, “Twill come to me.’ Weel, he finally recognized me today. He went verra pale. Mayhaps that helped push him into making the mistake of running.”
“Aye, I have no doubt of it.”
“Are ye verra angry about my lying?”
“Weel, if ye can forgive my lie about Perth, I can forgive yours. When did ye find out the truth?”
“Shortly after ye told the falsehood.”
“And so all those times ye asked me if what I said was the truth—Jennet, I was afraid ye would condemn me just for being there, ne’er let me explain or believe me if I did.”
“I might have. Let us forget the past and start anew. No more lies.”
He gave her a brief kiss. “No more.”
“What is to happen to Balreaves now?”
