‘I asked him if he wanted to say goodbye to you. I will not repeat his curse-ridden answer for the sake of your feelings, lass.’
Rowenna picked at the edge of a blanket. How was she supposed to feel? Was she wicked for being relieved? Her hapless brother was the cause of Cecily’s disappearance. He had compelled her to make a whore of herself with Jasper for his own selfish needs. Bran had cheated, lied and squandered his life away, and she was better off without him.
Jasper was stricken. ‘Rowenna, look at me. Say something. Did I hurt you by sending him away?
‘No. I am glad. Bran was a burden all my life. And because of him, I have lost my sister. Where she used to be, there is now just emptiness. He should never have thrown her into the path of Edmund Harclaw. Now, Cecily’s fate haunts me every day. Bran deserves his banishment.’
‘I am sorry we have not found Cecily yet. But she will not be missing forever, I promise.’
Jasper kissed her on the forehead and rushed off. Rowenna could only chew on her lip and fret over him. What was she to do now? She rushed out of bed and stared out the window at Kransmuir’s gates. A short time later, Jasper galloped through, alone. Why did he not take men with him? She should have held him in her bed. She was a useless, weak fool for letting him go, even though his pride demanded it. But to Jasper, pride was everything, and trust was a stranger.
A tap on the door announced Joan Glendenning’s arrival. The woman entered without Rowenna’s say-so, but she hadnever had much claim to courtesy. She did not bother with pleasantries. ‘You saved my son’s life, or so he tells me. I have come to thank you, Rowenna.’
Hearing her name from Joan’s lips was jarring. ‘I was happy to do it,’ she replied.
‘It seems I owe you a great debt.’
‘You don’t owe me anything. I didn’t do it for you.’
‘And why on earth did you do it for my son?’ said Joan.
The words came out of Rowenna’s mouth with such certainty that she wanted to cry. ‘Because I love him and cannot live without him.’
‘How can you love him?’ said Joan, shaking her head.
‘How can I not?’
‘But he took you from your home against your will. He forced you into marriage and his bed.’
‘And you didn’t do a thing to help me, did you?’
Joan had the decency to look ashamed, yet she replied, ‘You are not of my blood. The survival of our clan was at stake. Jasper needed an heir, so I turned a blind eye to how he got one. For that, I suppose I should be contrite.’
‘Well, you needn’t be. You were right when you said Jasper raised me up. But it was not in riches and comfort. Your son makes me happy. He makes me more than I have been. He protects me, and so I protect him in return. And he loves me, Joan. I am sure that dismays you, but there is nothing you can do about it.’
A sneer curled the woman’s lip. ‘Do not rely on love, little fool. Men are changeable in their affection, though as I owe you a debt, I truly hope I am wrong.’
‘Why is my love for Jasper so difficult for you to understand?’
‘Because I never had it. I hated his father.’ The words were spat out in a rush of feeling. ‘I was married off when I was younger than you to a man who saw no value in me save an alliance and a dowry. Hugh made no secret of it, and he treated me with contempt from my wedding night until the day he died. Sometimes, when Jasper is angry and cold, I feel that my hate for my husband tainted my son in the womb and made him incapable of true feeling.’
‘You could not be more wrong about Jasper.’
‘He needs an heir and has a fancy for you, lass. God alone knows why. I have let him have his way because Jasper has always done what is good for this clan, for the survival of the Glendennings. And if I have been cruel, it is because I want that too. Nothing is as important as survival, not love, family or honour. And if you get with child, you will also have a stake in Clan Glendenning. So I will learn to accept you, Rowenna, if you can put my hostility behind you. After all, we both love the same man.’
It was a grudging apology, but it was all Rowenna would get. ‘Very well, I agree,’ she said. ‘We will forget the past.’
‘Good. Now, I will let you get some rest. After your exertions in my son’s bed these last few days, you probably need it.’
Joan’s eyes roamed over Rowenna, making her painfully aware of her dishevelled appearance - tangled hair, lips swollen from Jasper’s kisses, his seed sticky between her thighs. At thatmoment, she was sure the woman could sniff out sin like a pointer after a game.
Could Joan never resist a barb? Well, she could hurl one, too. ‘So what are you going to do about Maeve?’ said Rowenna. ‘Carstairs is no longer a suitor, and you can hardly marry her to a groom, can you?’
Their eyes locked, and Joan flinched. It must hurt to realise that Jasper now shared his deepest secrets when he was in her bed. To a proud woman like Joan, the shame of having an unmarried daughter with child would be unbearable.
Jasper’s mother raised her chin, proud as always. ‘Carstairs was unsuitable, so I must cast about for another prospect. And will you keep Maeve’s shame to yourself or shout it from the rooftops?’
‘You already know the answer to that question. You may depend on my loyalty. And Joan, you can also be assured I will not let you marry Maeve off to some withered old man just to save your good name.’
