In reply, Peyton grabbed Cecily and kissed her hard. He always did that to stop her from asking questions, and she would have brushed him off, but she was frightened and confused, and his lips on hers were comforting.
Peyton broke away with a smile.
‘You are enjoying this,’ she said.
‘Kissing you. Always.’
‘No, I mean, baiting Jasper.’
‘I can’t deny it.’ He kissed her again, but they were interrupted by the sound of running feet.
Rowenna burst into the hall with Jasper, and Cecily’s knees almost buckled. Her heart thudded in her chest. How was she to face her sister’s anger? How could she ever explain? But Rowenna just ran at her and pulled her into a hug so tight Cecily could barely breathe.
‘Oh, thank God, you are safe,’ sobbed Rowenna. ‘I thought you were dead and I’d never see you again. Oh, Cecily, thank God.’
Tears welled in Cecily’s eyes and flooded down her cheeks. ‘I’m sorry,’ she cried. ‘I never meant to leave you, I swear. Please forgive me, Rowenna.’
‘I love you, Cecily. Nothing to forgive,’ sobbed Rowenna into her hair, and they stood grasping each other for the longest time, just crying out all their pain and longing. When they broke free of each other, the men had gone.
***
‘What do you mean, you took her?’ growled Jasper, pacing Kransmuir’s battlements.
‘I found Cecily in danger and took her to Fellscarp for her own safety,’ said Peyton.
‘What danger?’
‘That is not important now.’
‘Not important, or you don’t want to tell me?’
‘Does it matter? said Peyton.
‘I don’t like people who keep secrets, Strachan.’
‘You have plenty of your own, Glendenning.’
‘You took Cecily and kept that from her sister. Rowenna has been mad with worry. What right did you have to just carry her off like that?’
‘Same right you did to take Rowenna in payment of a debt. Go on. Justify that.’
Jasper looked a little guarded but did not press the matter. ‘I hear the Warden is still sending men out to look for his son, who has not been seen for weeks. Edmund Harclaw disappeared about the same time as Cecily ran off.’
‘So,’ shrugged Peyton.
‘Sir Henry has bullied and threatened folk throughout the West March searching for his son, and he is dangling a reward for information. A man might be tempted. Times are hard.’
Peyton ignored the threat. ‘Edmund Harclaw and his father are nought to me and never will be. And I didn’t come here to talk of those English bastards.’
‘So, we are to talk in riddles when we both know the truth about why Cecily ran off.’
‘As if I would ever entrust the truth to you, Glendenning.’
Jasper let it pass. ‘I don’t want to know what happened to Edmund Harclaw. One less English bastard in the Marches is a good thing. Now, what do you really want here, Strachan? You did not come out of any kindness for Rowenna.’
‘I came because of Cecily. She needs to see her sister.’
Jasper narrowed his eyes. ‘Rowenna is safe and well-cared for. She is happy with me, not that I expect either of you to believe that.’
