“What does it say?”he asked.
She read it aloud.“To Merraid, my dear and amiable friend, I bring you glad tidings from Dunlop.As you have always shown me perfect benevolence and patience, I pray you will receive this missive with cheer and good will.I must beg your forgiveness for the abrupt manner in which I left Castle Darragh, but I know you will understand, having confided in you my heart and my condition.As you know, shortly after, Gellir’s kind cousin Hew conveyed me to safety, ensuring I was reunited with my dearest love.”
At this, Isabel released a dreamy sigh.
Merraid continued.“I have since received word that you have been united with yours as well, and I wish you every happiness in your marriage.”
She smiled at Gellir.
He smiled back.
“Go on,” Isabel urged.
Merraid read, “I must confess, however, the news came as little surprise after Hew, chancing upon the heartfelt missives Gellir gave me, revealed that someone else must have penned them, since his cousin has no talent for verse.I knew at once who the author must be and realized that the verses were indeed from the heart—yourheart.”
Isabel gasped in shock.“What?Youwrote them, Merraid?Youwrote the love missives?”
Merraid frowned.She’d hoped that wee bit of deceit would remain secret.
But it was not to be.Indeed, in the next instant, Isabel wheeled about in a flurry and scurried from the solar to spread the news to all of Rivenloch.
“Isabel!”Merraid shouted after her.But the lass was already halfway down the steps.
“’Tis no matter,” Gellir said with a shrug.“Once everyone knows you can compose verse, you may gain a new pastime to occupy the hours.”
He had a point.Merraid did like composing verse.And if she didn’t find something productive and engaging to do soon, she’d go out of her wits.
She returned to reading the missive.“It is my understanding that fortune has blessed us both, for not only have we wed magnificent men…” She paused to give Gellir an appreciative glance.
“Am I magnificent?”he teased.
“Most magnificent.”She lowered her eyes to find her place.“…not only have we wed magnificent men, but we will shortly be delivered of the fruits of those marriages.”Merraid wondered if anyone would count the months between their marriages and the births, for both she and Carenza would deliver early.“I know your Gellir will make a devoted parent, and no one looks forward to fatherhood more than my…”
She trailed off as she studied the next word.That couldn’t be right.She narrowed her eyes at the writing.
“What?”Gellir asked.“What does it say?”
She shook her head.“I must be reading it wrong.”
Gellir held out his hand for the parchment, and he quickly scanned it from the beginning.His eyes suddenly went round as he read the same word.
“Did you know about this?”he asked.
She shook her head.
He stood, thrusting the missive back at her.Then, with a glower of concern, he marched out of the solar.
Merraid struggled up out of the chair to peer down out of the solar window.Isabel was already in the courtyard, flitting from lass to lass with her bit of gossip.
She grinned.She had a feeling Isabel’s big revelation about the writer of the verses would be lost in the wake of this new and far more startling development.It seemed Lady Carenza had married into the Rivenloch clan after all.And Merraid wanted a bird’s eye view for the fireworks.
LAIRD OF FLINT
The Warrior Lairds of Rivenloch, Book 2
Dedication
For anyone
