Nicholas looked at her and smiled. “I feel the same way about her.”
“Good. You have intelligence in your head. She deserves that.”
Nicholas agreed and they proceeded to make her blush.
They discussed Phillip briefly with the viscount promising to kill him if Nicholas did not.
Finally, Nicholas thanked him again for everything he had done. Nicholas vowed that no one in the viscount’s family would find themselves at the end of his or his brothers’ swords. If Bamburgh ever needed men to fight at his side, the MacPhersons would be there.
After that, they went to the great hall in the keep and all the men drank to Mr. Lawson’s success and Nicholas’ safety. They were mostly happy to be getting paid. Lord Rothbury had been safely delivered.
They told Nicholas about holding Phillip below stairs in the dungeon. Nicholas remarked that he would like to see him. Mr. Lawson agreed to letting him whenever Nicholas wanted to go.
Julianna tried not to have too much to drink. She wanted to be fully aware of how things were going with Nicholas when they were finally alone. There was so much to tell him, so much for her to hear.
“Well,” Mr. Lawson said and lifted his cup one last time. “Your lady is most happy to have you back, my lord. I hope you both find a way.” They all lifted their cups and drank and no one questioned whatwayhe was talking about.
Julianna thought of Phillip somewhere below. Her skin crawled.
After his toast was over and drink and food were consumed by all, Mr. Lawson rose from his seat, winked at her, and then left the table and took his men with him…along with young Simon under his arm.
With no one left but a few stragglers, Julianna let out her breath in her seat beside Nicholas and turned to him. Oh, where to begin?
“Nicholas. I did not know the viscount when he found Agnes, with Elias and me. The men who had arrived before him were aggressive toward Elias, complaining of his crying. I worried one of them would try to harm him. I had my bracelets and my rings and I managed to take down two of them. But I—what?”
“What are you saying? What bracelets? What rings? What did you mean you took down two of their men?”
She told him about her fang jewelry along with other various, poison-tipped things she carried.
He smiled at her and touched a curl that was falling down her cheek. “You are an outstanding woman, Julianna Feathers. You are strong and courageous, charming the swords off noblemen and mercenaries alike. I trust that you did the best for Elias. Especially by praying for him—so Simon often tells me. Rauf probably found them.”
He smiled and she was thankful that he didn’t hate her.
“Still,” he said. “I will leave tomorrow for Lismoor. Rauf may be needing me.”
“Of course,” she said, disappointed and doubtful she could let him go.
“Tell me of Berengaria. What happened to her?”
He told her all he knew and when she began to cry, he ushered her outside to the ice-covered garden. “I know ’tis heartbreaking what she went through at the hands of the DeAvoys.”
Julianna nodded and sniffed. Then, “Nicholas?”
“Aye, love?” He closed his arms around her, keeping her warm.
Love, that’s what he’d called her several times now. It warmed her to her core and she nestled deeper into him. He didn’t hate her anymore. Perhaps he even loved her.
“I know what Berengaria knew,” she said into his muscles. “The thing that put her in the pit.”
“What was it?” he asked, withdrawing just enough to look at her. His dark brows were knitted over his eyes.
“I do not want to tell you, my love. I do not know if I can!”
“Now you must,” he said. “You know that, aye?” He crooked his mouth at her in a familiar half-smile that had always melted her heart, and still did.
She wiped her eyes and took a breath then blew it out. “She and Claudia DeAvoy were—they were both—with child at the same time by Roger DeAvoy.” Oh, she hated having to be the one to tell him. She sniffed again. “They both had their babes, but Claudia’s babe died during its delivery. Berengaria had a healthy baby boy.” She continued speaking even as he let her go and backed away, the terrible truth dawning on him. “They took Berengaria’s son and gave him to Claudia and they sent Berengaria away.”
He was quiet for so long that she began to fear he might never speak to her again for bringing him such terrible news.
