* * *
“You love him,” Myrna said. The two sisters were walking down by the small river that ran parallel to the castle town, enjoying the cool air and the bubbling of the water. “Dinnae ye?”
Eithne looked at her sister, not even surprised by Myrna’s observation. “I do,” she said. “I do, and I wish I could keep him with me.”
“Well, why nae? I’m sure me uncle wouldnae send him away,” Myrna told her. “And if ye’re worried about it, just marry him. That would make him family, and ye wouldnae need to worry about a thing.”
Eithne didn’t say anything. She would be lying if she said she hadn’t dreamed of it – she and Ivor standing before the officiant, the two of them wrapped in one tartan, bonded forever in matrimony. He already owned her heart and soul. Why not her hand, too?
But it was a fool’s dream. Ivor couldn’t stay in one place, least of all here. He was a wanderer where she needed a home. And besides, he had a secret. Eithne had no idea what the secret was, but there was one thing he hadn’t told her yet, one thing that made his eyes go dark and his mouth turn into a thin line.
Maybe he’s wed already. Maybe he has an ailing wife back in the Lowlands.
It could easily be the case, and yet Eithne knew that she would never ask him. She would be content with what she had, this little slice of heaven where he belonged to her and only her. It was a brief dream, anyway. There was no need to mar it with reality.
“Oh!” Myrna said suddenly, her voice very different all of a sudden. Her cheeks tinged pink, and she tucked her hair behind her ears. Eithne looked up, knowing exactly what she’d see.
Sure enough, the young soldier Jonah was making his way across the small bridge a few feet away. He waved when he saw them, and both girls waved back.
Once he reached them and greeted them, he said, “Well, Miss Eithne, how have yer two days here been so far?”
“Nae too bad,” she told him with a smile. “Thank ye for asking. Ivor’s having a lot more trouble than I am, I think. He’s inside with the bairn now, but we’re gonnae go for a walk later.”
“He misses adventuring, then?” Jonah asked. He offered his arm, which Myrna took gladly. “I dinnae understand that, meself. I never left me clan until me commander dragged me all the way out here. Though…” he looked at Myrna and smiled. “I’m happy that he did.”
“Where is it that ye’re from?” Eithne asked him, tilting her head. “Yer accent is very close to mine and Myrna’s. Are ye from near Fife?”
“In the general area,” Jonah replied vaguely. The three of them started to walk back toward the castle. “Yer mammy was from here, was she nae?”
Both Myrna and Eithne winced.
Jonah’s face fell. “Och, I’m sorry, I didnae mean to cause ye pain. It must still be fresh.”
“’tis,” Myrna replied sadly. “I never even got to say goodbye.”
Eithne was about to say something comforting, but Jonah spoke first.
“Me faither died very recently too,” Jonah said grimly. “I had nae reason to think I’d never see him again. One day soon, I’m gonna avenge him.”
“Oh. I didnae ken, I’m so sorry,” Myrna told him, leaning into his arm.
“We cannae live for vengeance,” Eithne said after a moment. “I hate Rory MacDuff with every fiber of me soul, but I’d never hunt him down for what he did to me family. The best thing – the only thing – we can do for them is to keep living.”
“So if ye saw him again—ye wouldnae try to hurt him?” Jonah asked, sounding a little incredulous. “Ye wouldnae do anything?”
“I’d defend meself, of course,” Eithne replied. “I’d run. I’d scream. And aye, if it came to it, I’d rather his death than mine. But I’d much prefer to never see him again than any of that. If it wasnae for Ivor, I’d be living a fate worse than death already.”
Eithne didn’t understand the strange, questioning look on Jonah’s face – but even less did she understand why it filled her with concern. As Myrna comforted Jonah and held on to him, Eithne watched with suspicion.
“Will ye leave when yer commander comes back, then?” she asked innocently. “Have ye any idea how long he’s gonnae be away for?”
“He didnae say,” Jonah told her easily. “But I’m happy to stay as long as it takes. Being here with Myrna isnae exactly a punishment. And besides, I’d like to get to ken ye better too, Eithne. And Ivor as well.”
The way his voice caught on Ivor’s name made Eithne even more concerned, though she wasn’t sure if she imagined it. Was she just paranoid as a result of everything that had happened so far on her journey?
Nay. That isnae it.
Something wasn’t right with this handsome young soldier. She couldn’t place her finger on exactly what, but something was off. And before she let her baby sister fall any deeper into his arms, she would need to ask Ivor for one last favor.
