He must have seen the confusion on her face because he kissed her cheek and said, “Trust me, lass. I have chosen to do this in this manner because I love you so.”
With a sudden whoosh inside her belly, her fear took over.
She clutched his hand with a death grip, and she could feel her heartbeat speed up. Glancing at him, she tried to speak but naught came out. The laughter of the group echoed behind her, reminding her how many were now in the hall. Could she handle this?
Torrian stopped, placed his finger under her chin, and locked his gaze on hers. “Sweeting, ‘twill be all right. I’m with you. Trust in me.”
The entire hall seemed to close in on her as her breathing increased. How would she ever learn to get past her fears? She closed her eyes for a moment to breathe in Torrian’s scent in an attempt to relax her body.
“Aye, take another deep breath. I’ll not leave your side. Do you trust me?”
She nodded, opening her eyes again slowly, focusing on him.
“Follow me. There are not many inside.”
Heather stepped cautiously inside the solar. Father Rab was facing her, talking with another priest who had his back to her.Wee Kenzie was there too, along with another lad speaking to Quade and Brodie.
She took another deep breath and was pleased to feel her insides calm.
Kenzie ran to her side and tugged on her arm. “Please come closer.”
He pulled her over to the lad with the tousled, sun-colored hair, and the lad turned to her. At the same time, the priest who was with Father Rab gave her his full attention.
“Heather, this is my adopted cousin, Loki,” Torrian said, “and this is his sire, Father Francis Prestwick.”
“Greetings,” Heather did a small curtsy, but she froze the instant she lifted her gaze to the two in front of her.
Looking at the lad called Loki was like seeing her reflection in the loch, only he was male. She stood a distance away yet, but the pressure of a small pair of hands against her back propelled her forward until she stood almost nose-to-nose with Loki.
A giggle erupted behind her and Kenzie said, “Look closer, lass.” Kenzie moved to her side and held his head tilted as if waiting for something.
Then she understood. She stared into Loki’s one blue eye and one green eye, and her heart burst open. Then she glanced at his sire, only to gasp again and take a step back.
Torrian squeezed her hand and pulled her to a nearby chair. “I think we should all sit.”
Loki took the chair opposite Heather and his sire—could he betheirsire?—sat next to him. She heard Quade leave the room, and Brodie followed, tugging wee Kenzie by the hand. “You’ve seen your favorite part, Kenzie.”
“I ken, but ‘twas it not the best, grandsire? It gets better each time.”
Soon the only ones left in the room with her besides Torrian were Loki and the two priests.
Her voice cracked and she whispered, “I do not understand.”
“Please, allow me to explain,” Father Francis said.
She nodded and folded her hands into her lap while Torrian sat in the chair next to hers and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Father Francis said, “Many years ago, I fell in love with the sweetest woman in the world, and I believe she is your mother.”
Heather tried to stop her breath from hitching, but she could not.
“Your mother, Ciara Blackett, was married to an evil man. A long time before I became a priest, I lived in a cottage not far from her. I fell in love with your mother, and I am ashamed to say we committed a grave sin. You see, Ciara had two children, Loki, who sits in front of you, and a daughter. I believe both children were mine rather than Blackett’s. This daughter was never named, and I was told that both Ciara and her two children died soon after the daughter’s birth. I never met you, but I had seen Loki. I know ‘tis possible that I’m wrong and you are not my daughter, but your eye color tells me you are.”
Heather looked back and forth between the two men in front of her. Could it be true? Her vision flooded with tears as she stared at these men whose eye coloring was identical to hers.
“It must be true,” she whispered. “I’ve not seen another with eyes like ours.”
Father said, “Nay, ‘tis quite rare.”
