He cupped her face. “Hush, never say such things.” He kissed her tenderly, hoping to let her know how much he loved her. “Bella, you are a wonderful mother to Lucas. We have a wonderful, strong laddie, we have Kenzie, and if you wish to take the herbs, then do it. ‘Twas no fault of yours. I don’t believe such drivel. ‘Tis God’s way…and mayhap ‘tis not for us to question.”
A strange feeling washed over him. He didn’t believe God had purposefully taken this babe from them, but mayhap He had known it would happen…mayhap that was why He’d sent the dreams to him and Kenzie. What if they hadn’t gone? They would never have met Bor, never have arranged to take his place as the helpers of lost children, never have met wee Ami…
Fear gripped him as he thought about Ami downstairs. How would Bella react to the wee lass after losing her own bairn? The possibility of this loss had never occurred to him when he’d agreed to bring Ami home. Before he had time to give it anymore thought, Kenzie’s face peeked around the corner of the door.
“Papa, may I bring her in to meet Mama?”
Loki stared at Bella, not knowing how to tell her what they’d done. Ultimately, though, he had no choice but to speak. “Bella, the lass lost her mama. She doesn’t speak, and she had no one but an old woman and old man to care for her. Had I known you’d lost the babe, I would not have brought her to you, but she fell in love with Kenzie, and he wanted to bring her home, make her part of our family. If you don’t want…”
Bella stared at him in astonishment, but then brought her finger up to his lips to quiet him. She waved to Kenzie. “You brought a bairn home with you?”
“Aye, Mama,” Kenzie said. “Aunt Maddie told me about the bairn, and I’m so sorry, but Ami had no one, and she loves me, so I thought she could come home with us and be my sister. She needs a mama, and since you are the best mama in the world…” He pulled Ami in through the door. She stood next to Kenzie, gripping his leg, her thumb in her mouth as she sucked away.
Loki looked at Bella, not knowing what else to say. Her hand fell away from Loki’s lips, and she waved for Kenzie to bring the lass closer. “How old is she?” Bella asked.
Kenzie stood next to the bed, Ami still gripping his arm. “Her name is Ami and she’s only two summers. She’s verra sweet, Mama.”
Ami let go of Kenzie’s leg and stood up straight, yanking her thumb out of her mouth. She looked straight at Bella and held her arms up to her.
She finally spoke her first word.
“Mama?”
Elizabeth
Book 12
Elizabeth falls in love with Gil, the lad who helped Finlay save Kyla. Gil lives at Castle Curanta with Loki.
Chapter 9
Loki and his band of orphans find a few more.
Gil stayed a distance behind Loki, in the hopes he wouldn’t keep commenting on the lavender aroma wafting from his purchase. Though he did his best to focus his thoughts on Lizzie, he failed. His mind couldn’t stop returning to the man he’d seen back at the vendor stalls. Could it have been Morgan?
He hadn’t gotten a really good look at the man, so he’d convinced himself he was wrong. He’d jumped to conclusions because his fears and emotions were driving him, something a warrior should never allow to happen.
He blamed the entire event on his imagination.
Either way, the possible sighting had distracted him more than he wished to admit. So when two lads boldly pushed through Loki, Thorn, and Nari, they were taken totally off-guard. Gil was the only one who noticed that one of them snagged a bag of coins from Loki’s pocket.
“Loki, your coin!” Gil shouted, racing after the lad of around seven winters.
Loki must have finally noticed because he was suddenly directly behind the lad. The two lads had run off in different directions, but Gil and Loki stayed with the wee thief. Nari and Thorn took off after the other.
He led them down a deserted pathway surrounded by trees. It was Loki who caught him, grabbing his collar and lifting himoff the ground into the air. It wasn’t long before Thorn and Nari found the other one and dragged him over, cursing and kicking.
Loki placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and said, “Both of you on the boulder and do not move.”
The moment they saw his weapon, they backed up with no further complaints. “Return my coin, you wee thieves,” he insisted.
“I dinnae know him,” the first one said, glaring at the younger one as he crossed his arms.
“The hell you don’t. He is your partner in crime. Return my coin.” Loki leaned forward, using one of his favorite intimidation tactics.
The lad shook his head vehemently. “I have no coin. I know no’ what ye’re talking ‘bout.”
Loki motioned to Gil, and the two picked the lad up, Loki grabbing his hands while Gil took his feet, and shook him. Nothing happened. Loki made another motion to Gil, who hoisted his feet higher, turning him upside down until the coin bag fell from his trews.
