He had seen her standing in the window, no doubt with questions whirling in her mind, but he had left anyway—aye, like any man, he could be an utter fool at times.When Aislinn told him that Lisette had refused to accompany her to the great hall for the evening meal, he knew then that she must think the worst.
Of him, aye, he had no doubt.What wife wouldn’t when faced with a husband’s lost love and a four-year-old bairn that she must now help him to raise?
Lost love no longer.As Conall pushed open the door, he felt little emotion in thinking of Lorna, his only consideration for Lisette.
The room was dimly lit and quiet, one candle burning and no warming blaze in the fireplace, which made him wonder about the servants’ inattention as his gaze flew to the bed.She must be asleep, but when he drew closer, she wasn’t there—and only then did he hear the creak of a chair from a darkened corner of the room.
“Lisette?”
She didn’t answer, though he could hear the softness of her breathing, which quickened his heartbeat.
It felt like days since he had last seen her when it had been mere hours, Cameron having quietly awakened him and whispered about the flooding in the village from all the rain.Conall had climbed out of bed with great reluctance, and left her only after tucking the covers snugly around her to keep her safe and warm.
Yet the air in the room had grown cool, which made him stride with a low curse to the fireplace to stack logs and restore a healthy blaze.All the while, Lisette didn’t stray from the chair, though Conall could feel her gaze upon him.
Not angry or jealously upset, which wouldn’t have been like her sweet temperament at all.Just a sadness emanating from her that made Conall furious with himself for not coming to her straightaway to tell her what had transpired.
After a last stoking of the fire with the poker, he turned to face her with an apology upon his lips, to find that she had risen and gone to the window.
He hadn’t even heard her for her bare feet padding silently upon the floor.
Her white nightgown illuminated by the moonlight streaming into the room, her dark brown hair framing her face and flowing down her back.
His breath caught at how lovely she looked, though his gut twisted at the tears shimmering in her eyes.
“Lisette, I—”
“Is your son well, Conall?”
He nodded, moving closer, but she seemed to shrink away from him and turned her head to look outside.He could see that her chin trembled and she was trying not to weep, which made him inwardly curse himself for hurting her…however unintentionally.
“Wife, will you hear me out?”he asked gently, standing in place though he longed to reach out and take her into his arms.“I would have come tae you sooner, but I went first tae the infirmary tae see if Colin was faring better.I should never have left his side…it was callous of me and unthinking—”
“Oui.”
Conall blinked at her soft-spoken rebuke, which was as close as she had come to indignation since the night she’d awoken from the sleeping potion.She still stared out the window, too, as if refusing to look at him.Strangely, he felt like chuckling, but that wouldn’t help the situation—och, not at all.
“Colinisbetter, Lisette, so much so that Tobias agreed for me tae take him and his mother tae a comfortable room in the opposite tower.I know you havna met my son yet…or Lorna, but you would want that for them, aye?You’ve a kind heart…as good and kind as I’ve ever known.That’s why I’m here withyou—no matter what you mayhap fear will happen.Will you look at me now?”
Lisette hesitated, smudging the tears from her eyes with the palm of her hand, but to Conall’s relief, she met his eyes.
He saw hurt in those luminous brown depths, yet a glimmer of hope, too, his heart thudding harder at how beautiful she looked in the soft moonlight.Aye, more stunning a woman than he deserved…while he ached even more to embrace her.
“At one time I loved Lorna, I’ll not tell you anything less than the truth, and I wanted tae wed her.Yet it wasna meant tae be, do you hear me?Lorna will always be Colin’s mother, but it’s you that will help me tae rear him, Lisette.It’s a hard thing she must do tae leave him with us, but it’s for the best.She knows it and so do I.Will you show her in the morning that you’ll love and care for the boy?It would give her some comfort…”
Conall fell silent, knowing the great task he was asking of Lisette even as she nodded and swiped away a fresh tear from her cheek.
“He will be as my own child—oh, Conall, so you don’t still love her?If you did, I wouldn’t blame you, she’s so very lovely—”
“Lorna doesna love me.Nor I, her.”With one step, he pulled Lisette into his arms and hugged her, relief swamping him again when she wound her arms around his waist.It felt so wondrous just to hold her that for a long moment, he simply stood there and breathed in the scent of her, his face pressed to her damp cheek.
Damp with tears he had caused, but by God, he swore he would never again subject her to such pain.
“Do you know where I was before I returned tae the fortress?”he said against her ear.“The village church, talking with the priest.A wise man.He told me tae look ahead and not behind me.I’ve been so bitter these past four years, yet no one guessed it from the way I lived.When I wasna fighting, I was laughing and amusing myself—aye, frivolous dalliances, King Robert pegged me well.Everything I did was tae forget Lorna…but it’s you, Lisette, who has set me free.I love you.”
Chapter14
If Conall had shouted, Lisette couldn’t have been more stunned at his fervent declaration, and she froze in his arms.
