The miracle she had found in Ewan. A man who listened to her.
A man who touched her heart and her soul.
Almost everyone else she’d ever known had merely humored her while ignoring her questions. She would start to speak and a glazed look would quickly come over them.
Ewan never had that look.
He always appeared interested in her.
But would he ever allow her to stay with him? If what Sorcha said was true, he would spend the rest of his life alone, trying to make amends to his brother’s ghost.
“Cat? Do you think it’s possible to get Ewan to...” she trailed off, unable to say anything more.
The thought of losing him was just too painful.
“To what?”
“Nothing. ‘Twas a bit of foolishness.”
Catarina stood back and looked her over. “You’re perfect. A complete vision.”
She handed Nora a handheld looking glass.
Nora stared at herself. Her hair had been swept up and left to fall haphazardly around her face. Catarina had added kohl to her eyes and henna to her lips and eyelids.
She looked strange and ethereal.
“Think you, Ewan will like it?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
Ewan lay in silence on the too small bed, missing the sound of Nora’s voice. Strange that he should now find the quiet night oppressive when he had always taken solace in it.
The stillness rang in his ears and made his heart heavy as he imagined what Nora would be saying if she were here with him.
He held the lute in his hands and smiled at the memory of her practicing with it. She so loved this worthless piece of wood.
How he wished he could have bought her one worthy of her devotion.
A fine lute made of rosewood and polished to a fine sheen with gold frets and beautiful carvings.
Listless with his want of her, Ewan idly strummed it. He’d tried earlier to give it to her, but Catarina had shooed him away from their room, telling him they couldn’t be disturbed.
Somewhat stung, he’d left and had missed her ever since.
How could that be? He’d lived the whole of his life without her, so why now did he find an hour without her hard to bear?
He toyed with the strings, his thoughts drifting. His body aching.
A knock sounded on his door.
“Come in.”
He expected to see one of the men, but it was Nora who opened his door.
His heart stopped. She wore a shimmery pale gown that clung to her voluptuous body. The material was so light that when she walked, it slid up to reveal her bare feet and ankles.
Her pale blond hair looked sublime caught up on her head. It looked as if it were ready to tumble down around her shoulders at any moment.
